Immigration documents in France
There are three most important documents related to immigration and residency in France:
Passport
A passport is an identity document that provides information about a specific person. In the context of immigration and residency, a passport proves that a person holds the citizenship of a certain country, France for example.
France's passport is considered to be one of the strongest in the world. It allows its holder to travel to almost any country in the world either visa-free or allowing to receive a visa on arrival.
Residence permit document
The residence permit of France is a document that allows a person from outside France to reside in the country. An example of such a document would be the 'Carte de séjour temporaire comportant une mention particulière qui varie selon le motif du séjour autorisé'. It is usually either limited in validity length (temporary RP) or or provides an unlimited right to reside (permanent RP). As a document, most of the times it is a card similar to an ID-card or a driver's licence.
In France, there are 15 main types of residence permit documents with a number of possible variations, such as specialized documents for the family members of an original document holder.
Visa
The visa of France is a document that allows a person who is not a resident of France to enter the country. There are several types of visas, e.g. Airport transit visa, Business visa, etc. They are usually distinguished by the purpose, for which the applicant wishes to enter the country. There 10 major types of visa in France.