Ways to move to France (non-academic)

Work, startups, internships, arts and freelancing

1. Job application (hired by a French company)

The simplest picture of work immigration is that you first get a job offer from a French company while still in Iran, then the company obtains your work permit and you apply for a work visa.

The general process usually looks like this:

Job hunting on sites like Pôle Emploi, Indeed, Welcome to the Jungle, LinkedIn, etc., and sending a French/English CV and cover letter.

Once hired, the employer prepares your and applies through government systems for the (work authorization).

Once the authorization is issued, you apply on the website for the long-stay visa, or in some cases the visa.

Uploading documents, booking an embassy appointment, submitting documents and fingerprinting.

After arrival, you get a residence permit (Titre de séjour) if needed.

"Passeport Talent" visas usually require a Master's degree or strong experience, a salary above a set minimum, and a long-term contract; in exchange, you get a multi-year card (up to 4 years) that also serves as a work permit.

2. Startup and entrepreneurship application

If you're working on a tech startup or an innovative project, your main route is the and specifically the.

Three common scenarios:

Founder (your own startup) Your project needs to be recognized as "innovative" (for example by an incubator/accelerator approved by the French government), and you usually need to show minimum funding (e.g. around €30,000 in capital or financial resources).

Employee at a French startup If you're hired by a French startup registered with the French Tech program, you can use the and get a 4-year residence card.

Investor For people who want to invest in French companies (Talent – business investor).

All of these routes fall under the umbrella and usually grant a renewable multi-year card that allows full work and life in France.

3. Internship application (Internship / Stage)

If you're a student and want to come to France for an internship, you usually apply under the status.

A few key points:

You must be enrolled in an academic program (university or higher education) in your home country, and the internship must be part of your studies or project.

First of all, you need a; this three-way agreement between you, your university and the host company in France covers every detail (duration, duties, insurance, internship pay, etc.).

For internships longer than about 3-4 months, you usually need a long-stay VLS-TS Stagiaire visa, which can be renewed into a "Stagiaire" residence permit after arrival.

Shorter internships (e.g. under 90 days) may be possible with a short-stay visa; check this precisely on the France-Visas website under the Stagiaire section.

4. Artistic and cultural application (Artist / Cultural Profession)

For artists, writers, musicians, actors, directors and cultural professions in general, the main route is the; usually called the "Artist Visa".

Things you'll usually need:

One or more collaboration/performance contracts in France lasting more than 3 months (concert, show, residency, art project, etc.).

Documents showing your artistic track record (portfolio, CV, awards, reviews, past contracts, etc.).

A minimum level of financial means to live in France (close to or above the French minimum wage).

Like the other Passeport Talent types, this one can also be issued for up to 4 years and lets you work in the artistic and cultural field, and can later open the way to long-term residence or even citizenship.

5. Freelancing, remote work and other special routes

France currently doesn't have a classic "digital nomad" visa like some other countries; meaning if you simply work remotely for a foreign company, you can't get a "remote work" visa on that basis alone. You need to fall under one of the official categories (employee, entrepreneur, artist, student, family, etc.).

A few other options that are sometimes useful:

Visa «Recherche d'emploi / Création d'entreprise» For graduates who studied in France and want to look for a job or start a company after finishing their studies (this is specific to people who were previously students in France).

Au Pair For single young people who want to live with a French family in exchange for a stipend; this is more like a cultural exchange than a full job.

Visitor visa For people who want to live in France without professional work authorization (for example someone living off savings or passive income).

For each of these routes, always check the exact document requirements, forms and latest rules on the official websites of and the French embassy in Iran's website, since amounts and conditions may change slightly each year.