Réunion

Réunion salaried work authorization and long-stay visa. A U.S. citizen with an employer in Réunion may pursue territory-specific work authorization followed by a French long-stay visa for that territory.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Réunion salaried work authorization and long-stay visa

Employment and stay in Réunion only when the relevant authorization and visa or residence document are issued; exact permit scope is territory-specific.

Who qualifies

The employer applies online for work authorization for the job in Réunion; a mainland French work authorization does not automatically cover an overseas department or collectivity.
French Public Service: Foreign employee work authorization, overseas territories
After work authorization is granted, the employer sends it to the applicant for the French consular visa application.
French Public Service: Foreign employee work authorization, overseas territories
A U.S. passport does not waive the long-stay visa for Réunion; select the overseas territory and purpose in France-Visas before filing.
France-Visas: Long-stay visas for non-European French territories

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

Does it fit your family?

One question, from the program’s own rules.

Do you have a binding job offer in that country?

Not legal advice.

What it takes.

Time: Processing starts after the authority accepts a complete file; travel and work begin only after the required permission issues.
Cost: Check current government visa, permit and document fees before filing.
The hard part: Employer work authorization, local labour-market checks and territory-specific visa issuance.

Citizens by 2034.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

2027
First residence permit
1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.
2028
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2029
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2030
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2031
Renew the permit
Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.
2032
Permanent residence
The renewable 10-year long-term resident-EU card after 5 years of lawful, uninterrupted residence, with stable resources, health insurance, French at B1 and the resident-card civic exam.
2032
Apply for citizenship
With a language test and a civics test.
2034
Citizenship
The decision usually takes 12–21 months.

Language: French at B2 in speaking and writing.
Civics: The 40-question civic exam and the prefecture’s assimilation interview.
Time away: French nationality law applies: 5 years of regular habitual residence in the French territory, which must remain the centre of the applicant’s working and family life through the decree.
Two passports: Yes. You keep your U.S. citizenship.

Lawful residence on this status builds the ordinary residence clock while the permit remains valid.

The law behind these dates

Living there.

Time you must spend there: The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax: Where you become tax resident follows the days you spend there and where your home is. We map it for your family before you move.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

Start today.

Ask the Réunion employer to start the online work-authorization application for the local job.Open service-public.gouv.fr ↗
Gather these documents.
- The signed job offer, salary, and recognized qualifications
- Health cover for the move

Postern can’t run this for you yet.

The official application forms, submission and recovery specification are not complete. Postern cannot run this application yet.

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