Bonjour everyone!

Are you an artist, performer, or writer and always dreamed of working in France?

Well, today I’m going to tell you all about the French Visa: Passeport Talent Artistique and Cultural, that helps those who are artists, performers, or writers who have been wanting to come and to do some work in France make that dream come true!

As a Life and Expat coach living in France, I get lots of people asking me different questions about how they can qualify to stay and work in France. So, I thought writing this blog and doing a video would be helpful.

If you don’t know what the Passeport Talent is and who it is for, I recommend that you watch the first video on this particular visa:

Where I go through exactly what the visa is and whom it is for. In general this visa is a long stay visa for people with particular talents that can help boost the French economy. This particular visa has 10 categories but today we are speaking about the artist’s category.

What do need to qualify for the Passeport Talent Artistique and Culturel if you want to come live and work in France?

Below you will find all the information the French government has available on what you need to do to qualify for this visa.

For Performers:

You are a performer and plan to be in France for more than 3 months, and you have secured one or more employment contracts that will be up to a minimum of three months. You or your employer will then need to declare your contracts on Form 15617-01:

https://france-visas.gouv.fr/documents/66002/47558306/cerfa_15617-01.pdf/84cbc537-4fc9-50c4-0018-fb92c3bf4c8d

With documents justifying the companies have proper French status, and a show contractor licenses if required.

Your visa

You will need to fill out a long stay visa form:

https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas/welcome-page

If you qualify you will then be issued with a long-stay visa marked “talent passport” “artistic and cultural profession.” It allows you, within 2 months of your arrival in France, to apply for your multi-year residence card. Its validity will take into account the nature and duration of the employment commitments or contracts you will present, within a maximum of 4 years.

If the duration of your commitments is less than 12 months, you will be issued a long-stay visa worth residence permit (VLS/TS) bearing the word “talent passport” (without further mention). You will need to validate it within 3 months of your arrival in France.

Providing Proof of Income

In addition to the supporting documents relating to your personal and professional situation specified, you must attach to your visa application, the form 15617-01 filled out by you or your employers. You will also need to justify your resources, mainly from the work you will be doing, for the period of time employed. These resources need to be for an amount equivalent to at least 70% of the legal minimum wage in France for a full time employee monthly salary.

The French minimum wage per hour is about 10.15 euros in 2020. Monthly that comes to around 1,540 euros. 70% of that is approx. 1,000 euros. You will need to be able to show you have that amount of resources to support you every month that you will be here in France. In addition to the resources from your work, your own resources can be taken into account within 49% of the total amount of resources required.

The insurance allowance for workers who are involuntarily deprived of employment paid by the French administration cannot be taken into account.

Freelance Artist Requirements

As a performer, author, or artist, working in France you have to be engaged in a production, performance or commitment lasting at least 3 months.

Your visa

You will need to fill out a long stay visa form:

https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas/welcome-page

If you qualify, you will be issued with a long-stay visa marked “talent passport” “artistic and cultural profession.” It allows you, within 2 months of your arrival in France, to apply for your multi-year residence card. Its validity will take into account the nature and duration of the employment commitments or contracts you will present, within a maximum of 4 years.

If the duration of your commitments is less than 12 months, you will be issued a long-stay visa worth residence permit (VLS/TS) bearing the word “talent passport” (without further mention). You will need to validate it within 3 months of your arrival in France.

The Proof You Will Need to Provide

In addition to the supporting documents relating to your personal and professional situation, you must attach to your visa application, the documents justifying your status as an artist, author, or performer and your commitments in France, as well as your resources.

In particular, you will have to provide the proof of the resources, mainly from your work, for the period of stay envisaged, for an amount equivalent to at least 70% of the legal minimum wage in France for a full time per month of stay in France. Example: contract with a gallery, artistic commission, etc.…

The French minimum wage per hour is about 10.15 euros in 2020. Monthly that comes to around 1,540 euros. 70% of that is approx. 1,000 euros. You will need to be able to show you have that amount of resources to support you every month that you will be here in France. In addition to the resources from your work, your own resources can be taken into account within 49% of the total amount of resources required.

The insurance allowance for workers who are involuntarily deprived of employment paid by the French administration cannot be taken into account.

Where can you go to apply for this visa?

You can apply for this visa, either at the French consulate, in your home country before you arrive, or you can apply for it at the prefecture here in France. If you are doing it here in France, I’ve put here is link to the prefecture finder to find the prefecture that is local to you:

https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Le-ministere/Prefectures

How much does this particular visa cost?

It’s going to be about 200.00 euros for the application process and 25 euros for your stamp duty. You can purchase that here through this link.

Pay Fees Application: https://timbres.impots.gouv.fr/index.jsp

That’s about it! It is little paper heavy but if you provide the required documents you should be good to go!

I hope this was helpful for you, and if you’re an artist and your thinking about coming to France, please put it in the comments below.

Also, if you have any questions that I can answer, I will do my best to do that. Now, like I said, I’m not an expert. I’m a life and expat coach, and I am here to support you. If you need some help getting your life started in France and getting things off of the ground, getting yourself organized and not being overwhelmed by the language barrier, you are free to contact me