The three main ways in which French nationality can be gained are:
Naturalization: The granting of nationality to people who have reached their majority (18 years) and have lived in France for at least five years;
Acquisition: For 18-year-old children of foreigners born in France and resident there for at least five years between the ages of [...]
The prospective employer must request a work permit from the authorities. A long-term visa must be issued before moving to France. If you skip this, you may not be able to obtain a residence permit once in France.
If you have a temporary resident permit that does not give you the right to work (visitors, students), [...]
If you wish to remain in France as a tourist for over a year, you will have to get a one-year permit and renew it each year until you are allowed to stay indefinitely. This can take from three to 10 years. After a year, you will be obliged to start paying French taxes on [...]
Generally, to stay in France involves either finding a French employer who will arrange a visa, marrying a French citizen, joining the Foreign Legion, or becoming a student.
Since there is a no-visa agreement between France and the U.S., U.S. citizens can stay in France up to 3 months without a visa. Some people come over [...]