THE "ARTIST-INTERPRETER" TALENT PASSPORT: THE ONLY WAY FOR AN ARTIST TO SETTLE DOWN IN FRANCE

Since the entry into force of the law of March 7, 2016, foreign nationals who work as performing artists or who are authors of a literary or artistic work may be granted a multi-year residence permit bearing the designation “Talent Passport.”

This residence permit may be requested in France, from the territorially competent prefecture as part of a change of status, or from the French Consulate if the person resides abroad.

The “Talent Passport – Performing Artist” residence permit is issued for a maximum duration of four years to foreign nationals whose artistic professional activity is carried out on French territory for a period exceeding three months.

According to Article L. 212-1 of the French Intellectual Property Code, a performing or executing artist “is any person who represents, sings, recites, declaims, plays or performs in any other manner a literary or artistic work, a variety act, a circus or puppet show.”

The concept of a literary or artistic work is defined in Article L. 112-2 of the same Code, which provides that:

“The following are considered as works of the mind within the meaning of this Code:

1° Books, pamphlets, and other literary, artistic, or scientific writings;

2° Lectures, addresses, sermons, pleadings, and other works of the same nature;

3° Dramatic or dramatico-musical works;

4° Choreographic works, circus acts, and pantomimes, whose performance is fixed in writing or otherwise;

5° Musical compositions with or without lyrics;

6° Cinematographic works and other works consisting of animated sequences of images, with or without sound, collectively referred to as audiovisual works;

7° Works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving, lithography;

8° Graphic and typographic works;

9° Photographic works and those created by techniques similar to photography;

10° Works of applied art;

11° Illustrations and maps;

12° Plans, sketches, and plastic works relating to geography, topography, architecture, and the sciences;

13° Software, including preparatory design material;

14° Creations from the seasonal clothing and fashion accessory industries. These industries are deemed seasonal when, due to fashion requirements, they frequently renew the form of their products, including couture, fur, lingerie, embroidery, fashion design, footwear, glove-making, leather goods, the manufacture of high-end or specialized fabrics for haute couture, the production of costume jewelry and shoemaking, and the manufacture of upholstery fabrics.”

To obtain this residence permit, the applicant must therefore demonstrate that they qualify as a performing artist within the meaning of the aforementioned provisions of the Intellectual Property Code.

To do so, various supporting documents may be submitted depending on the artistic activity carried out.

Furthermore, the supporting documents to be attached to the application—particularly those relating to financial means—differ depending on whether the applicant intends to work in France as a salaried or self-employed performing artist.

Depending on the applicant’s nationality, the conditions for obtaining the “Talent Passport” residence permit may also vary.

Regardless of their situation, the lawyers of the Terravocats network assist individuals who wish to obtain the “Talent Passport” residence permit in their capacity as performing artists, guiding them through every step of the process.