Applicants must prove they have sufficient funds to reside in Monaco without needing to work. The most common means of proving sufficient funds is through depositing funds in a Monaco bank and obtaining a letter of evidence from that bank.

Note, there is no mandatory minimum deposit amount set by the Government, whether the amount will be judged sufficient depends on the Monaco bank providing the reference. The average deposit amount, however, is around €500,000 (but can be substantially more)

The residency process in Monaco can be broken down into the following steps:

• Step 1: If applicable, applicants must apply for a long-stay visa at their nearest French consulate
• Step 2: Applicants must gather the following documents as part of the application:
  1. proof of accommodation in Monaco that is big enough to account for the number of people that will be living there;
  2. a letter from a Monaco bank evidencing sufficient savings; and
  3. proof of good character evidenced by the authorities of the last country or two countries in which the applicant lived in the five years prior to arriving in Monaco.
• Step 3: Upon gathering the required documents, applicants must contact the Monaco Immigration Police to schedule an interview
• Step 4: Application processing differs according to an applicant’s country of citizenship, with the processing time for non-EU citizens expected to be between 16 to 20 weeks
• Step 5: Applicants then receive a carte de sejour temporaire (temporary residence card) valid for 12 months
• Step 6: After the first 12 months, applicants can renew their temporary residence card for another two 12-month periods
• Step 7: After their third year of residence in Monaco, applicants can then apply for a carte de sejour ordinaire (ordinary residence card), giving them permission to reside in Monaco for three years. This card can be renewed for subsequent three-year periods.
• Step 8: After three temporary residence cards and two ordinary residence cards (nine years of residence in Monaco), an application for a carte de sejour privilegie (privileged residence card) can be submitted. The privileged residence card is valid for a period of 10 years.

Who is eligible to apply?

EU and non-EU citizens over the age of 16, of good character, with accommodation in Monaco, and sufficient funds deposited in a Monaco bank.

Which family members can I include in my application?

For residence in Monaco, investors can include the following family members in an application:

• Spouse (or partner)
• Children under 16

Is there a physical presence requirement?

To maintain the temporary residence card, applicants are required to live in Monaco for three months per year. To maintain the ordinary residence card, applicants must also reside in Monaco for three months per year. To maintain the privileged residence card, applicants must reside in Monaco for at least 183 days per year.

How long does the application take to process?

For the temporary residence card, application processing differs according to an applicant’s country of citizenship. The processing time for EU citizens is substantially less as there is no need to apply for a long-stay visa, which can take up to three months to be issued. From the date of the interview with the Immigration Police, EU citizens are expected to be around eight weeks. After waiting approximately three months for a long-stay visa, from the date of the interview, non-EU citizens are expected to wait another two to four weeks.

What is the duration of the residence permit?

The temporary residence card is initially valid for 12 months and can be renewed for another two 12-month periods. After the third year of residence in Monaco, applicants can then apply for an ordinary residence card, giving them permission to reside in Monaco for three years. This card can be renewed for subsequent three-year periods. After nine years of residence in Monaco, an application for a privileged residence card can be submitted. The privileged residence card is valid for a period of 10 years.

Are citizens from certain countries barred from applying?

No banned nationalities are specified.

Is this programme for me?

The following persons may be a good fit for the programme:

• High-net-worth individuals seeking a luxurious lifestyle
• Businesspersons and entrepreneurs seeking to locate their business interests in Monaco