Moving to France on a self-employed visa to open gîtes – is it possible?

Reader question: My partner and I want to move to France on self-employed visas, opening two gîtes. He has a lot of savings and will be covering our expenses out of his pocket, meaning I have no outgoings. We are not married but will this affect our application? 

Those applying to move to France via an ‘entrepreneur’ visa (Entrepreneur or Profession Libérale) are expected to present a business project that will be economically viable in its own right.

This means your partner’s savings cannot substitute for the requirement that your own business project (and his) be economically viable and capable of generating sufficient income. 

Self-employment visa applications can be complex and some people hire accountants, lawyers or visa consultants to help. 

For self-employment generally, people need to provide a business plan and evidence that the expected income from the venture will at least match the French net monthly minimum wage, currently €1,477.93.

Showing previous experience or qualifications in the sector can also help. 

Applications based mainly on furnished holiday rentals may also present additional challenges. 

The ‘non-professional furnished letting’ status (loueur en meublé non professionnel; LMNP) used by many people in France to run gîtes may not be regarded as sufficient evidence of a genuine self-employed business for an entrepreneur visa, as it is generally seen more as passive top-up income. 

In practice, applicants may therefore need to show that their planned activity will be substantial enough to amount to ‘professional’ furnished letting. 

One important benchmark is the €23,000 annual receipts threshold, below which a landlord cannot qualify as loueur en meublé professionnel (LMP) under French tax rules.

Reaching this threshold also means paying business social charges (cotisations).

However, it is questionable whether two gîtes between you would see you reach this income threshold each unless they are especially luxurious.

There have been cases of Britons being asked to leave France after failing to reach minimum income thresholds, so even if you obtain the initial visa you will need to ensure you earn enough from the business. 

Marital status has little direct bearing on the standard entrepreneur/profession libérale route, where each applicant must generally qualify independently. 

Automatic work rights for an accompanying spouse are a feature of the separate, harder-to-qualify-for 'Talent' visa, not the standard self-employment visa most gîte applicants use.

One way into that Talent route is the 'création d'entreprise' category, which requires either a master's degree (or five years' relevant experience) and demonstrating at least €30,000 set aside (own or borrowed funds) for investment in the business. 

You could look at other options such as one or both of you applying instead for a ‘visitor’ visa.

However, anyone staying on that status should not carry out professional activity in France (income from unfurnished rentals or non-professional furnished letting may be possible).