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Réunion is a full French overseas département (DROM) in the Indian Ocean, meaning residents hold French/EU citizenship outright and the island uses the euro and full French civil law. It combines dramatic volcanic scenery with genuinely French infrastructure, healthcare, and education — at the cost of high unemployment (over 40%) and a significant poverty rate.
Tax overview
French personal income tax rules apply (0–45% progressive), though with some département-specific reductions — corporate tax runs around 15% (versus mainland France's standard rate) and VAT-equivalent is roughly 8.5% versus mainland's 20%.
Safety
Good — As part of France, Réunion follows French safety and policing standards; crime is low relative to mainland France's larger cities.
Healthcare
Full French/EU public healthcare system (Sécurité sociale), on par with mainland France.
Education
Full French national curriculum and university system; residents have the same access to French higher education as mainland citizens.
Investment routes
There is no distinct citizenship or residency-by-investment program for Réunion — immigration is governed entirely by French and EU national law, not a territorial scheme. France's national 'Talent Passport' investor route (minimum ≈EUR 300,000) applies here exactly as it does anywhere in France.
Property ownership is fully open to foreigners under French civil law, with no restrictions beyond standard notarised purchase — though buying property does not itself confer any residency right.
Economic opportunity
Tourism has overtaken sugarcane as the leading industry, though the economy remains structurally weak by French standards, with unemployment above 40% and roughly 42% of the population below the poverty line.
GDP
≈ USD 21 billion (2024)
Unemployment rate
≈ 40%+
Key industries
EU/French business formation rules apply in full — no territorial incentive scheme distinct from mainland France was identified.
Who this programme suits
Réunion suits EU citizens exercising ordinary freedom of movement, or non-EU nationals pursuing France's standard national visa routes — it is not a distinct investment-migration jurisdiction and should not be marketed as one.
EU/EEA citizens relocating under standard freedom of movement
French nationals and Indian Ocean diaspora families with existing ties to Réunion
Retirees seeking full French healthcare and civil-law protections in a tropical setting
Common origin countries