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What is a receipt for a residence permit?

Verified 06 August 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

When you apply for a residence card at the prefecture or sub-prefecture, you receive a temporary residence document called receipt. This document allows you to stay regularly in France during the examination of your file. Depending on the case, it also allows you to work.

The receipt is a document proving the registration of your residence permit application to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home. It allows you to stay in France for the duration it specifies.

You are concerned if you are a foreigner and apply for a residence permit (1re application, renewal or duplicate).

The receipt is given to you if your file is complete.

Warning  

if your request is made online, you will receive (via the online service) a certificate.

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1st application for a residence card

You receive a receipt for a period of 4 or 6 months. This period will allow the prefecture to examine your application and to produce your residence permit.

The receipt can be renewed for an exceptional period of up to 3 months.

Renewal or duplicate residence card

You receive a valid receipt 3 months. Its validity date starts from the day after the expiry date of your residence card.

The receipt may optionally be renewed.

You can request a renewal of your receipt if it expires.

Ask your prefecture (or sub-prefecture) how to apply for this renewal.

Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact

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General case

The receipt allows you to work only in the following cases (1re issue or renewal) :

  • Temporary residence card "employee" or "temporary worker"
  • Temporary residence card "job search or company creation"
  • Temporary residence card "private and family life" (with exceptions)
  • Multi-annual residence card "talent passport", "talent passport - European Blue Card", "talent passport - researcher" or "talent passport - researcher - mobility program"
  • Multi-annual residence card "talent passport (family)"
  • Multi-annual residence card "ICT posted employee", "ICT mobile employee", "ICT posted employee (family)" or "ICT mobile employee (family)"
  • Multi-annual residence permit for seasonal workers
  • Multi-annual residence card "beneficiary of subsidiary protection", "family member of a beneficiary of subsidiary protection", "beneficiary of stateless status" or "family member of a beneficiary of stateless status"
  • Resident card (with exceptions)

For an Algerian

The receipt allows you to work only in the following cases (1re issue or renewal) :

  • 1 year residence certificate "private and family life"
  • 10-year residency certificate for Algerian

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service

    For more information on this topic, you can contact Allô Service Public.

    Cost: free service

    The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.

    Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their status.

    The service is available at the following times:

    • Monday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Tuesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Wednesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Thursday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Friday: 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m

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