France Talent Card for Investors and Founders in 2026: the €300,000 Economic Investment, €30,000 Company Creation, Innovative Projects and Corporate Officers

Most investors who call me about France first ask about a golden visa. There is none, but there is something more useful for an active business person: the Talent project leader card. It lasts up to 4 years, lets you run your project and brings the family with the right to work. Below I go through each business ground using Service Public and Business France, as checked on 5 November 2026.

Four business grounds

Ground	Main condition	Money
Economic investment	direct investment, jobs within 4 years	at least €300,000 in fixed assets
Company creation	master’s or 5 years of experience, real and serious project	at least €30,000 in the project
Innovative project	project recognised by a public body	resources of the SMIC
Corporate officer	3 months in the group, appointed in France	salary of 3 times the SMIC, €67,212.60

The €300,000 economic investment

You invest personally, through a company you manage, or through a company in which you hold at least 30% of the capital. The money has to go into tangible or intangible fixed assets in France: equipment, premises used by the business, intellectual property. Business France lists capital contributions, reinvested profits and loans between affiliated companies as direct investment, and excludes purely financial investments. You must also create or safeguard jobs, or commit to it, within 4 years. For tech investors the same ground is used through the French Tech Visa for Investors, aimed at business angels and funds opening an office in France, according to La French Tech.

Company creation from €30,000

This is the route I see most often for entrepreneurs. You need a master’s degree or 5 years of professional experience of a comparable level, a real and serious company project, at least €30,000 invested in it and resources of at least the full time SMIC, €22,404.20 gross a year. Before the visa the Ministry of Economy gives an opinion on whether the project is real and serious, so the business plan matters more than the amount.

Innovative economic project

If a public body recognises your project as innovative, for example through a partner incubator of the French Tech Visa for Founders, you need no investment threshold, only resources of the SMIC. BRIDGES lists €30,000 for the founder line on its Talent Passport page, which matches the company creation ground.

Corporate officers

A foreign executive appointed as legal representative of a French company or establishment can get the Talent corporate officer card after 3 months in the group, with pay of at least 3 times the SMIC, €67,212.60 gross a year as of 1 June 2026, according to Business France.

Procedure and fees

1. You prepare the project, the investment proof and, for company creation, the ministry opinion.
2. You file the visa application at the French consulate in your country of residence.
3. For a stay of 1 year or more you receive a 3 month Talent visa and then apply online for the card on the ANEF portal.
4. The card costs €350 in tax stamps, the visa €99.

BRIDGES gives 2-3 months to the status.

Family

The spouse and minor children receive a Talent family card without the family reunification procedure, and the spouse may work in France. Parents are not covered.

My view

The €300,000 ground suits people who are really building a business in France, not passive investors. If you want to invest and live elsewhere, look at classic golden visa countries. If you want to live in France and work on your project, this card is one of the best in Europe.