Coming to France with your family
A foreign employee or company director can settle in France with their family. Their rights to residency, work and the procedures involved vary depending on the nationality and residency permit of the principal applicant.
In a nutshell
- The family members concerned are the spouse and minor children.
- The rules differ depending on whether the main applicant is non-European, a European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA)/Swiss citizen or French.
- Some residence permits (Talent, Intra-Company Transfer) allow a simplified procedure for accompanying family members.
- Minor children do not need a residence permit and they can apply for a travel document for a minor foreign national (DCEM) to travel and justify their stay in France.
Who are the family members?
Who are the family members?
The following are considered family members:
- The spouse of the employee or company director residing in France.
- Minor children, aged under 18.
Depending on the situation of the principal applicant and the nationality of relatives, family members may:
- Have a right to residency.
- Access the job market.
- Be subject to specific or simplified procedures.
What procedure should be followed when family members are non-European?
The validity period of a permit issued to the family member is aligned with that of the spouse’s or parent’s permit.
Family residence permits are equivalent to a work permit. The spouse can engage in any salaried activity without additional formalities.
- If the family is resident abroad, the French diplomatic and consular authorities in their place of residence are competent.
- Visa application (long-stay visa bearing the mention “Talent – Family” or “ICT Posted/Seconded Employee – Family”) via France-visas.gouv.fr
- Filing is possible at the same time as, or after, the application for the main applicant.
The finalization of the application for the permit takes place on the dedicated platform.
For the spouse of a holder of a “Talent” permit, once the application has been validated by the Prefecture via the platform, the spouse will receive a certificate of favorable decision, which will serve as a residence permit while waiting for the appointment at the Prefecture to collect the residence permit.
The Prefecture determines the duration of the “Talent” residence permit issued. Between submitting the application and receiving the residence permit, it will be possible to check the status of the application on the online account, respond to any requests to complete the file and view the decisions made.
The spouse of the “Intra-Company Transfer seconded employee” will have to apply for their permit at the Prefecture of their residence.
- Request for change of status online on the dedicated platform
- Justification of the required eligibility conditions
Between the filing of the application and the issuance of the residence permit, the spouse or adult child can check the status of their application on their online account, respond to any requests to complete their file and be aware of the decisions made.
The exact list of required documents is provided by the relevant authority and is available on France-visas.gouv.fr. It depends on the applicant’s status, family situation and country of residence.
You can find the list of required documents on our dedicated page.
- Spouse’s residence permit: €350
- Visa: €99 per family member
The accompanying family procedure does not apply to families of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.
What procedure should be followed for family members of French citizens?
- No visa required
- Entry with a valid identity card or passport
- Free professional activity, whether salaried or otherwise
A residence permit “EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen” may be requested on an optional basis.
Practicing a regulated profession remains subject to the obligation to provide proof of the required qualifications and is subject to the authorization of the competent authority where applicable.
Family members of a French citizen who are nationals of a third country must apply for a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit), except in cases of exemption, via the dedicated platform.
This visa, issued under an accelerated procedure, bears the notation “private and family life” and is valid for 12 months. It allows the holder to engage in any professional activity.
- After one year of residence, the spouse can apply for a multi-year residence permit, then, under certain conditions, a 10-year resident card.
- After three years of stable and regular residence on French territory, a 10-year resident card can be issued to the spouse of a French citizen.
- The renewal of this permit and the application for a resident card must be submitted to the Prefecture no earlier than four months and no later than two months before the expiry of the residence document.
What procedure applies when family members are citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland?
Close family members of a European citizen may accompany them during their move to France.
The following are considered close family members:
- Spouse or civil partner
- Children under 21 years of age
- Dependent children over 21 years of age
- Dependent direct ascendants
European family members enter and reside freely in France. Family members who are nationals of third countries benefit from easier entry and residence procedures, including a free and quickly issued visa.
Once in France, they must apply for a residence permit “Family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen”, valid for five years and renewable.
- No visa required
- Entry with a valid identity card or passport
- Free professional activity, whether salaried or otherwise
A residence permit “EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen” may be requested on an optional basis.
Practicing a regulated profession remains subject to the obligation to provide proof of the required qualifications and is subject to the authorization of the competent authority where applicable.
Visa
When family members of a citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland are nationals of a third country, they must, unless exempt, submit a visa application to the competent French consular authorities in their country of residence.
The application is initiated online on the official France-Visas website.
Visa applications for family members of European citizens are subject to an accelerated procedure, so as to facilitate their entry into French territory.
In principle, the processing time does not exceed four weeks and no visa fees are required.
Residence permit
After their arrival in France, family members who are nationals of a third country must apply for a residence permit “Family member of a citizen of the EU/EEA/Switzerland”.
This procedure is mandatory and must be completed within three months of entering France, on the ANEF website.
This residence permit allows the holder to engage in any professional activity, whether salaried or self-employed, without any additional formalities. However, access to regulated professions remains subject to qualification requirements and necessary authorizations.
The permit is issued free of charge, for a period of five years, and is renewable. The renewal application must be submitted to ANEF between four and two months before its expiry date.
What is a travel document for a minor foreign national (DCEM)?
Minor foreign nationals are not required to hold a residence permit. The DCEM (Document de Circulation pour Étranger Mineur – Travel document for a minor foreign national) certifies the legality of a minor’s stay and allows them to travel outside of France and return without a visa, provided they are in possession of a valid passport.
Minor child of a non-European citizen
The DCEM is issued to a minor residing in France when at least one of their parents holds one of the following residence permits:
- Temporary residence permit (employee, temporary worker, jobseeker and business creation, etc.)
- Multi-year residence permit (Talent, Intra-Company Transfer seconded employee, employee, etc.)
- 10-year resident card
Minor child of Algerian or Tunisian nationality
The situation of Algerian and Tunisian minors is governed by specific bilateral agreements. The minor must have resided legally in France, generally with a long-stay visa.
The DCEM can be issued to an Algerian minor residing in France when:
- They have been admitted to residency under the family reunification scheme.
- They were born in France and reside there with at least one parent who has legal status.
- Provides proof of habitual residence in France since the age of 10 at the latest, for at least six years.
- They entered France to pursue studies with a visa for more than three months.
The DCEM can be issued to a Tunisian minor residing in France when:
- They have been admitted to residency under the family reunification scheme.
- They entered France to pursue studies with a visa for more than three months.
Minor child of a European citizen
The DCEM is issued to a minor residing in France when they are in one of the following situations:
- At least one of their parents is a citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland and has resided in France for more than three months.
- Their step-parent is a European citizen and at least one of their parents has been residing in France for more than three months.
- At least one of their parents has acquired French nationality.
Child under 13 years old
When the child is under 13 years of age, the validity period of the DCEM depends on the nationality of the parents and the validity period of their residence permit.
- Children of European citizens: DCEM valid for five years, renewable.
- Children of non-European citizens: DCEM valid for up to five years, or for a period aligned with that of the parents’ residence permit if it is shorter.
When parents have residence permits with different expiry dates, the latest expiry date is used. The DCEM is renewable until the child reaches the age of majority.
It must be returned to the Prefecture if the child becomes French or obtains a residence permit.
Child over 13 years old
When the child is over 13 years old, the DCEM is issued until they turn 18.
If the parent’s residence permit expires before the child reaches the age of majority, the validity of the DCEM is aligned with that of the parent’s permit, but cannot be less than one year. If the parent’s permits have different expiry dates, the later expiry date is used.
The DCEM must be returned if the child becomes French or obtains a residence permit.
The DCEM application is submitted online on the dedicated website by the person exercising parental authority over the minor. It is processed by the Prefecture or Sub-Prefecture of the child’s place of residence.
Once the application is accepted, the DCEM is collected from the designated authority. The parent holding the main residence permit must appear accompanied by the beneficiary child.
The exact list of required documents will be provided when the application is submitted.
For reference, you can find the list of required documents.
- Child of non-European parents: €50, to be paid by tax stamps upon delivery of the DCEM.
- Child of European parents: Free of charge.
This page explains the steps employers need to consider when family members of a recruited foreign employee arrive in France. It is based on institutional sources such as the French Ministry of the Interior, France-Visas, prefectures and Business France. It presents information covering procedures depending on the nationality of family members, their relationship with the employee, and the Travel Document for Foreign Minors (DCEM). It uses the example of an employer recruiting a foreign employee accompanied by their family and needing to answer the employee’s questions about the immigration status of their family members.