Becoming a resident

Relocation – Immigration & Visa services

Our top priority is to offer a one-stop service for clients wishing to move to the Principality and apply for residency. This process may be on behalf of an individual, a family or a company. Moving to the Principality itself can take place straight away, but anyone willing to remain for longer than three months needs to apply for residency, with a permit known as a Carte de Séjour. All applicants are required to follow the official residency application process and the administrative and legal criteria to be fulfilled depends on the country of citizenship of the person wishing to apply. We also help non-EU citizens to get long-term settlement visa type D. Our relocation services begin with an initial consultation with each client to determine the time frame within which the move will take place and any special circumstances or requirements.

Conditions

The requirements for foreigners settling in Monaco vary depending on the nationality of the applicant.

European Economic Area (EEA) nationals:
An identity card or valid passport is sufficient. No visa is required.

Non-EEA citizens:
Before making any application to the Principality, you must apply for a long-term visa for Monaco, issued by the French authorities. Please note that minors also require a visa.

Carte de Séjour Application Process for Non-EEA citizens

Step 1: Request for a Long-Term Visa for the Principality. By virtue of the Franco-Monégasque Convention of 1963, France administers visa applications on behalf of Monaco. A Monaco residency application is submitted during an appointment at the French Consulate in the country where the applicant has been resident during the preceding six months.
The following documents are required when applying for visa D:
The application form for a long stay visa, duly completed in French and filed in person together with 2 photocopies of each of the documents listed below
Six recent photographs in colour (size 35×45)
A photocopy of a valid passport (minimum 6 months validity)
Birth certificate with apostille
Marriage certificate with apostille
A certificate from the police authorities in the country of their nationality stating “no police record” and if applicable, a certificate from the police authorities from the country where the applicant is currently residing.
A translation in French must be prepared by a qualified translator. Apostille is required.
Proof of sufficient means to live in Monaco. This can be provided by (I) submitting an “Engagement de Travail” to work in Monaco, or (II) a request for authorisation to set up a business or a company, or (III) a bank reference attesting to sufficient means to live without taking up employment in Monaco.
Proof of accommodation. This can be done by providing (I) a lease, or (II) a certificate of free accommodation or (III) a deed of Monaco property ownership.
The “Engagement de Travail” is an undertaking of employment from an authorised Monaco employer, duly stamped by the Employment Department of the Principality. The bank reference is a letter in French from a bank affirming the applicant has sufficient means; it must come from a Monaco-based bank. An accompanying letter from a solicitor, accountant or bank in the last country of residence naming the source of income should be provided. If the applicant intends to set up a business in Monaco, a formal application must be completed in French (refer to the Business in Monaco section).
Parents need to complete an application form for children and provide 2 photographs, a photocopy of their passport, a school certificate, and birth certificate. Once the visa has been approved by the French authorities (this can take between two and six months), the applicant must go to the Consulate to have the visa stamped in their passport. The applicant must then apply to the Monégasque authorities for a Monaco Residency card (“Carte de Séjour”). This application must be made to the Residents Section of the Directorate of Public Security within 8 days of arrival in the Principality.

Step 2: Carte de Séjour Application
After obtaining the visa in Step 1 above, any person over the age of sixteen years can apply for the Monaco residency card (“Carte de Séjour”). The applicant will have to go the Residents Section of the Directorate of Public Security and ask for an application form. An appointment for an interview will be fixed within three to five weeks of applying. The following documentation must be submitted at the interview. They must be all in French or translated in French by certified translator with courts. Apostilleis required:

The completed application form.
One recent photograph.
A second photo identification will be made at the interview.
A valid passport stamped with the visa.
A birth certificate.
A marriage certificate (if applicable).
An extract of the applicant’s criminal record, or an equivalent legal document from the country of residency of the applicant.
Proof of sufficient income to live in Monaco This can be provided in several ways by submitting:
An “Engagement de Travail”. This must come from a company that has obtained the permission of the Department of Employment in Monaco to offer the applicant employment,or ii.
A document authorizing the creation of a company. If the applicant intends to set up a business in Monaco, a formal application must be completed in French (refer to the Business in Monaco section), or iii.
A bank reference attesting to sufficient income from a Monaco based bank. The letter issued by the bank must be written in French, it must certify that the applicant has sufficient income without engaging in gainful employment. The applicant will need to open an account with their chosen Monaco bank.
Proof of accommodation with last bill for electricity . This can be done by providing: (I). a lease, or (II).a certificate of free accommodation, or (III) a deed of Monaco property ownership. In the case of a certificate of free lodging, (only reserved for close family or household employees), an official form must be signed by the landlord and the property owner or his representative. A copy of the lease or property title must also be provided.
For European residents, they must also include a valid National Identity Card, where available.
At the interview the applicant will be asked questions about their education, qualifications, work experience, details of their children, their ages and schooling, their parents, and other family members.

We will make sure all the documentation you are submitting is complete and correctly filled out.

Thanks to our highly qualified lawyers with more than 30 years of working experience in the Principality we can deal with cases of any difficulty.

Fast. Reliable. Discreet