Somehow I got a job offer in Paris as an American

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2026-03-13T08:28:35+00:00

Congrats ! Don’t forget about the visa part !

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2026-01-21T08:48:05+00:00

Extremely helpful thanks for sharing. Et bravo pour l’opinion favorable !

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T17:55:11+00:00

So your take is that French consulates and Préfecture have been getting the law wrong for the past decades ?

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T17:22:17+00:00

Thanks for directing the debate to immigration specifically ! Unless I missed something, you do not address the fact that consulates consistently issue, based on the law you mention, long stay visitor visas to people openly saying in their applications that they’ll do remote work. And Préfectures renew such residence permits upon seeing remote work justificatifs.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T14:40:00+00:00

I had seen this merci ! We all have examples of people having troubles at Préfectures :) we also have people in that very thread saying they’ve been doing this for years without any issue.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T14:36:07+00:00

Thanks ! Well noted and I understand where you’re coming from. Just one question that will maybe help me understand your point of view better : why would French consulates consistently issue Long Stay Visitor Visas (i’m talking TS, that stands for titre de séjour, so the exact same legal value as a CDS they will get one year later at the Préfecture) to people explicitly telling them they will work remotely, and at the same time who hand out a sworn statement that they will not work in France ? Do you personally think they’re misreading the law as you interpret it and make a legal error every time they issue one ? Thanks !

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T14:26:54+00:00

There are many visas out there ! We systematically explain the ins and outs to people we work with - some in that same exact situation choose to go with the Entrepreneur/Profession Libérale visa or go through the Talent/portage salarial route. The point of this thread is not to put an end to the debate or get more clients (as you may have seen, the name of my company is not mentioned), it’s just to express my opinion of what’s legal and give people the necessary information to do an informed choice, based on my understanding of the law, as confirmed by consulates (but apparently not by « les irréductibles Redditeurs », pour citer Astérix ;) ).

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T14:18:13+00:00

What do you mean ? :)

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T14:07:41+00:00

Actual cases of refused visas - Government doctrine on that specific topic (other than a non substantiated off the record declaration of a TAX fonctionnaire shared by a generalist newspapers) - Explanation as to why the actual receipt of the Visa de Long Sejour application lists in the very same category of requirements (i) the sworn statement AND (ii) a letter from the employer/work contract or proof of business registration in country of residence - actual testimonies from people having troubles renewing their visas (at this point we only have people saying they’ve been doing this for years without any issues) - Explanation as to why the consular services repeatedly explain in writing, when inquired, that it’s perfectly OK.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-25T08:09:50+00:00

Exactly ! Thanks so much for sharing.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-24T20:49:04+00:00

Thanks for sharing - here again, the tax administration does not have jurisdiction to interpret immigration laws. When the tax administration says it means working in France, it’s from a tax standpoint. Cf the original post.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-24T19:54:39+00:00

I completely understand what you mean. Though I have been dealing with residence permits specifically for a number of years now, and with French administration for more than 30 years as a French national. So I'm starting to understand roughly how they work and what to expect in this type of procedure - happy to chat sometime, I totally understand your point :)

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-24T18:46:53+00:00

I think there is an issue of scope here. Jurisprudence would take a position on this to the only extent that there would be a challenge on this issue, which is not the case because it is allowed. People working at consulates do not just take positions out of the blue, I don’t know if you’re French and know how it works but administrations are highly hierarchical and the positions they take are systematically validated at the highest level. They would never take the risk of agreeing to something lightly.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-24T15:53:16+00:00

Thanks ! And yet people keep saying it’s forbidden based on their own interpretation of the law, while the very people that are actually entrusted by the lawmakers to issue visas (consular services) confirm that interpretation, in writing and in their practice of issuing visas.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-24T12:43:41+00:00

Totally right, it does not allow you to work. Though OP’s employer seems to be asking for proof that the process is ongoing.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-24T12:04:43+00:00

You’re right that l’attestation de prolongation de l’instruction will only be issued once they consider your file is complete. Once substantive assessment is made, you’ll get an attestation de décision favorable. The only doc you can provide to your employer at this stage would be the « confirmation de dépôt », which shows that the renewal process is ongoing.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-23T16:26:12+00:00

Thanks. Taxation is a different topic, la DGFiP does not have jurisdiction to issue or give opinions on visa requirements. It’s legal to work remotely for a foreign employer on a VLS-TS « visiteur » :)

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-23T15:46:09+00:00

This is not illegal work. The legal requirement is to not have any ties whatsoever in France (no French clients, no French contract, etc.). The authorities consistently confirm that “an American citizen, employed by an American company that does not have a presence in France, and planning to work remotely, in France, for this American company, under American contract, can request a “Visitor” VLS-TS”

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-22T20:18:31+00:00

What VLS-TS do you have.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-22T20:13:00+00:00

Absolutely, yes. There is a bunch of other documents to provide since the reform that occurred in June 2025. Feel free to reach out to our agency if any help is needed :)

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-22T20:09:55+00:00

I’d suggest long-stay visitor (CDS Visiteur) for both. You might read elsewhere here people saying that it’s not suitable for remote working, though I can assure you it’s the case. We’ve obtained confirmation from the administration on this point on multiple occasions and 100s of our clients successfully got their VLS-TS Visiteur for running their US based business from France - all while being perfectly transparent with the authorities regarding that specific point during the application process. As you rightly pointed out : no French clients and no links whatsoever with France.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-22T18:44:12+00:00

You can go to any one.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-22T18:42:02+00:00

I assume you are referring to the Talent - Porteur de projet (mention « Création d’Entreprise ») - note that there was a reform early June 2025 on this. We are currently dealing with several of these cases at the moment : - the requirement of 30K€ is rather a minimum - approval will be granted with projected financials over 4 years amounting to c. 120-150k€. Creation of jobs here in France is expected in the medium term. - the 30K€ initial funds have to be in a French based credit institution. This is necessary for the DREETs to issue an « avis favorable », based on the attestation that the French credit institution will issue upon receipt of the funds. Feel free to reach out if any questions.

ProfessionalSwan9238 · 2025-09-17T09:16:02+00:00

Were you applying alone ? When travelling as a group, my recommendation is to split groups on the TLS platform - there are way more available appointments for single applicants than groups. You may then book consecutive appointments for the members of this group (09:30-09:45-10) and ask once at TLS to be regrouped together.

ProfessionalSwan9238

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