The key figures
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who needs a residence card (carte de séjour) | Anyone 16+ staying over 3 months a year | Gouvernement Princier, Demander une carte de séjour |
| First card: temporary resident | 1 year, €80 | Gouvernement Princier, La carte de séjour |
| Ordinary resident (after 3 years) | 3 years, €100 | Gouvernement Princier, La carte de séjour |
| Privileged resident (after 10 years) | 10 years, €160 | Gouvernement Princier, La carte de séjour |
| Official minimum savings | None set (the bank decides) | Gouvernement Princier, Demander une carte de séjour |
Anyone aged 16 or over who wants to stay in Monaco for more than three months a year, or settle there, needs a residence card (carte de séjour). To get one you prove three things: a home in Monaco, enough money to live on and a clean record. The first card is a temporary resident card valid for one year; longer cards follow after 3 and 10 years. There is no official minimum amount of savings: a Monaco bank certifies that you have the means. You apply to the Section des Résidents of the Sûreté Publique (police) (Gouvernement Princier).
The four residence cards
| Card | Who it’s for | Valid for | Fee (first card / renewal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary resident | New arrivals, no residence needed | 1 year | €80 / €40 |
| Ordinary resident | After 3 years’ residence | 3 years | €100 / €50 |
| Privileged resident | After 10 years’ residence, with real presence | 10 years | €160 / €80 |
| Spouse of a Monegasque | After 1 year’s residence | 5 years | €80 / €40 |
The 10 years needed for a privileged card can be cut to one year in particular cases. The legal basis is Sovereign Ordinance No. 3.153 of 1964, art. 5 (Légimonaco); fees from the government’s card page.
What you have to prove
1. A home in Monaco of a size that suits the people living in it: as the owner, through a company you own, as a tenant (the lease must be registered with the Direction des Services Fiscaux, with an electricity contract or bill), or living with a close relative, spouse or partner.
2. Enough money to live on: a salary or professional income, savings, or support from a relative. For savings, the government says “the sum judged sufficient depends on the Monaco bank” that issues the certificate, and you need “a bank certificate from a Monaco institution, less than a month old, stating that you have the means to live in Monaco”. Employees provide a certificate from the Service de l’Emploi authorising them to work in Monaco.
3. Good character: criminal record extracts, less than three months old, from the authorities of every country you’ve lived in over the last five years.
Visas: EEA nationals and everyone else
EEA nationals don’t need a visa to apply. Everyone else, including British citizens since 2021, needs a long-stay establishment visa (type D) from the nearest French consulate before applying, or a transfer of residence through the French Embassy in Monaco if they have lived in France for over a year. The government is clear that “the visa is compulsory to be able to submit an application”.
How to apply
Apply to the Direction de la Sûreté Publique, Division de Police Administrative, Section des Résidents, 9 rue Suffren-Reymond, Monaco (+377 93 15 30 15, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00). There is also an online service; if your file is admissible, an interview in person follows.
Residency, housing and work
Residency and the right to work are separate. A residence card doesn’t let you work, and you don’t need one to work: your employer applies for a work permit (see jobs in Monaco), and nine in ten private-sector employees live in France or Italy. Being resident does put you higher in Monaco’s hiring priority order, after Monegasques and their families.
Finding a home is usually the hard part. State-owned housing (4,380 of Monaco’s 22,577 homes in 2025) is only for Monegasque nationals. Most foreigners rent in the free sector, where “the length of the lease and the rent are set solely by the landlord” (Gouvernement Princier). Property prices and the cost of living are on living in Monaco.
Limits
This is a summary of the government’s published requirements, not legal advice, and the authorities assess each file individually. Check the official pages, linked above, before you apply. For tax after you move, see tax in Monaco.
Questions
What are the requirements for Monaco residency?
You must prove three things: a home in Monaco of a suitable size (owned, rented with a lease registered with the tax office, or with close family), sufficient financial resources (a salary, business income, savings or support from a relative), and good character, with criminal record extracts under three months old from every country you lived in over the last five years. Non-EEA nationals also need a long-stay visa first.
How much money do you need for Monaco residency?
There is no official minimum. The government says the amount judged sufficient depends on the Monaco bank that provides the certificate, and you need a bank certificate from a Monaco bank, less than a month old, stating you have the means to live in Monaco. Any figure you see quoted is the bank's practice, not the law.
Do I need Monaco residency to work in Monaco?
No. You need a work permit, which your employer applies for. Nine in ten private-sector employees in Monaco live in France or Italy (IMSEE, 2025). Residency is for people who want to live there.
How long does Monaco residency last?
The first card is a temporary resident card valid for 1 year. After 3 years of residence you can get an ordinary card valid for 3 years, and after 10 years a privileged card valid for 10 years. Spouses of Monegasques can get a 5-year card after a year.
Does Monaco residency mean no income tax?
For residents who aren't French nationals, Monaco charges no income tax. French nationals living in Monaco pay French income tax under the 1963 convention, and other countries' rules still apply: US citizens, for example, must keep filing US returns.
More on working in Monaco
- Working in Monaco: the overview, with pay, tax and the rules in one place
- Jobs in Monaco: Live listings, who employs the most people, pay by sector, and the priority hiring and work permit rules
- Tax in Monaco: No income tax for residents (except the French), the social contributions every employee pays, and who pays French tax
- Average salary in Monaco: Official private-sector pay from IMSEE: the median, the average, pay by sector and take-home pay
- Living in Monaco: Property prices by district, how renting works, where Monaco's workers live and what moving involves
- Minimum wage in Monaco: €12.31 an hour from 1 June 2026, plus Monaco's 5% allowance, with rates by age and overtime
- Public holidays in Monaco: All 12 public holidays in 2026, what happens when one falls on a Sunday, and pay for working them
Sources
- Gouvernement Princier (MonServicePublic), Demander une carte de séjour (updated 25 September 2026)
- Gouvernement Princier (MonServicePublic), La carte de séjour (updated 28 October 2024)
- Sovereign Ordinance No. 3.153 of 19 March 1964 on the entry and stay of foreigners, art. 5 (Légimonaco) (consolidated text)
- Gouvernement Princier (MonServicePublic), Les différents secteurs d'habitation (updated 19 October 2026)
- IMSEE, Recensement de la population 2025 (May 2026)