The French Tech Visa for founders is the «talent – porteur de projet» card on the «projet économique innovant» route: a French residence permit for up to 4 years for an innovative start-up founder and family. It requires a French Tech incubator or letters from two ecosystem players, a DRIEETS innovation attestation and funds of €22,404.20 a year. No €30,000 investment is needed.
The route is designed for a product, service or process that is not yet on the market or is clearly better than what exists: SaaS, AI, medtech, industrial technology. An ordinary business such as consulting, an agency or trade takes the création d’entreprise route with €30,000 for the project, covered in the article on the talent passport for entrepreneurs. Every «talent» category with its thresholds is in the overview of all French talent passport categories.
What the French Tech Visa is in 2026
The French Tech Visa is not a separate visa but the name of a simplified procedure that the state programme La French Tech runs with Business France for three groups: start-up founders, employees and investors. All three receive the same multi-year «talent» card for up to 4 years, renewable, with the right for a spouse to work (lafrenchtech.gouv.fr, page updated on 1 October 2026).
- Founders of an innovative project; this article is about them. If the project grew out of research and you are joining a laboratory rather than creating a company, see the talent passport for researchers.
- Employees of a start-up recognised as innovative, on a salary of at least €39,582 gross a year; this is the entreprise innovante route, described in the article on the talent passport for skilled employees and in the overview of all categories.
- Investors putting at least €300,000 into assets in France and creating or preserving jobs within 4 years.
Legally, the founder receives the «talent – porteur de projet» card on the «projet économique innovant» route: the project must be recognised as innovative by the ministry for the economy, and resources must be at least the annual SMIC (service-public, checked on 1 June 2026). The old name, passeport talent, survives on France-Visas and in form addresses, although the law replaced it with «talent» in 2024.
Which projects count as innovative
The DRIEETS form calls innovative any project that brings a new or significantly improved product, service or process to market, whether the innovation is technological, product or service innovation (French Tech Visa for founders form). The company may not exist yet or may already be registered abroad: a French entity is not needed before you apply.
In substance, four things are looked at: what is new compared with what is already sold in France; whether the team has technology or know-how; who the customer is and how the project will earn money; and what has already been done, such as a prototype, pilots or first sales. In practice, since 2026 members of relocation chats have noticed that projects in line with the state’s France 2030 plan get through more smoothly, but this is an observation, not a rule: the official conditions contain no sector restrictions.
Incubator or letters of support: two ways to recognition
A project can be recognised in two ways, and Business France spells them out (French Tech Visa for Founders page, checked on 8 June 2026): selection by a French Tech partner incubator or accelerator, or support from one of the Capitales French Tech; otherwise, letters of support from two recognised players in the French Tech ecosystem. The founder then applies to the DRIEETS, which issues the attestation of innovation.
| Point of comparison | French Tech incubator or accelerator | Letters of support |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Official admission to a programme after its own selection | Letters from two or more ecosystem players: companies, laboratories, research bodies, recognised experts |
| Time before DRIEETS | The programme’s selection and committees: from a few weeks to several months, often in cohorts | While you collect the letters: in practice from a few weeks to two months |
| Cost | Programmes can be free, paid or take equity | The letters cost nothing when given on the merits |
| What it gives beyond the letter | Mentors, a network, a desk, sometimes funding | Industry contacts, which the consulate later asks about |
| Risks | Tough selection; paid «incubation» bought for a letter with no real support | A DRIEETS refusal if the letter writers have no link to the project’s sector |
| Who it suits | Early-stage teams that need an environment and a network | Those with a product, customers or partners in France and Europe |
An official list of French Tech incubators
There is no public list of French Tech Visa partners as of 18 October 2026: neither lafrenchtech.gouv.fr nor Business France names them or links to a list, and older lists on third-party sites are out of date. Until autumn 2025 a list of partner incubators was posted as an image on the Welcome to France site (Business France); as of 18 October 2026 that link redirects to the home page, so the list has been taken down. So the programme is checked directly: ask whether it is a French Tech Visa partner and whether it issues confirmation for the DRIEETS. The form also accepts a letter from an incubator outside the list, and Business France counts support from a Capitale French Tech, a regional hub of the La French Tech network.
Letters of support: from whom and how many
Business France refers to support from two recognised players in the French Tech ecosystem; the DRIEETS form sets no number and lists possible authors: research bodies, laboratories, qualified experts and companies. A letter is free-form, dated and signed (Business France document list, May 2026). A strong letter says who the author is and why they are competent, what is new in the project, why the market needs it and how the author is ready to cooperate: a pilot, a test, a partnership.
In practice, in 2025–2026 approvals went through with two to five letters from companies in the same sector, and not all authors were French. A refusal reported in August 2026 read that the letters were not from French Tech ecosystem partners; they had been written by founders of other start-ups with no link to the project. A paid «signature letter» from a body that has never seen the project is a risk both at the DRIEETS and at the consulate.
The DRIEETS attestation: filing, timing and validity
The attestation of innovation is issued by DRIEETS Île-de-France for the whole country, wherever the project is based. The application is filed online on demarches-simplifiees.fr: passport, a description of the project and team, and proof of the incubator or the letters of support. According to the form’s own statistics on 18 October 2026, 90% of applications in the last 30 days were handled as follows: 8 days at best, about 13 days with follow-up questions, and about 2 months for an incomplete file (DRIEETS form). The form asks for no separate business plan, but the project’s figures still belong in its fields; how it differs from the plan on the création route is explained in the article on the talent passport business plan.
- Language. The form is in French, and in practice members advise answering in French: it means fewer follow-up questions.
- A personal attestation. Each founder receives their own, with a number.
- Accuracy. The form warns plainly that false statements are punishable under Article 441-1 of the Criminal Code, by up to three years and a €45,000 fine.
- Validity. The French Tech form does not state one. The création route attestation states 12 months, and in practice French Tech applicants work to the same year and book the consulate within it. If you apply later, be ready to explain how the project has progressed.
A DRIEETS refusal gives reasons: it says what was missing. The file is improved and filed again, and there is no limit on attempts.
How much money you need: the SMIC to live on, not an investment
The founder shows resources of at least the annual SMIC: €22,404.20 gross, about €1,867 a month, from 1 June 2026 (service-public). There is no €30,000 investment threshold as on the création d’entreprise route. For the visa, Business France requires proof of funds at SMIC level; in practice this is a bank statement with a clear history of incoming payments.
How much to show for a spouse and children is not set officially. In practice the consulate checks more strictly than the prefecture, so families keep a margin above the SMIC and documents on where the money came from: the sale of a flat, dividends, bonuses.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Consular fee for the visa D | 4 × €99 | €396 |
| Visa centre service fee (VFS, TLScontact or Capago; varies by country) | 4 × about €36 | €144 |
| «Talent» card for the founder and «talent – famille» for the spouse | 2 × €350 | €700 |
| Total fees | €1,240 |
On top of the fees come translations and apostilles, health insurance for the first months and rent. Children under 18 do not need a card: they get a DCEM travel document, see the section on children.
Co-founders: each files their own application
Several founders can run the project, but only if all of them hold executive positions in the company, a mandat social: president, managing director, director (DRIEETS form). Each files their own application and receives a personal attestation; a single file for the whole team is not accepted. Everyone who comes on this card shows resources at SMIC level.
A spouse who is not part of the project needs no attestation: they come on the «talent – famille» card with the right to work. In practice consulates ask the second founder about their role, and an «operations director» with no clear area of responsibility is a frequent reason for a request for more documents. Split the roles in the project description before filing.
The visa D, ANEF and a card for up to four years
With the DRIEETS attestation you apply for a «talent» visa D at the consulate of your country of residence through France-Visas, with a €99 fee. According to the Business France list, the visa file contains the France-Visas form and receipt, a passport issued less than 10 years ago and valid 3 months beyond the visa, three photos, proof of the incubator or letters, the attestation and proof of funds. The consulate assesses the purpose of the trip itself and may call or ask for a CV and your role in the project.
- A stay of less than a year: a «talent» VLS-TS, validated online within 3 months of arrival; you apply for the card 4 to 2 months before the visa ends.
- A year or more: a 3-month visa and an application for the card on ANEF within 2 months of arrival.
- The decision: the attestation de décision favorable serves as a residence permit until the card is issued; the fee is €350, a €300 tax and a €50 stamp.
Which visa to choose, one year or three months, is covered in the article on the talent passport for entrepreneurs; which documents let you travel while the application is pending is in the article on life after entering France on a visa D. If the visa is refused, the CRRV complaint and reapplication are covered in the article on French visa refusals.
The prefecture sets the card’s term: up to four years, but not necessarily four (Business France). In practice in 2024–2026 innovative-project cards were also issued for 1–2 years, in Nice, Marseille, Montpellier and the Paris suburbs, especially when the company was not yet registered and no progress was visible. Registration, first customers and hires in the ANEF file argue for the full term; short cards were later renewed for 4 years.
Applying from outside Europe
Every step before arrival can be done from your home country. Incubators and accelerators interview candidates by video, the DRIEETS file is submitted online on demarches-simplifiees.fr, and the visa D is filed with the French consulate of the country where you legally reside, usually through its visa centre. A French company, a French address or a French bank account is not needed at this stage.
- Documents: anything not in French goes with a translation; whether a birth or marriage certificate also needs legalisation or an apostille depends on the country, so check the requirements of your consulate on France-Visas before you order documents.
- Funds: the consulate checks resources at SMIC level for each adult and where the money came from, so keep bank statements and proof of income for the past months.
- The project: a programme or the letter writers will ask what will happen in France: the company, the team, customers or partners there. A project whose business is run entirely abroad is the weakest case, see the question on the market outside France below.
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Renewal after four years: what is checked
Renewal is filed online 4 to 2 months before the card expires, with a €250 fee. The founder shows the «poursuite effective et sérieuse», the genuine and serious continuation of the innovative project, and resources at SMIC level (Business France). No civic exam is needed for renewal: the «talent» card is outside the integration contract (service-public).
In practice in 2025–2026 prefectures asked at renewal for a K-bis extract, the original DRIEETS attestation (no new one was required), company accounts and a description of the work on the project. A company that exists on paper but does nothing reads as a discontinued project. If the project has changed or failed, the status is changed before filing: for example, to the création route with a new attestation or to employment, see the article on the entrepreneur route. After five years of continuous residence the 10-year resident card opens up, and then French citizenship.
Taxes and JEI status for a start-up
From the move, the founder becomes a French tax resident, declaring worldwide income and foreign accounts, and the company pays corporate tax of 15% on the first €42,500 and 25% above that (details in the article on the entrepreneur route, personal taxes in the article on taxes in France). For a research-driven start-up the jeune entreprise innovante (JEI) status matters (entreprendre.service-public, checked on 1 June 2026):
- the company is under 8 years old (if created from 2023), has fewer than 250 staff and turnover under €50 million or a balance sheet under €43 million;
- research spending is at least 20% of all expenses, and at least half the capital is held by individuals or eligible funds;
- employer social contributions on research staff are waived for companies created by the end of 2028, capped at €240,300 a year per establishment;
- JEIs created from 2024 no longer get the corporate tax exemption, although older guides still promise it.
The ownership structure and how money is taken out, through dividends, the founder’s salary or family shareholdings, is best set up before the company is registered, not after the first tax return.
Common mistakes
- Spending months looking for an «official list» of partners: there is none, so check the programme directly.
- Collecting letters from founder friends with no link to the project’s sector.
- Paying for a letter from a body that has never seen the project.
- Filing one application for the whole team: each founder needs their own attestation.
- Confusing the route with création d’entreprise and tying up €30,000 that is not required here.
- Waiting more than a year after the attestation before applying for the visa.
- Coming to renewal with a company that has no activity.
If the project sits on the line between innovative and ordinary, choosing the wrong route costs months. Describe your project and we will tell you free of charge which path fits: French Tech, création d’entreprise or another basis for a French residence permit.
France · Anna Aristova, our France lead
Do you qualify for the talent passport?
Tell us about your profession, income or project — we will say which category fits and whether there is a simpler route.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a French Tech Visa without an incubator?
Yes. The DRIEETS form expressly admits founders without an incubator if they have letters of support, and Business France refers to support from two recognised players in the French Tech ecosystem: companies, laboratories, research bodies or experts. In practice in 2026 such applications are approved when the letter writers work in the same sector.
How many letters of support do I need, and from whom?
Business France refers to two letters from recognised French Tech ecosystem players; the DRIEETS form sets no number. In practice applicants attach two to five letters from companies in the sector and potential customers. A free-form letter, dated and signed, explains what is new in the project and how the author is ready to cooperate.
Where can I find a list of French Tech incubators?
There is no official public list of French Tech Visa partners as of October 2026, either on lafrenchtech.gouv.fr or from Business France. Check the programme directly by asking whether it is a French Tech Visa partner. The form also accepts a letter from an incubator outside the list, and Business France counts support from a Capitale French Tech.
How long is the DRIEETS approval valid?
The French Tech form does not say. The création d’entreprise attestation states 12 months, and in practice French Tech applicants work to the same year and apply for the visa within it. If you apply later, the consulate may ask how the project has progressed.
How much money do I need in the bank for an innovative-project talent passport?
For the founder, at least the annual SMIC: €22,404.20 gross from 1 June 2026. No amount is set for a spouse and children; in practice families show a margin above the SMIC and where the money came from, because the consulate checks more strictly than the prefecture.
Do I have to invest €30,000 for the French Tech Visa?
No. The €30,000 threshold belongs to the création d’entreprise route for an ordinary business. An innovative project needs recognition through an incubator or letters, a DRIEETS attestation and personal funds at SMIC level.
Does each co-founder have to apply separately?
Yes. Each founder files their own DRIEETS application and receives a personal attestation, and all of them must hold executive positions in the company. A spouse who is not part of the project comes on the «talent – famille» card without an attestation of their own.
Do I need to set up a company in France before applying?
No. The DRIEETS form expressly admits projects that have no legal entity yet or are registered abroad. The company is set up after arrival, but by the first card, and even more by renewal, the prefecture expects visible progress.
Can my project qualify if its main market is outside France?
The DRIEETS form does not require customers to be in France, but recognition and the card concern a project developed in France. A platform whose users and sales are abroad, for example serving a diaspora or a market in Africa, has a harder case: show what is done in France, such as the company, the team, R&D, French partners or customers. If the business itself is run abroad, the card has no basis at renewal, when the prefecture checks activity in France.
Why was my talent card issued for one year instead of four?
The prefecture sets the term: the card is issued for up to four years, but not necessarily for four. In practice in 2024–2026 cards for 1–2 years were issued when the company was not yet registered or the project’s progress was not visible. On renewal with a working project, such cards were renewed for 4 years.
What do I need to renew an innovative-project card?
File online 4 to 2 months before the card expires, pay €250 and show the genuine continuation of the project and resources at SMIC level. In practice prefectures ask for a K-bis, the original DRIEETS attestation and company accounts. No civic exam is needed to renew a «talent» card.
Official sources
- La French Tech: French Tech Visa — categories, conditions, family; Business France: French Tech Visa for Founders — two routes to recognition, fees, card term, renewal; Business France: documents for the visa and the card, May 2026
- demarches-simplifiees.fr: DRIEETS French Tech Visa for founders form — incubator or letters, criteria, co-founders, timing
- service-public: the «talent» card — projet économique innovant route, SMIC, visa, fees, renewal; service-public: the civic exam
- entreprendre.service-public: jeune entreprise innovante status; France-Visas: visas for talent
- What the French Tech Visa is in 2026
- Which projects count as innovative
- Incubator or letters of support: two ways to recognition
- The DRIEETS attestation: filing, timing and validity
- How much money you need: the SMIC to live on, not an investment
- Co-founders: each files their own application
- The visa D, ANEF and a card for up to four years
- Renewal after four years: what is checked
- Taxes and JEI status for a start-up
- Common mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
- Can I get a French Tech Visa without an incubator?
- How many letters of support do I need, and from whom?
- Where can I find a list of French Tech incubators?
- How long is the DRIEETS approval valid?
- How much money do I need in the bank for an innovative-project talent passport?
- Do I have to invest €30,000 for the French Tech Visa?
- Does each co-founder have to apply separately?
- Do I need to set up a company in France before applying?
- Can my project qualify if its main market is outside France?
- Why was my talent card issued for one year instead of four?
- What do I need to renew an innovative-project card?
- Official sources
