For those who want to open a company in France or invest in an existing one, there is a program called Passeport Talent (talent passport).
Thanks to it, citizens of any country who are 18 years of age or older can obtain the status of a resident of the republic and a long-term residence permit. The talent passport is issued for a period of up to four years with the possibility of extension; a wife or husband and children under 18 can also obtain residency. Depending on the type of business in France, you can get several types of long-term residence permits.
Passeport Talent Сréateur d’Entreprise (enterprise founder)
To do this, you need to create a company in France, investing at least €30 thousand in the project. You also need to be a certified specialist with an education of at least a master’s degree or have professional experience in the relevant field for a period of 5 years. For the approval of a business project by the Ministry of Economy of France, it is important that it is promising and interesting for the economy of the republic, supports developing industries, and provides a significant number of new jobs. Tech companies will have more chances than, for example, a real estate agency, hotel or fashion brand. In this case, to register a company in France, Russians will also need to hire a local director.
Passeport Talent Investisseur Économique (investor in the economy)
This type of visa is issued for direct investments in the economy of at least €300 thousand. You can invest through a company in France – for this you need to manage it personally or own at least 30% of the capital. Or purchase a long-term share (at least 10%). The investor will also have to confirm his intention to create or maintain jobs for citizens of the country in this company.
Passeport Talent Projet Économique Innovant (innovative economic project)
It is also called a start-up visa. The main condition for obtaining a talent passport under this program is the development of an innovative project that will be registered in one of the certified business incubators and approved by the Ministry of Economy. This option is attractive to those wishing to open a business in France because there is no minimum threshold for investment and no large investments of your own are required. You only need to demonstrate your financial capabilities for living and investing. At a minimum, the immigration authorities require confirmation of your financial security at a level not lower than the minimum wage (€1,398.69).
