For more than a decade, France has held a permanent place in the heart of travel writer Matt Kepnes. His love affair with the country began in 2010 during a trip to Bordeaux, where local friends introduced him to the nuances of French culture, food, and wine. That affection deepened into a profound attachment when he stepped out of the Paris metro onto the iconic Champs-Élysées. The luminous lights, dynamic energy, and distinct atmosphere convinced him that he had somehow returned home to a city he had known his entire life.
Over the ensuing years, Kepnes returned to France repeatedly, leading tours, exploring the capital, and eventually living in Paris for several months in 2019. Yet, following another extended stay last August, a familiar question resurfaced: What if he moved back permanently?
At the time, multiple factors converged to make a relocation appealing. Growing weary of the New York City dating market and the relentless rise in the cost of living, Kepnes also found himself facing a creative plateau. Furthermore, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and shifting industry trends left him uncertain about the future trajectory of his career as a digital creator. Simply put, a major change was necessary, and Paris emerged as the ideal destination.
Beyond its emotional resonance, Paris offered practical advantages. It was more affordable than New York City, he already had an established network of friends there, and the location served as an optimal base for broader European travel. Moreover, the move provided an opportunity to finally learn French and begin writing his next book, fueled by the fresh inspiration that comes from a new environment.
However, relocating to France presented a familiar logistical hurdle: the country lacks a dedicated digital nomad visa, and standard Schengen tourist visas restrict non-EU visitors to a maximum stay of three months. For nationals from developed countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, navigating the French immigration system requires careful consideration of the available legal pathways.
Prospective expatriates generally have four primary options when seeking to move to France. The first is the student visa, a straightforward route that requires enrollment in a full-time university program and proof of sufficient financial resources, typically around 600 euros per month. This option allows individuals to work part-time, and upon completing a program, graduates can transition to a job-seeker visa to extend their stay by up to six months or more, depending on the length of their studies. However, the student visa remains entirely contingent on academic enrollment; withdrawing from a program immediately voids the legal status.
An entrepreneur visa represents a second option, though the application process is notoriously complex and can take months to clear. Applicants must establish a business in France, generate verifiable revenue with at least one French client, earn at least the French minimum wage, and subject their personal assets and financials to intense scrutiny. Alternatively, experts in academic or artistic fields can apply for a talent visa. This path is suited for those intending to stay long-term and conduct physical business within the country, though artists must explicitly demonstrate how their work will enrich French culture.
Because the processes for both the entrepreneur and talent visas are remarkably time-consuming, and given that long-term residency in France remains an open question, Kepnes ultimately bypassed those routes in favor of a long-term visitor visa, officially designated as the VLS-TS visiteur. This visa permits a stay of up to 12 months and is renewable locally, making it a popular choice for retirees and individuals with passive income or independent savings. While it does not grant access to the French social welfare system or permit physical employment within the country, it allows holders to open a local bank account and can be renewed almost indefinitely, provided applicants can prove they possess adequate financial resources to avoid becoming a burden on the state.
The question of what constitutes "work" under the visitor visa remains a significant gray area for remote workers and content creators. While France has no official digital nomad visa, and tax authorities have expressed opinions that remote work should be taxable, no formal legislation has been codified to reflect this stance. For instance, Kepnes notes that his visitor visa does not even include a tax number, making tax payment technically impossible under that specific status.
French immigration authorities traditionally define work through a physical lens—activities performed locally that might otherwise occupy a job opening intended for a French citizen. Consequently, running walking tours or taking a job at a local café is strictly prohibited. Yet, digital activities such as writing a free blog post, drafting a novel in a café, or publishing a weekly newsletter featuring affiliate links exist in a regulatory vacuum. To navigate these ambiguities, many expatriates consult specialized legal counsel, such as prominent Franco-American immigration attorney Daniel Tostado, who regularly collaborates with government officials to clarify evolving regulations.
The application process for the long-term visitor visa itself is relatively streamlined. Applicants initiate the procedure through the official French government portal, secure an appointment reference number, and book an appointment via TLScontact, an external partner that handles document intake on behalf of French consulates. The primary criteria for approval center on proving adequate accommodation for the first 90 days and demonstrating sufficient financial self-sufficiency.
During the consular appointment, staff members verify paperwork, capture biometric data, collect administrative fees, and forward the applicant’s passport to the embassy for processing. Although official estimates place processing times at up to 15 days, most applicants receive their documents within a week. The anxiety of waiting for the passport’s return remains the most challenging phase, with online forums indicating that the vast majority of visa denials stem from insufficient income proof or inadequate housing arrangements.
Once the visa is approved and stamped, travelers may enter France at any point after the start date. Within 90 days of arrival, newcomers must register their visa online using a designated QR code and instructions, finalizing their official long-term status. With that final administrative step complete, residents are free to live in France and travel throughout the Schengen area until their visa reaches its expiration date.