Can a foreigner set up a company in France?

Verified 01 January 2026 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

To pursue a commercial, industrial or craft activity as a self-employed person in France, a national of a non-EU Member StateEuropean Union must take certain steps. In particular, you must have a temporary residence card (also called a residence permit) authorizing the exercise of a professional activity.

You already reside or wish to reside in France

Any person who is not a national of a State of the European Union (EU)) wishing to come to France to pursue a foreigners commercial, industrial or craft activity must first obtain a visa.

Once in the territory, you must ask for a residence card “talent-project holder”. It authorizes you to stay in France and to carry out an activity related to your project.

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Creating a company

You can obtain a residence card “ talent-project leader - company creation journey” if you fill in the 4 the following conditions:

  • Have a degree at least equivalent to the master's degree or 5 years of comparable professional experience
  • Justify a real and serious company creation project in France
  • Provide sufficient resources to support yourself and your family members, at least equivalent to Smic: titleContent full-time annual gross, or €21,876.40
  • Provide evidence of at least one company project funding €30,000.

Innovative economic project

You can get a residence card “talent-project leader - innovative economic project journey” if you have an innovative economic project recognized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

You must also have sufficient resources to support yourself and your family, at least equal to Smic: titleContent full-time either €21,876.40 annual gross.

Direct economic investment

You can obtain a residence card “ talent-project leader - economic investment journey” if you meet all of the following conditions:

  • Invest personally or through a business you manage or own 30% of capital
  • Create or save or commit to create or save jobs
  • Investment in tangible or intangible fixed assets in France at least equal to  €300,000.

For all the details on the procedures to be carried out and the documents to be provided, you can consult the sheet Talent card: multi-year residence card of a foreigner in France.

Once these preliminary steps have been completed, you can create your company by following the different steps presented in our file "I create".

You do not wish to reside in France

You do not have to take any specific steps beforehand. You only need to follow the steps of creating a company in France and in particular to register in the national directory of companies (RNE) and / or the register of commerce and businesses (RCS) depending on the nature of your activity.

You can consult our file I create" to know all the steps of the creating a company.

FYI  

If you do not reside in France, you cannot running a business in France (i.e. becoming corporate officer).

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