Fact sheet: “Accompanying family”
Date of update
Talent and intra-company transfer (ICT) residence permits granted to foreign investors, company directors, startup owners and employees make it easier for the family to come to France.
Family members may be eligible for residence rights as well as access to employment through the ‘accompanying family’ procedure.
Family members who are EU, EEA or Swiss citizens can freely enter and stay in France. Algerian citizens are covered by a specific scheme.
Helpful tip: Families not eligible for this simplified procedure can apply for a residence permit separately from the main applicant (e.g. as a visitor).
Otherwise, families have the option of coming to France on grounds of family reunification. Family reunification applies to foreign nationals who have been lawfully resident in France for at least 18 months and who wish to be joined by the spouse and children.
For further details on the family reunification procedure, see service-public.fr.
Simplified procedure
The simplified ‘accompanying family’ procedure is open to spouses and children under the age of 18 who are dependents of the holder of one of the following multi-year residence permit:
| Permit held by foreign national | Permit automatically issued to spouse | Dependent children |
| ‘Talent – Family’ permit |
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| Residence permit: Intra-Company Transfer « Salarié détaché ICT » | Intra-company transfer – Family’ (Salarié détaché ICT – Famille) permit |
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| Residence permit: Intra-Company Transfer « Salarié détaché mobile ICT » | Intra-company transfer - Family’ (Salarié détaché mobile ICT- Famille) permit |
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*Applies to children who were under the age of 18 when they entered France and who apply for a residence permit in the year they turn 18.
Helpful tip:When the family is already together in an EU Member State and living there for at least 18 months, the spouse and children are automatically eligible for a multi-year residence permit if they apply within one month of entering France.
Length of stay
The permit is valid for the remaining validity period of the residence permit held by the spouse or parent.
Access to paid employment
Multi-year ‘Family’ residence permits are equivalent to work permits. Their holders may undertake any paid employment.
Obtaining a residence permit
Steps
If the family lives outside France, they should apply to the French consular authorities in the usual place of residence.
The application for a long-stay visa marked ‘Talent – Famille’ or ‘Salarié détaché ICT’, authorizing entry into French territory, is initiated on France-visas.gouv.fr official website.
The long-stay visa can be applied for either at the same time as the main applicant or in delayed time.
Once in France, the foreign talent must apply upon arrival for the relevant Talent on the dedicated platform in order to finalize the application for the residence permit.
Once the application is validated by the Prefecture via the platform, the foreign talent will receive a certificate of approval which will be equivalent to a residence permit until the talent goes to the appointment at the Prefecture to get the definitive residence permit.
Between the application and the delivery of the residence permit, the foreign talent can check the status of his or her application on his or her online account, answer to any request to complete his or her file, and check the decisions made.
If the family is already resident in France, spouse, or child upon becoming an adult, will have to apply for a change of status on the dedicated website. He or she will be asked to prove his or her eligibility for the desired residence permit.
Between the application and the delivery of the residence permit, he or she will be able to check the status of his or her application on the online account, answer to any request to complete his or her file, and check the decisions made.
Documents required
Applicants can obtain a list of exactly which documents are required from the authority responsible for handling the application, either in person or via its website. It is also accessible on the official website: France-visas.gouv.fr.
As an indication, here is the list of documents that must be submitted with an application for a multi-year residence permit under the ‘accompanying family’ procedure.
Cost
Administrative cost: €269 for the spouse’s residence permit and €99 per visa issued to each member of the accompanying family.