I am going to apply a visa in France and I don’t know should I apply profession liberal or visiteur after reading many information.
I’m a freelance graphic designer on Upwork that all my clients are Americans, while I have an online store on Etsy, again all the clients are Americans, products are made and sent from Asia. I have read that remote work is allowed for visiteur visa as long as my business has no ties of France, however some argue I am not allowed to work. I have also checked profession liberal visa and it required to have 70% of French clients. I have been told if my clients are not french than I should apply visteur visa. It’s really contradictory.
Secondly can a visiteur visa leads to citizenship? The government website has states that as long as you live continuously 5 years, you are eligible to apply. However some commented it required to have income from France to prove you are integrated into the society.
How do you plan to rent an apartment without a French work contract ?
You could declare yourself as an Autoentrepreneur (freelance) , but you’re paying 21% to the government every month , and you’re not allowed to earn over 36,000€ per year or you have to change the free lance status and pay more .
Also most agencies or landlords don’t like renting to free lance people.
Also for the citizenship , not sure if they’ll renew your visa each year , unless you have the cash to buy an apartment, but just because you’re here for 5 years it doesn’t mean you’ll be given it automatically .
It seems you need to have resident status, and for that you need an apartment with a lease , and for an apartment you’ll probably need a French work contract (not in the 3 month trail period) and a work visa . Ideally they want last year’s tax return , the last three months pay slips , and someone French to co-sign your lease.
Here is the source for Autoentrepreneur