France does not sell residence permits for buying a flat. But it does have a card for people who put serious money into the real economy: the talent - porteur de projet card, "direct economic investment" route. Invest at least €300,000 in a French business, create or keep jobs, and you can get a residence permit of up to four years. No degree, no minimum income, no language test.
Key facts
| Legal name | Carte de séjour pluriannuelle "talent - porteur de projet" (investissement économique direct), art. L421-16 3° CESEDA |
| Formerly called | Passeport Talent - investisseur |
| Investment | At least €300,000 in tangible or intangible fixed assets in France |
| Jobs | Create or keep jobs within 4 years of the investment |
| Degree or income | Not required |
| Validity | Up to 4 years, set according to your project |
| Work rights | The business activity linked to the investment |
| French language | Not required for this card |
| Family | Spouse and children get a "talent (famille)" card |
| Fee | €350 for a first card, plus the consular visa fee if you apply from abroad |
| Long term | 10-year card after 5 years of legal residence; citizenship possible after 5 years |
Who this card is for
- The business buyer. You acquire or take a large stake in a French company and invest in its equipment, premises or technology.
- The industrialist or operator. You open a production site, a hotel, a restaurant group or a logistics base in France through your company.
- The family business expanding to France. Your holding invests through a French subsidiary that you run or in which you hold at least 30%.
- The investor-manager. You want to live in France and personally oversee the business your money built.
If your plan looks different, another card may fit better:
| Your situation | Card to look at |
|---|---|
| You start a company with €30,000 or more and have a master's or 5 years' experience | Talent - company founder |
| Your project is innovative and backed by a public body | Talent - innovative project (French Tech Visa) |
| You are sent by your group to run its French entity | Talent - legal representative |
| You want to live in France on your own savings, without working | Visitor card |
Conditions
The law treats you as a direct investor when three conditions are met:
- How you invest. Personally, through a company you run, or through a company in which you hold at least 30% of the capital.
- What you invest in. Tangible or intangible fixed assets in France - equipment, premises, machinery, intellectual property, software - for at least €300,000. The investment can already be made or committed to.
- Jobs. You create or keep jobs in France, or commit to doing so, within four years of the investment.
There is no degree requirement, no minimum personal income and no prior Ministry opinion for this route.
Not sure your investment counts as "fixed assets", or how the job commitment will be read? A short consultation is enough to check before the money moves.
Documents and procedure
The consulate or préfecture checks four things: your control of the investing structure, the €300,000 investment (made or committed), the job plan and the origin of the funds. If you live abroad, the application goes through the French consulate; if you already live in France legally, through the préfecture. A first card costs €350 in tax stamps. The timing of the investment needs to be planned before you apply.
Your rights
- Work. The card covers the business activity linked to your investment. It is not a general work permit for an unrelated salaried job.
- Family. Your spouse and children get a "talent (famille)" card running until your card expires, without family reunification, and your spouse can work in France.
- No integration contract. No A2 test or civic exam for this card.
When it gets complicated
The rules fit in three lines. These are the situations where files most often go wrong:
- Real estate. A home you live in is not an economic investment. Property held through a company sits in a grey area: what matters is the economic activity and the jobs, not the purchase price.
- Buying shares instead of assets. Paying €300,000 for shares in an existing company is not automatically an investment in fixed assets. How the money reaches the business decides it.
- The job commitment. "Create or keep jobs" has no fixed number in the text. How many, when, and how it is documented shapes the decision and the renewal.
- Investing through a holding. Chains of companies, trusts or co-investors make the 30% and "company you run" tests harder to prove.
- Origin of funds. Money from several countries, from the sale of a business or from family needs a clean paper trail.
- The one-year deadline. The card can be withdrawn if the investment has not started within a year of being issued. Delays in a purchase, a permit or a lease are the usual cause.
Frequently asked questions
Does France have a golden visa?
Not in the sense of residence for buying property. The closest equivalent is this card: €300,000 invested in a business's fixed assets, with jobs created or kept in France.
Can I get the card by buying an apartment for €300,000?
No. A home is not an economic investment. The law requires fixed assets of a business and a job commitment.
Related reading
- France talent card: which category fits you
- Talent card for company founders
- Talent card for group executives
Two ways to move forward
Check your situation. If you want to know whether your investment and structure fit this card, or which card fits better, book a consultation.
Have the application handled. If you want the file prepared together with the investment structure, describe your situation and you will receive a proposal for full assistance.
General information under French law as at 28 October 2026. It is not legal advice for your situation.