If you’re applying for the French VLS-TS Profession Libérale visa, one of the most important documents you’ll need to prepare is your business plan. But once you start researching, you’ll quickly realise there’s no clear rule on how long that business plan needs to be.
So… what’s the sweet spot?
From first hand experience: Short Enough to Be Read. Long Enough to Make Sense.
Your business plan needs to strike a balance. It should show that you’ve done your research, have a solid plan, and understand how your business will generate income in France. But it doesn’t need to be a 50-page masterpiece with graphs, pie charts and market forecasts pulled from obscure corporate whitepapers.
Remember: the people reviewing your visa application are humans in a consular office. And they’re busy.
A clear, concise plan, usually between 5 to 10 pages depending on your business is typically more effective than a long, overly detailed one that often leaves more questions in the reader’s head than it does answers!
What Needs to Be Included?
While there’s no official required criteria, your plan should cover the essentials, such as:
- A short executive summary of your business idea
- Details about the services you’ll offer
- Who your ideal clients or customers are
- Why you think there’s a viable market in France
- Your marketing and pricing strategy
- Some financial milestones or goals for the first 5 years
- How you plan to set up and run the business operationally
Some people try to stretch their plan by writing paragraphs of fluff. Others submit one or two pages and miss key details. Aim for the middle ground: clear, simple, and purposeful.
Real-Life Tip: Don’t Worry About Impressing with Length🍆
When I applied for my own VLS-TS visa, I spent way too much time stressing about how many pages I needed. I eventually realised it wasn’t about hitting a magic number- it was about making it easy for the reviewer to understand my business.
Are they going to read your business plan and think- yes! this person is going to be able to support themselves in France and NOT be a burden on the state?
Honestly, that’s what you need to answer.
That’s exactly why I created a business plan template designed specifically for this visa. It guides you through a well structured, easy to understand business plan with simple prompts for each section, so you don’t miss anything, and you don’t waffle either.
Check out my French Business Plan Template designed specifically for this visa application.
