Foreign entrepreneurs and investors who want to set up in France can apply for the “talent – project holder” multi-year residence permit (carte de séjour « talent – porteur de projet »). Since the reform of the talent permits, this single card replaces what were previously known as the “Talent Passport – business creator”, “innovative economic project” and “economic investor” categories.
Three tracks, three sets of conditions
1. Business creation (parcours création d’entreprise)
You must meet four conditions:
- hold a diploma at least equivalent to a Master’s degree, or justify five years of professional experience at a comparable level;
- justify a real and serious business creation project in France;
- justify sufficient resources for yourself and your family, at least equal to the full-time gross annual minimum wage, i.e. €22,404.20;
- justify funding of at least €30,000 for the business project.
2. Innovative economic project (parcours projet économique innovant)
You must justify an innovative economic project recognised by the Ministry of the Economy, together with resources at least equal to the full-time minimum wage (€22,404.20 gross per year).
3. Direct economic investment (parcours investissement économique)
You must meet all of the following conditions:
- invest personally or through a company that you manage or in which you hold at least 30% of the capital;
- create or preserve jobs, or commit to doing so;
- make an investment in tangible or intangible fixed assets in France of at least €300,000.
What the card allows
The card authorises you to reside in France and to carry out the commercial activity linked to your project. It is valid for up to four years and your spouse and minor children can obtain a “talent – family” card through the simplified procedure.
The decisive step: proving that the project is real and serious
For the business-creation track, the Ministry of the Economy gives an opinion on the real and serious nature of the project before the residence application. This opinion is requested online and is valid for twelve months; without it, the application filed on the ANEF platform cannot succeed.
In practice, the piece that wins the decision is almost always the business plan. It should cover four aspects:
- The origins of the project: your background and why your training or experience legitimises this specific activity;
- The organisation of the activity: your day-to-day role, planned recruitments, premises, equipment and how they are financed;
- A market study: target market, demand and existing competition, and what concretely distinguishes your project;
- The financial forecast: expected turnover over the first financial years, costs, break-even point and financing plan, showing that the activity will generate at least the required resources.
Read also: Foreign entrepreneurs in France: how to prove the economic viability of your project and The importance of the profile of foreign investor-entrepreneurs.
Proving the €30,000 or €300,000
The funding must be documented: bank statements, certificate of capital deposit, loan agreements, shareholder contributions, invoices for investments already made. For the investment track, the administration checks that the amount is actually invested in fixed assets in France, not simply held in an account. See also: How can a foreign investor obtain a certificate of capital deposit?
Specific documents
Besides the usual documents (passport, visa or residence permit, proof of address, e-photo, signed commitment to respect the principles of the Republic), service-public.fr lists in particular:
- Business creation: diploma or proof of five years’ experience; criminal record extract for a first “talent” application; proof of an investment of at least €30,000 (own or borrowed funds); proof of resources at least equal to the minimum wage; proof of the company’s registration (articles, K extract or SIREN number) or affiliation to the self-employed social security scheme; the Ministry of the Economy’s opinion on the real and serious nature of the project;
- Innovative project: the Ministry of the Economy’s opinion on the innovative nature of the project and proof of resources;
- Investment: proof that you personally manage the company or hold at least 30% of its capital, or of a personal investment; proof of the creation or preservation of jobs (or a commitment to do so) within four years of the investment; a commitment letter with annual job creation and an investment plan (business plan); proof that an investment of at least €300,000 has been or will be made in France.
The procedure
- From abroad: long-stay visa application at the French consulate. For a stay of one year or more, the consulate issues a three-month “talent” visa and you then apply for the card on ANEF after arrival.
- From France: online application on ANEF, within two months of entry with a long-stay visa, or between four and two months before your current permit expires (for example after a Master’s degree, or at the end of a “job search / business creation” permit).
If the card is granted, the cost is €350 in tax stamps (€50 stamp duty + €300 tax).
Renewal: the activity must have become viable
At renewal, the question is no longer whether the project is viable on paper, but whether the business is actually operating and generating the required resources. Keep your accounts, invoices, contracts and proof of activity from the very first year.
Project holder or “entrepreneur / liberal profession” card?
Profiles that do not meet the diploma, experience or €30,000 conditions can consider the “entrepreneur / liberal profession” residence card. It requires a favourable opinion on the economic viability of the activity and resources of at least the minimum wage, but no minimum investment is set by the texts. See: Starting and running a business in France as a foreigner.
Refusal
Silence from the prefecture is deemed a refusal. Since 30 October 2026 (decree no. 2026-1001 of 26 October 2026), the general deadline is 90 days from a complete application, instead of four months; official pages are still being updated. A refusal can be challenged within two months through an administrative appeal and/or before the administrative court.
Source: Service-public.fr – Carte talent (checked on 3 November 2026).
Need help with your application?
FATOU BABOU AVOCAT assists employees, entrepreneurs, investors and companies with every step of business immigration to France: eligibility analysis, preparation of the application, follow-up with the consulate or the prefecture, and appeals in the event of refusal.
- Bordeaux office: 11 rue Galin, 33100 Bordeaux, France – +33 9 85 40 18 64 – contact@legalfb-avocat.fr
- Dakar office: 14 rue Woro Fila, Fann Hock, Dakar, Senegal – +221 77 173 69 05 / +221 33 844 29 16 – contact@fbavocat-sn.com
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Rules and amounts change regularly: always check your own situation with a lawyer.