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BREXIT

New online portal for French travel pass for under-18s

The French interior ministry has announced the creation of an online system to allow foreigners in France aged under 18 to get a pass for travel.

Published: 24 January 2022 11:37 CET
New online portal for French travel pass for under-18s
Photo: Ina Fassbender/AFP

All non-EU citizens living in France (which now includes Brits as well as other non-EU nations like Australia, Canada and the USA) need either a visa or a residency permit.

The exception to this is under 18s. Children under the age of 18 do not need a residency permit and in most cases are not able to apply for one.

However, proof of residency can be useful when travelling (for example at certain points during the pandemic non-residents were not allowed into France), especially for older children who are travelling without their families.

The French government therefore allows under 18s to apply for a document known as a Document de circulation pour étrangers mineurs (DCEM) – circulation document for non-EU minors.

The document is not required for travel, it is simply intended to make it easier for minor to prove their residency status if needed. Around 60,000 are issued or renewed every year, according to the Interior Ministry. 

The pass itself is not new, but now instead of going to the préfecture, families can apply for the document online – part of the French government’s gradual move of all residency paperwork online.

Parents or legal guardians make the application on behalf of the child, and you can now do so HERE.

You fill in the online form and upload supporting documents.

Once the application is processed, you will then only need to go to the préfecture to pick up the document.

The document is valid for five years and can be renewed.

Once children reach the age of 18 they need to apply for their own residency document.

In the case of UK nationals who were living in France before December 31st 2020, they continue to benefit from the Withdrawal Agreement, but can no longer use the post-Brexit online portal to apply, instead they must make their application at their local préfecture – more details here. 

Member comments

  1. Can you confirm that the DCEM is not obligatory? I have been waiting some months now for my children’ online applications to be processed and fear they will be risking travelling unaccompanied in and out of France alone, without the DCEM, without knowing what challenges they may face at border controls. I’ve contacted various airlines, embassies and the prefecture but no-one has ben helpful. They do have proof of my carte de séjour and they have other proof of residency like their carte europeenne d’assuarance maladie, copies of their certificat de scolarité etc. Any help would be much appreciated so I can confidently take the step of putting one on a return flight to Boston, US, this friday….. Kind regards, Louise Jennings

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LIVING IN FRANCE

Reader question: Will I need to do a French ‘integration’ class to renew my carte de séjour?

France's new immigration law contains extra provisions for 'integration' - including promising to adhere to French values and attending classes on French history and culture. Here's what they mean for foreigners in France.

Published: 19 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Reader question: Will I need to do a French 'integration' class to renew my carte de séjour?

Question: I read that France will now be requiring foreigners to sign a contract promising to respect French values, and to take civics classes – does that mean I will have to do that when I next renew my carte de séjour?

The short answer to this is – maybe, it depends on the type of card you have and what change you’re hoping to make.

Here’s the longer answer;

France’s new immigration law, passed back in January, brought in three main changes for foreigners in France – language tests, a contract promising to ‘respect the values of the French republic’ and expanded classes in civics (French culture, history and values).

Language tests

Undoubtedly the biggest change for most people is the language tests – we have covered this topic extensively HERE.

Contracts 

Then there is the Contrat d’engagement au respect des principes de la République française – which is a promise to respect the ‘values of the French republic’ such as personal freedom, freedom of expression and equality between men and women.

In practical terms, this is just a form that you will need to sign as part of the application process for a visa or residency card – you can find full details on exactly what you’re agreeing to respect HERE.

This applies to all types of visa and residency card, including renewals. It is not yet in force, but is expected to come into effect later this year.

Classes

Then there are is the contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR), which has a confusingly similar name. This involves extra courses in civics and language that certain groups can be required to attend.

The CIR is a lot more than just signing a form, you also agree to take several hours of classes – but the key thing is that many groups are exempt from this requirement.

The immigration law doesn’t actually change who is required to sign the CIR and do the classes, it just expands the scope of the classes themselves and adds a test at the end.

These don’t apply to people applying for visa, it’s only when you get your residency permit – carte de séjour/titre de séjour – that you may be required to meet with OFII (the French office of immigration and integration) and take the classes.

Exemptions – Let’s start with exemptions – if you are applying for or renewing any of the following carte de séjour types you do not need to do the classes; 

  • Visitors (carte de séjour temporaire “visiteur”)
  • Students (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “étudiant”)
  • Trainees/interns (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “stagiaire”)
  • Temporary workers (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “travailleur temporaire”)
  • People who were born in France and have resided here for at least eight years (you fall under the jeune étranger né en France status of the carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “vie privée et familiale”)
  • People with serious illness (you fall under the ‘étranger malade‘ category of the carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “vie privée et familiale”)
  • Seconded employees and their families (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “salarié détaché”)
  • Seasonal workers (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “travailleur saisonnier”)
  • Talent passport holders and their families (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “passeport talent”)
  • People who completed at least three years of French secondary school or one year of higher education in France
    EU/EEA/ Swiss nationals
  • Holders of the post-Brexit Article 50 TUE carte de séjour
  • People who qualify for the carte de résident due to service in the French foreign legion or military

So who does have to do the classes? – The new law does not change who has to sign the CIR (and by extension, agree to take the classes), certain groups have always been required to do this, including;

  • Workers on a salarié carte de séjour
  • Self-employed people on a entrepreneur/profession libérale status
  • Certain groups on the ‘vie privée et familiale‘ statuses, including parents of French minors and foreign spouses and partners (PACs) of French nationals.
  • Applicants for the carte de résident de longue durée-UE card, which is given to people after five years of residency in France
  • Refugees

You only have to sign the CIR and take the assigned courses once, and the certificate then applies to all future card applications and renewals. 

How to access the classes

In most cases, people do the classes shortly after arriving in France when they request their first carte de séjour (usually after three months of residence, although it can be longer for different card types).

It is part of the general summons by the OFII which can also include language classes and a medical test.

OFII: Your questions answered on France’s immigration office

However if you are swapping from a card type that is exempt onto a card type that is not exempt you may also have to do them – for example if you apply for the carte de résident de longue durée-UE after five years of residence and were previously on a ‘visiteur’ card.

In this case you won’t receive a summons from OFII, you will need to contact them and request the relevant form. You will be called to an interview and from this interview they will decide whether you need to do the classes or not – it depends on your level of French and whether you can demonstrate that you are integrated into French society and understand French values.

In the case of the carte de résident de longue durée-UE, the opinion of your local mayor or commune can be taken into account – so if you know your mayor you could ask them to write an attestation stating that you are well integrated into local life, which may help.

So that’s the long answer – we did warn you. 

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