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France’s new carte de séjour website: How does it work and what do I need?

The French government's new website allowing British people in France to apply for their carte de séjour residency permit online is now live - but how does it work and what has the reaction been to it? We look at the site in more detail.

Published: 10 October 2019 16:30 CEST

France's new carte de séjour website: How does it work and what do I need?

Screengrab from the French government's new site.

UPDATE: The French government has now announced that there will be a different system in place – click here for the latest information.

The site went live on Wednesday evening in a move that seemed to take most people by surprise given that it wasn't expected to be launched until after the scheduled Brexit date of October 31st.

The government says that it is still in its early phase so there may be some initial teething problems, particularly as a larger number of people attempt to access the site, but here is what we know so far.

The website is designed for all British citizens living in France before Brexit day. It's a centralised website although once applications are made they are handled by individual prefectures.

The Local understands that while website is accepting applications from Britons, nothing will be processed until the UK actually leaves the EU, whenever that may be.

What's the reaction been?

It's early days yet, the Local understands that this is a test version and the French government will be taking feedback about any problems, but we found it relatively straightforward to use, it's mostly boxes to either tick or fill in and the fact that there is an English version will set many people's minds at rest.

Kalba Meadows from citizens rights group France Rights said: “My initial comments – and people in the group are still going through the site and commenting – are firstly that it's it's based on two presumptions – one is a no-deal Brexit, and the other is that the date of a no deal Brexit would be October 31st.

“When people are being asked to apply for a card as a third country national for which they would have to pay it seems inappropriate to begin an application process at this point. What happens if there is an extension – especially a long extension?

“It's good that there is an English language version but I can already see that there is some lack of clarity in both English and French versions and where oh where oh where are the explanatory notes?!

“For those with a carte de séjour permanent it looks to be, as promised, very straightforward

“It's good also to see a contact email for questions BUT how will this be covered as it could be inundated.”

For people in a complicated situation there is an 'any other comments' box at the end, so you will have a chance to explain anything not covered by the tick box.

Mike Harlow from Remain in France Together said: “We are pleased to see that the new system has been introduced ready to use for after the 31st October – although we continue to hope that it is not required – and that the application process appears simple, streamlined and with an English language option.”

“Unfortunately, it is aimed at those with access to the internet, so there will be many vulnerable UK citizens who need to be reached and supported in their applications, and in a short timescale of 6 months, and this is something that RIFT is actively working on at the moment, trying to find solutions for UK citizens in that position.”

So where can I access it?

You can access the site via the French government's online services portal here. It is available in both French and English.

There is no need for a trip to the préfecture, applications can now be made online. Photo: AFP

And how does it work?

Well the basic process is the same as when people made in-person applications at their local préfecture in terms of the documents you need to supply, but the process has been considerably streamlined.

You first accept the terms and conditions and say whether it's the first time you have applied for a residency permit.

If you have been here for less than five years you need to fill in the online form with your personal details – name, age, address, marital status etc – then state what category you fall into – employed, self-employed, student, retired, unemployed or otherwise economically inactive.

You then need to upload supporting documents depending on which category you fall into, but for people working those documents include passport, proof of residency work contract and last payslip.

If you have been here for longer than five years you enter the date of your arrival then it asks you to upload documents including copy of passport, proof of residency and something to prove your arrival date, which may be an obstacle for some.

Of course the big difference between a website and a physical appointment is that all your supporting documents – passport, work contract, utility bills etc – need to be scanned and then uploaded.

The good news is that you don't need to buy expensive hardware, there are lots of free smartphone apps that will allow you to scan documents then upload them to your computer.

People make their initial application online, and each application will then be passed on to the préfecture where you live for it to be evaluated.

Once the application is made online you don't need to do anything else until you are contacted.

If your application is complete you will be “contacted by email to arrange an appointment with your préfecture to finalise your procedures” which is likely to involve going to your local préfecture to give your fingerprints, if you have not already and also pay the €119 fee.

If your application is not complete or is unclear, you may be contacted with a request for further information.

People who have completed the application online will get an acknowledgement email and a reference number, but there is no mention made of how long it will take to process the application. It could well vary according to local area, as some préfectures will get a lot more applications than others.

Who is it for?

The site is for British people already living in France.

People who have been living here for more than five years and already have a carte de séjour permenant can simply swap it for the new card using the site, everyone else – including people who have no card and people who have the short-term 5-year card – has to make a completely new application online.

As the French government already stated in its no-deal decree back in April, people who have been in France for more than five years can apply directly for a permanent residency card while people who have been here less than five years get a temporary card – how long the card lasts for will depend on your situation.

What will I need?

In terms of what you need to supply it's difficult to say at this early stage as every different category needs to supply different things and people who are applying for permanent residency are asked for extra documentation in terms of their proof of means and health cover.

For those who have been here over five years that means getting an “attestation de droits” for healthcare cover which can be obtained via the Ameli.fr site or via your local CPAM office.

You will definitely need your passport though and other good things to have scanned and ready are anything that provides proof of your arrival date in France, proof of residency such as utility bills, proof of work status such as employment contracts and payslips, proof of means such as tax returns and bank statements and document relating to health insurance if you have it.

If you complete the application you get this message, although that does not mean that your application will be successful

What's the deadline?

The first thing to remember is that there is no tearing hurry and no need to panic if all your documents are not to hand right this second.

If Britain leaves the EU with no deal then Brits get a one-year grace period to sort out their residency status – although applications must be made within six months of Brexit day. If the UK leaves with a deal there will be a transition period that will last until at least December 2020.

Interestingly, in terms of the dates it gives the French site seems to be assuming that Britain will leave without a deal on October 31st, although it could be that they are simply using the worst case scenario.

The site states that: “Having a residence permit will be mandatory as of October 31st, 2020 for all people over the age of 18. Until October 31st, 2020, your rights in terms of residency, employment as well as all of your social rights will continue.

“You will have a six-month period as of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal date (i.e. until 04/30/2020) in order to request a residence permit.”

But whatever happens there is plenty of time, so although it's good to get things ready, there really is no need to panic.

Have you used the site? How did you find it? Tell us your experiences and we will share your feedback (anonymously) with French authorities.

Member comments

Anonymous - 10 October 2019 at 07:28 CEST

Why do the British have to moan about everything? At least the French are doing something and trying to accommodate everyone with an English version.
Anonymous - 12 October 2019 at 12:20 CEST

Pending registering an S1 ( still on its way from UK ) will an EHIC card be sufficient evidence of health cover? PUMa requires min 3-month residency before that can be applied for.
Anonymous - 14 October 2019 at 18:07 CEST

Yesterday, I signed up for my carte de séjour on the new website and I must say that I was most impressed. As an American married to a Brit, I wasn’t sure what do do about my situation. The website provides foR non-EU persons with some kind of relationship with a British citizen. The website was all in English and was quite easy to manage. For me, all that was needed was 4 documents. If you haven’t done the necessaries for your carte de séjour, I suggest you go to the website and complete the rather straightforward Data input process.
Anonymous - 14 April 2020 at 16:44 CEST

As a non-EU holder of a titre de sejour pluriannuelle: visa passeport talent, I’d like to know what happens if I leave France for a year and want to return? If I want to return and my original carte de sejour’s expiration date has not yet been reached, is it still valid?

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INTERVIEW: 'A lot of people think Brexit is done, but it's not for Brits in Europe'

In the early days of 2021, after the United Kingdom had left the EU and completed the final stage of Brexit, many British citizens returned to their home countries in Europe only to face a grilling at the border.

Though the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) technically guaranteed their right to live and work in the countries they’d settled in before Brexit, there was widespread confusion about these fundamental rights and many were treated like new arrivals.

Over time, the chaos at the airports subsided as border officials and airlines were given clearer guidance on the treatment of Brits. But three years later, a number of Brits who live on the continent still face problems when it comes to proving their post-Brexit rights.

This was the reason campaign group British in Europe decided to set up their new EU-funded ICE project. Starting this year in March, it aims to build valuable connections between UK citizens abroad and mentor the next generation of civil rights advocates around the continent. The acronym stands for ‘Inform, Empower, Connect’ and the project’s organisers describe it as “the first project of its kind”.

“It’s a completely innovative project – especially the fact that it’s across so many countries,” Jane Golding, chair of British in Europe and one of the project’s founders, told The Local.

Bringing together groups from 11 EU member states, the project aims to train up volunteers to understand both the Withdrawal Agreement and EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, as well as learning skills like advocacy and communication, using real-life civil rights cases that are referred to British in Europe.

“The ultimate goal is to amplify the messages across the wider group,” said Golding. “You start with the volunteers, they go back to their groups, then the people that we train, they go back and train people. Then they pass on that knowledge to the wider groups, on their Facebook accounts and through social media, and hopefully it all snowballs, not just in their countries but across the EU.”

‘Far-reaching repercussions’

So many years after Brexit, it’s hard to believe that there’s still a need for a project like ICE that empowers Brits to protect their rights. Indeed, the future of groups like British in Europe and regional groups like British in Germany and British in Spain felt uncertain just a year or two ago.

But Golding says there are still serious issues cropping up for Brits in several countries around Europe – they just have a different quality to the problems that arose at the start.

“In some ways it’s needed even more because as we predicted right at the beginning, at the first stage of implementation, you’ve got the more routine cases,” she explained.

“What we’re seeing now is not as many cases, but when the cases come up, they’re complex. They can have such far-reaching repercussions on people’s lives. And of course, memories start to fade. A lot of people think Brexit is already done, but it’s not.”

Volunteers in British in Europe ICE project

The volunteers of the British in Europe ICE project pose for a photo at the kick-off meeting in Brussels on May 21st, 2024. Photo courtesy of Jane Golding

Though the rights set out in the Withdrawal Agreement apply across the continent, different countries have taken different approaches to implementing them.

That means that while in Germany, for example, UK citizens simply had to declare that they lived in the country, people in neighbouring Denmark had to apply for their rights.

This led to a notorious situation in Denmark in which as many as 2,000 Brits were threatened with deportation after not applying in time or completing the right application process. According to Golding, this had a lot to do with the fact that people who arrived in 2020 weren’t given the same information as other UK migrants who arrived before.

In Sweden, meanwhile, the situation is still difficult for many Brits who lived there prior to Brexit.

“There have been issues with an anomalously high numbers of refusals compared to other countries, and they seem to be taking a very strict approach on late applications,” Golding explained.

Portugal has been another difficult case. Although the country opted for a declaratory system where Brits could simply exchange old residence documents for a new ID card after Brexit, reports suggest that the authorities have taken years to issue these cards, leaving many of the some 34,000 Brits in the country in limbo.

“While people are still waiting to have their status confirmed and have their card in their hand, it’s difficult to access a whole range of services, like health services, or applying for jobs or dealing with the authorities, or even going to the bank,” Golding said. “All of these problems just affect people’s lives.”

A French border guard checks a passport at the border

A French border guard checks a passport at the border. Photo by DENIS CHARLET / AFP

There are also concerns about the EU’s new exit and entry system (EES), due to come into force in October, which is based on biometric documentation.

“We still do not have clear data on how many people in declaratory countries like Germany, where it wasn’t compulsory to apply for the card, don’t actually have a card,” Golding said. “How is that going to play out if it’s a document-based digitalised system?”

A lack of support

In the immediate aftermath of Brexit, funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) was still available to support NGOs in Europe helping Brits with their migration and civil rights issues. But that temporary funding soon expired, leaving groups like British in Europe largely on their own.

“The whole point is people’s lives change at very different paces,” Golding said. “And now this project is really going to start to pick up some of those cases and report on those issues, which is really crucial and exciting for the precedent that it sets, and it’s very clearly necessary still, because people don’t just sort their lives in the 18 months that the FCDO chose to supply that funding.”

This feeling of being left alone and increasingly isolated from the UK is one that many Brits in Europe have felt in the aftermath of Brexit. But the upcoming UK election on July 4th could be a game-changer.

This time, following a change in the law, Brits who have lived abroad for more than 15 years will be able to vote for the first time.

Polling station in the UK

A polling station in the UK. Photo by Elliott Stallion on Unsplash

When it comes to the election, the message from British in Europe is clear: “Make your voice count now, make your vote count, make sure you use it,” Golding said.

With the June 18th registration deadline fast approaching, BiE is advising UK citizens abroad to apply for a proxy vote as soon as possible, rather than relying on a postal vote from abroad. Since the 15-year rule was abolished on January 16th, more than 100,000 British citizens have registered to vote, according to official statistics. It is unclear how many were registered before the change in the law.

With an estimated 5.5 million Brits currently living abroad – 1.3 million of whom are in the EU – this could have a significant impact on the electoral landscape, Golding says. But most significantly, the change is creating a feeling of connection and belonging that wasn’t there before.

Nurturing this sense of belonging is one of the main goals of ICE.

With these bridges being built, British in Europe hopes to create a network of support that spans across borders.

“Now we’ve met. We’re going to meet,” said Golding. “We know we’re going to meet again in Berlin in October and then we’ll meet again in the new year in 2025 as well. It means a huge amount because even British in Europe, our steering team, we’ve only met physically three times.”

This opens up the possibility of people sharing their knowledge from country to country, Golding explained.

“There is crossover and the reassurance of having that EU wide view and knowing that you’re not alone and knowing that in this country, we managed to get this solution,” she said. “And then you can go back and say to the authorities in your country, well, in that country they did that – all of that helps. It’s really good.”

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