Visa French Tech for Founders program
Eligibility for The French Tech for Founders Visa
Schoolab is an incubator in partnership with French Tech Visa, which allows project leaders to launch and accelerate their startups in France.
The Founder’s Visa is intended for foreign entrepreneurs who wish to launch or develop their startups in France. For this, they must justify a minimum of one year’s salary and an official admission in an incubator eligible for the French Tech Visa.
Schoolab is only eligible to issue the Founder Visa.
Visa application and incubation process
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Step 1
Financial resources or a gross annual salary corresponding to at least one year of minimum wage (i.e. 19.237 euros).
Step 2
Official admission to one of the incubators or other French Tech Visa partners accelerate through their own selection processes.
Step 3
After checking the eligibility criteria, you can directly fill out this online form to request a certificate attesting to the innovative nature of your startup. Hold on to this, you will need it for the fourth step.
Step 4
With this certificate, apply for a Long Stay Visa and a Residence Permit. Here is the link to the fourth step.
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Step 1
Application submission between September 1st and October 20th.
Step 2
We select projects based solely on the application. We will analyze the innovation aspect and the impact of your project.
Step 3
We will inform you of your acceptance or rejection starting from October 20th, and invite you to confirm your application to begin your onboarding.
Coming from the Middle East and South Asian countries
Do you have a deep-Tech startup in the early stages and plan to develop it in Europe? ReMoLab, in partnership with Schoolab, has developed a program dedicated to international deep-Tech startups wanting to stay in Europe.
Coming from another part of the world
Do you have a deep-tech startup in the early stages that you’re planning to develop in Europe? Schoolab can support you in your incubation phase. Just register for our program to start the process.
Coming from Africa
Do you come from Africa and want to develop an innovative project in France? Do you want to benefit from the French Tech Visa? Izypaper, in partnership with Schoolab, offers you complete support for your administrative procedures and your incubation. Do not hesitate to contact our partner Izypaper.
Discover the STARTER incubation program
By applying with the French Tech for Founders Visa, you apply to the STARTER program. A 6-month incubation program to develop and launch your product to accelerate your sales.
Our alumni from the program
Common questions
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The French Tech Visa is a simplified procedure for investors, founders, and employees of non-European startups who wish to settle in France.
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The French Tech Visa for Founders is intended for foreign entrepreneurs who wish to launch or develop their startups in France.
To qualify, you must have a minimum of one year’s salary and be officially admitted to an incubator eligible for the French Tech Visa. -
Step 1
- Your financial resources or a gross annual salary corresponding to at least one year of minimum wage.
- You must be officially admitted to one of the incubators such as Schoolab, accelerators or other French Tech Visa partners, through their own regular selection processes.
Step 2
After checking the eligibility criteria, you can directly fill out this online form to request a certificate attesting to the innovative nature of your startup. Hold on to this, you will need it for the third step.
Step 3
With this certificate, you can apply online for a long-stay visa and a residence permit. The procedure varies depending on whether or not you are already living in France (see below). In both cases, you must provide several documents as part of your application.
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Step 3a
At the embassy or consulate closest to your official residence, apply online for a long-stay visa, at the earliest 3 months before the date of your arrival in France. This visa, granted at the consulate and attached to your passport, allows you to enter France.
Step 3b
Once you arrive in France, you will present your long-term visa to your prefecture, who will issue you a renewable, residence permit allowing you to live and work in France for 4 years.
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If you are already residing in France under another type of residence permit:
All you have to do is apply to the prefecture of your place of residence for a change of status. This procedure will transform your old residence permit into a “Passeport Talent”, allowing you to live and work in France for 4 years.
You must apply for the change of status 2 months before your old residence permit expires. You must meet the same eligibility criteria for the “Passeport Talent” as the founders, who apply from abroad.
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- Type of project: market place, agency or e-commerce. Concretely, everything that is not innovative.
- If the startup you founded in France already exists on the territory, you must find an innovation (process, material, social,…).
- Projects that are intended for another market other than the French market.
For Algerians:
There is another process for Algerians :
- First, you must obtain a short-term visa (< 3 months).
- Then obtain the “Self-employed” visa once in France.
- Then register your company.
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We can help you get the letter proving the existence of an innovative project by…
- Helping you find the innovative part of your project.
- Examining your file before sending it.
- Giving you the letter of acceptance in the incubator.
- Giving you the letter of support.
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- We cannot guarantee that you will be granted a visa.
- The criteria for acceptance and issuance of the visa are not under our control.
- We cannot do the paperwork for you.
- We cannot call someone at the French administration to speed up the process.
- We cannot guarantee that you will be granted a visa.
