Monaco residency

Monaco grants residence through a permit called the carte de séjour. There is no investment programme, no government contribution and no minimum capital figure written into law. The Principality asks for two things: somewhere to live inside its 2.08 square kilometres, and proof that you can support yourself there.

Who needs a permit

  • Anyone over 16 who intends to live in Monaco more than three months in a year
  • The rule applies to nationals of every country, including the European Union
  • Owning property in Monaco does not by itself grant the right to live there
  • Children under 16 receive a travel document for foreign minors instead of a permit
  • Every family member applies separately, including spouses and children

The legal basis is the Franco-Monégasque Convention of 18 May 1963 and Sovereign Ordinance no. 3.153 of 19 March 1964. The Residents' Section of the Direction de la Sûreté Publique administers the system.

The two conditions

Accommodation in Monaco

  • A signed lease, normally for at least one year
  • Or a property deed in your name
  • Or a letter and proof of ownership from a close relative you will live with
  • Or directorship of a Monaco company that holds the property
  • The accommodation must be large enough for everyone named on the application

Financial self-sufficiency

  • An employment contract in Monaco, or
  • Proof of business income, or
  • A pension, or
  • An attestation from a Monaco-licensed bank confirming deposited funds

The bank route is the common one for applicants who will not work locally. Monaco banks generally expect a deposit in the region of €500,000 to €1,000,000 before issuing the attestation. That figure comes from banking practice, not from Monégasque law, and each bank sets its own floor against the applicant's profile. Costs are covered in cost of living in Monaco.

The application, in order

  1. Obtain the entry visa, non-EEA applicants only. Monaco issues no visas of its own. Apply for a long-stay Type D visa for Monaco through the French consulate in your country of residence. Nationals of the European Economic Area and Switzerland skip this step entirely.
  2. Open the bank account. Monaco banks run full source-of-wealth checks before accepting a client. This stage decides most applications and takes longer than the permit itself.
  3. Secure the accommodation. Sign the lease or complete the purchase. The address goes on the application.
  4. Assemble the documents. Listed below.
  5. File with the Residents' Section. The office sits at 3 rue Louis Notari, and appointments are advised.
  6. Attend the interview. Fingerprints and photographs are taken at this stage.
  7. Receive the card. Processing runs roughly two to four weeks once the file is complete. The whole sequence, visa included, commonly runs two to three months.

Documents

  • Valid passport, and the Type D visa where required
  • Birth certificate, and marriage certificate where applicable
  • Criminal record extract from each country you have lived in during the previous five years
  • Lease or property deed
  • Bank attestation, or employment contract, or proof of income
  • Proof of health insurance cover
  • Passport photographs

Documents in languages other than French usually require a sworn translation. Foreign civil-status documents may need an apostille.

The three cards

Carte de séjour temporaire

  • Valid one year
  • Renewable annually for up to three years
  • The entry-level permit for every new resident
  • Requires three months of presence in Monaco out of twelve

Carte de séjour ordinaire

  • Valid three years
  • Available after three years of temporary cards
  • Renewable once for a further three years

Carte de séjour privilégiée

  • Valid ten years
  • Available after ten years of continuous residence
  • Renewable indefinitely
  • Requires at least 183 days a year in Monaco

A separate card exists for the spouse of a Monégasque national, issued on different terms.

Nationality, where it makes a difference

Easiest route

  • Nationals of the European Economic Area and Switzerland need no visa. An identity card or passport is enough to enter, and the application starts directly in Monaco
  • Applicants already legally resident in France transfer their file rather than starting at a foreign consulate

Extra steps

  • Every non-EEA national must clear the French consular stage first, which adds months and a second authority
  • Applicants from jurisdictions on international grey or black lists face enhanced bank due diligence, and a refused account ends the application before it reaches the Sûreté Publique

Restricted

  • Nationals of Iran, Russia and Belarus face restrictions, and sanctions compliance reviews extend processing times
  • Anyone under individual international sanctions cannot be onboarded by a Monaco bank, which closes the route in practice
  • Anyone previously expelled from the Principality is barred

The French position

Nationals of France apply directly and need no Type D visa, so entry is straightforward. The tax outcome is not. Under the 1963 convention, France taxes its nationals living in Monaco on worldwide income as if they had never left, with a narrow exemption for those who could prove five years of habitual residence in Monaco as at 13 October 1962. Details are in Monaco taxes.

Working in Monaco

  • Employment requires a work permit separate from the residence permit
  • The employer applies, and must show that no Monégasque or local candidate was available for the post
  • Hiring priority runs in a fixed order, with Monégasque nationals first, then residents of the neighbouring French communes
  • Forming a Monaco company requires prior government authorisation, which is its own process

Keeping the permit

  • Renewal requires current proof of accommodation and current proof of means
  • The administration looks for evidence of genuine residence, including utility bills, rent payments and local spending
  • Extended absence risks refusal at renewal
  • A residence permit is not the same as a tax residency certificate. The permit alone does not end tax obligations in another country

Citizenship

  • Naturalisation requires at least ten years of continuous residence after the age of 18
  • Applicants must show fluency in French, suitable accommodation, and genuine integration
  • The Department of Justice reviews the file, and the Sovereign Prince decides
  • Approval is rare, and existing nationalities must generally be renounced
  • No investment route to citizenship exists

For jurisdictions that grant residence or citizenship on different terms, see low tax countries.

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