Residency
France — Residency: Visa Overview
France distinguishes short stays under a Schengen visa from long stays under a national long-stay visa. Short stays under the Community Visa Code are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period. A long-stay visa for a private stay of more than three months, such as the visitor visa, is issued as a VLS-TS (a visa serving as a residence permit) and is validated online after arrival, and a temporary long-stay visa (VLS-T) can be issued to people certain not to extend their stay beyond the visa's duration. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens benefit from freedom of movement and do not need a visa. Residence status depends on the purpose of the stay; check France-Visas for your category.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceFrance-Visas; Service-Public.gouv.fr — long-stay visaLast reviewed: 2026-10-23
Key facts
- Short stays under a Schengen visa are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- A long-stay visa for a private stay of more than three months is issued as a VLS-TS, validated online after arrival.
- A temporary long-stay visa (VLS-T) can be issued to people certain not to extend beyond the visa's duration.
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens benefit from freedom of movement and do not need a visa.
Common mistakes
- Staying beyond 90 days in 180 on a short-stay visa.