From the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“Decisions by the Embassy of France in Hanoi or the Consulate-General in HCMC. **Post-arrival: applicant files the carte de séjour at the relevant préfecture within 2 months of arrival. Brief applicants explicitly on this 2-month préfecture window before departure. Post-arrival: carte de séjour at préfecture + guichet unique registration + URSSAF registration. After the initial 1-year temporary card, the applicant can apply for renewal; after A2 French level (waived if over 65) AND civic exam, eligible for a 4-year carte de séjour pluriannuelle (F35799). Préfecture card-issuance fee: €350 (€50 droit de timbre + €300 taxe) at carte delivery, paid by timbres fiscaux (F33071). EES does NOT apply to VLS-TS holders.”
What you need
- Per F35795 and CESEDA L.421-5: (1) the commercial/industrial/artisan activity must be the applicant's main activity; (2) it must be economically viable and provide sufficient means of existence — france-visas operationalises this as approximately the SMIC full-time annual equivalent (verify current SMIC on Légifrance before each filing); (3) it must correspond to the applicant's qualifications or relevant professional experience; (4) it must be registered at the guichet unique des formalités d'entreprise (formalites.entreprises.gouv.fr); (5) for artisan activity: professional qualification evidence relevant to the craft sector. Business plan required at visa stage; extrait Kbis required post-creation. Long-stay visa — carte de séjour to be filed at the préfecture within 2 months of arrival. Application form: Cerfa 14571-05 generated by the france-visas interactive assistant.
Checklist
16- Long-stay visa application form (Cerfa 14571-05) — completed via france-visas assistant, printed, signed *
- Two recent identical biometric photos (35mm × 45mm, ICAO standard) *
- Original passport (validity covering the planned stay + 3 months; 2+ blank visa pages; issued ≤ 10 years ago) *
- Passport copies — bio-data page + all pages with visas, stamps, or residence permits *
- Vietnamese documents — notarised + sworn translation into French or English *
- Business plan — commercial/industrial/artisan activity: business object, target market, 2-3 year financial forecast, legal structure, location, financing *
- Qualifications and professional experience — diploma + CV matching the intended business activity *
- Financial-resources evidence — at or above SMIC full-time equivalent *
- Intent or evidence to register at the guichet unique des formalités d'entreprise *
- Accommodation evidence — signed lease, hotel/Airbnb booking (first weeks), or attestation d'hébergement *
- Health insurance — from arrival until enrolment in the French health system *
- Birth certificate (with notarised translation) *
- Visa fee — €99 (standard long-stay), paid at TLS Contact appointment *
- TLS Contact service fee — €25 per applicant *
- Préfecture card-issuance fee — €350 (€50 droit de timbre + €300 taxe) at carte delivery, paid by timbres fiscaux *
- TLS Contact appointment — booked in advance, biometric collection *
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