Step 1: Test the project against the criteria
Confirm the qualification or experience, and that the plan is substantial enough to read as real and serious.
Guided
- Typical timeline
- 5 months
- Family
- spouse, children to 18
- Route
- Entrepreneur / business creation
Is this for you?
- Non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationality.
- A master's-level qualification, or at least five years of professional experience at a comparable level.
- A real and serious business creation project in France.
- Project financing of at least €30,000.
- Personal resources at least equal to the annual gross SMIC (€22,404.20).
Not for you if
- A project the prefecture judges not to be real and serious — a shell company or a plan with no substance behind it.
- Neither the qualification nor the five years of comparable experience.
- Financing below €30,000, or financing that cannot be evidenced.
Not a match? Other routes in France
At a glance
Quick facts
No minimum investment; Typical timeline 5 months; 3 highlights
- Minimum investment
- No minimum
- Currency: EUR
- Typical timeline
- From application start
Highlights
- France talent card
- business creation
- entrepreneur visa
Program
Program specifics
- Route type
- Entrepreneur / Business Creation
- Eligible residency pathway
- Last updated
- Subject to regulatory change
Information is indicative and may change; confirm current terms with an advisor.
Program overview
The business creation talent card is for founders who intend to build and run something in France. It asks for three things together: a master's-level qualification or five years of professional experience at a comparable level, a real and serious business project, and at least €30,000 of financing behind that project. You also need personal resources at least equal to the annual gross SMIC, currently stated as €22,404.20 — that is what you live on, separate from what the business runs on.
The card is issued for up to four years, carries the right to work, and brings a spouse and minor children in on talent-famille cards without the ordinary family reunification procedure.
The Number Is Not The Test
Thirty thousand euros is a low bar by European standards, and it is tempting to read it as the whole requirement. It is not. The decisive words in the criteria are real and serious, and that is an assessment of the plan: does the market exist, do the numbers work, does the applicant have the background to execute it, and is the capital proportionate to what is being attempted.
We have seen files clear €30,000 comfortably and fail on viability. Build the plan for the business, then check it clears the floor — not the other way round.
Choosing Between This And The Innovative Project Route
| Business creation | Innovative economic project | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum financing | €30,000 | None specified |
| External approval | Not required | Must be recognised by the economy ministry |
| Best for | Trading businesses, services, acquisitions | Technology and research-led ventures |
| Main risk | Viability assessment | Obtaining ministry recognition |
| Card length | Up to 4 years | Up to 4 years |
| Family rights | Talent-famille | Talent-famille |
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Other programs in France
Programs similar to France Talent Card — Business Creation
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Eligibility
- Non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationality.
- A master's-level qualification, or at least five years of professional experience at a comparable level.
- A real and serious business creation project in France.
- Project financing of at least €30,000.
- Personal resources at least equal to the annual gross SMIC (€22,404.20).
Key benefits
- Multi-year talent card, up to four years and renewable.
- Spouse and minor children receive a talent-famille card without family reunification.
- Right to run the business and to work in France.
- Entry to the French and wider EU market from inside the single market.
- Counts towards the five years of residence required for naturalisation.
Who this program is NOT for
- A project the prefecture judges not to be real and serious — a shell company or a plan with no substance behind it.
- Neither the qualification nor the five years of comparable experience.
- Financing below €30,000, or financing that cannot be evidenced.
- Serious criminal convictions.
Not a match? Explore other programs in France.
Costs & proof of funds
Program fees & proof of funds
Fees listed: 3 line items. Estimated totals: €30,350 (EUR). Proof of funds items: 2.
Estimated program totals
EUR: €30,350
Required proof of funds
EUR: €52,404
Detailed fee table
| Item | Price | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project financing | €30,000 | Evidenced at application | Minimum financing behind the business project. Own funds or borrowed funds both count. |
| Residence card tax | €300 | At issuance | Payable at the prefecture. |
| Stamp duty | €50 | At issuance | Droit de timbre. |
Swipe horizontally to see all columns.
We’ll share a personalized cost sheet after your pre-screen.
Estimates only — final costs may vary by case & government updates.
Proof of funds
- Project financing€30,000
Must be committed to the project, not merely available.
- Personal resources€22,404
Personal means at least equal to the annual gross SMIC, stated as €22,404.20 — separate from the project financing.
Required (EUR): €52,404
Figures are indicative and may change with family size, project selection and program updates.
Approved projects
Government-approved developments or investment options vetted for eligibility and exit horizons.
New company incorporated in France
Min buy-in30,000 EURHold period48 moIncorporate, capitalise and begin trading; the project must match what was presented.
Acquisition of an existing French business
Min buy-in30,000 EURHold period48 moTaking over a going concern, with the same financing and viability tests.
Cost estimator
Calculator
Cost estimator
Indicative estimate. Excludes exchange/transfer charges and third-party legal costs. Official fees may change without notice.
Choose a base option
Family size
Adults (incl. principal)
Children (<18)
Government & due-diligence fees
- €3501 × €350 = €350
Summary
Business creation financing
fixed • Qty 1
€30,000
€30,000
Residence card tax and stamp duty
fixed • Qty 1
€350
€350
Estimated total
€30,350
Application process
Process
How it works
Step 2: Build the file
Business plan, financials, evidence of the €30,000, and proof of personal means at SMIC level.
GuidedStep 3: Apply for the long-stay visa
File at the French consulate covering your place of residence.
GuidedStep 4: Incorporate in France
Register the company and open the business bank account.
GuidedStep 5: Prefecture appointment
Give biometrics, pay the tax and stamp duty, collect the talent card.
GuidedStep 6: Add the family
Spouse and minor children apply for talent-famille cards.
GuidedStep 7: Trade and renew
Operate the business as presented and renew the card before expiry.
Guided
Disclosure
Risk & compliance
Please read carefully. These notes are informational and do not constitute legal or financial advice.
Risk notes
2 items- The €30,000 is a floor for admissibility, not a realistic startup budget.
- The prefecture assesses whether the project is real and serious, and a thinly capitalised plan in a capital-intensive sector will struggle on that test even though it clears the number. Budget for the business you actually intend to build.
Checklist
Document checklist
11 total items
Documents vary by profile and family composition; we'll tailor your final list.
Identity3 items
Identity
3 items- Valid passport and certified copy
- Passport photographs to French specification
- Civil status documents
Sworn translation into French where required.
Qualification or experience2 items
Qualification or experience
2 items- Master's-level diploma, or evidence of five years at a comparable level
- CV and employment references
Foreign qualifications should be presented with a recognised equivalence where possible.
The project3 items
The project
3 items- Business plan with market, financials and timeline
- Evidence of the €30,000 financing
- Draft or filed incorporation documents
This is the part the decision actually turns on.
Means and compliance3 items
Means and compliance
3 items- Evidence of personal resources at SMIC level
- Criminal record certificate
- Health insurance covering the stay
Snapshot
Eligible dependents
2 of 4 categories included
2 of 4 categories eligible. Children up to 18. Spouse included. Siblings not included.
IncludedNot included
- Spouse
- IncludedYes
- Children
- Up to 18 years18Yes
- Parents
- Not includedNo
- Siblings
- Not includedNo
Frequently asked questions
It is the published minimum financing, and it is genuinely the floor. But the prefecture also asks whether the project is real and serious, and that is a judgement about the plan rather than a number. A software consultancy at €30,000 reads very differently from a restaurant at €30,000.
A qualification at master's level, or at least five years of professional experience at a comparable level. The five-year alternative exists precisely so that experienced founders without a postgraduate degree are not excluded.
Not to obtain the card. French at B2 becomes relevant only if you later apply for citizenship. In practice, running a business in France without French is harder than the immigration rules make it sound.
Yes. The requirement is that the project has the financing behind it, not that it came from personal savings.
No. The innovative economic project route has no investment floor at all, but requires the project to be recognised by the ministry responsible for the economy. This route has a €30,000 floor and no ministry recognition. They suit different businesses.
Five years of residence, with French at B2 and the civics exam. The years on the talent card count.
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