EU/EEA/Switzerland worker residence card
Verified 07 January 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
If you are European and come to work in France, you do not need a residence permit. However, you can apply for a residence permit. However, you must have resources and health/maternity insurance.
First 5 years
You are concerned if you are Europeanand whether or not you are in an occupational activity (employed or not) in France.
You must apply to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) where your home is located.
If your file is complete, you will receive a receipt awaiting the response of the prefecture.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
Warning
it is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
Employee
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 photos recent identities
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Employment certificate issued by your employer
In case of involuntary cessation of your activity, you must justify the maintenance of your right of residence by providing according to your situation one the following documents:
- Certificate of incapacity for work
- Certificate of termination of employment or letter of dismissal, accompanied by a certificate of registration in Pôle emploi specifying the period of occupation of your job
- Proof of completion of a probationary period accompanied, in the case of a probationary period not connected with the previous professional activity, by a proof of termination of service or a letter of dismissal
Self-employed
- Your valid identity document or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 photos recent identities
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Justification for your activity: all documents on the regular, effective and sustainable exercise of your activity, such as, for example, according to its nature and the situation:
- Registration in legal registers (trade and business register or trade register)
- Membership of professional bodies and social security bodies
- Insurance underwriting
- Minutes of Appointment
- Business Lease
- Hardware Purchase Invoices
- Sales contracts, service contracts
- Turnover declaration form
- Revenue and Purchase Book
In case of involuntary cessation of your activity, you must justify the maintenance of your right of residence by providing according to your situation one the following documents:
- Certificate of incapacity for work
- Proof of completion of a traineeship, accompanied by a proof of cessation of activity specifying the conditions for such cessation, in the case of traineeships not connected with the previous professional activity
- Proof of registration in Pôle emploi and proof of the length of the period of exercise of the activity which has ended and of its cessation
Issuance of the residence card EU/EEA/Switzerland citizen is free.
The card is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
Employee
The end date of the card corresponds to the end of the employment contract + 6 months.
It cannot exceed 5 years.
Self-employed
The end date of the card corresponds to the end of the planned professional activity + 6 months.
It cannot exceed 5 years.
The approach is the same as for the 1re request.
Card Request
You must apply to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) on which your home depends within 2 months before the end of your card.
If your file is complete, you will receive a receipt awaiting the response of the prefecture.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
Warning
it is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
Documents to be provided
Employee
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 photos recent identities
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Employment certificate issued by your employer
In case of involuntary cessation of your activity, you must justify the maintenance of your right of residence by providing according to your situation one the following documents:
- Certificate of incapacity for work
- Certificate of termination of employment or letter of dismissal, accompanied by a certificate of registration in Pôle emploi specifying the period of occupation of your job
- Proof of completion of a probationary period accompanied, in the case of a probationary period not connected with the previous professional activity, by a proof of termination of service or a letter of dismissal
Self-employed
- Your valid identity document or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 photos recent identities
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Justification for your activity: all documents on the regular, effective and sustainable exercise of your activity, such as, for example, according to its nature and the situation:
- Registration in legal registers (trade and business register or trade register)
- Membership of professional bodies and social security bodies
- Insurance underwriting
- Minutes of Appointment
- Business Lease
- Hardware Purchase Invoices
- Sales contracts, service contracts
- Turnover declaration form
- Revenue and Purchase Book
In case of involuntary cessation of your activity, you must justify the maintenance of your right of residence by providing according to your situation one the following documents:
- Certificate of incapacity for work
- Proof of completion of a traineeship, accompanied by a proof of cessation of activity specifying the conditions for such cessation, in the case of traineeships not connected with the previous professional activity
- Proof of registration in Pôle emploi and proof of the length of the period of exercise of the activity which has ended and of its cessation
Cost
Issuance of the residence card EU/EEA/Switzerland citizen is free.
Card Delivery
The card is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
Card Duration
Employee
The end date of the card corresponds to the end of the employment contract + 6 months.
It cannot exceed 5 years.
Self-employed
The end date of the card corresponds to the end of the planned professional activity + 6 months.
It cannot exceed 5 years.
After
After 5 years of legal and continuous residence in France, you can ask for a residence card Citizen EU/EEA/Switzerland - Permanent residence - All professional activities.
This card allows you to attest that you have the right to live in France permanently, without any other conditions.
It makes your administrative procedures easier, since the administration will no longer have to ask you to prove that you have a job.
You are affected if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You are European
- You have worked in France for 5 continuous years
- You continue to live in France (with or without a professional activity)
You must apply to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) where your home is located.
If your file is complete, you will receive a receipt awaiting the response of the prefecture.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
Warning
it is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General case
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 recent id photos
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Proof of the continuity of your stay for 5 years in France: 1 document per semester (rent or expenses receipts, invoices, etc.)
- Proof of the previous 5 years of your right to stay in France (employment contract, etc.)
You have ceased your activity in France
You are retired (including early retirement)
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 identity photos
- 1 certificate of employment (including periods of involuntary unemployment, periods of involuntary cessation of activity and absence from work or cessation for sickness or accident) or 1 certificate of professional activity for the last 12 months
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Proof of your right of residence as an employed person for more than 3 years
You are a worker permanently incapacitated for work
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 identity photos
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Proof of incapacity and your right to stay for more than 2 years as an employed person or proof of incapacity resulting from an accident at work or an occupational disease giving entitlement to a pension from a social security body
You are a cross-border worker
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 identity photos
- Proof of 3-year professional activity (including periods of involuntary unemployment, periods of involuntary cessation of activity and absence from work or cessation for sickness or accident) in another European country and of your continued habitual residence in France (return at least once a week)
Issuance of the card Citizen EU/EEA/Switzerland - Permanent residence - All professional activities is free.
The card is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
If the right of residence is permanent, the card is valid only 10 years. So it has to be renewed.
The approach is the same as for the 1re request.
Card Request
You must apply to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) where your home is located.
If your file is complete, you will receive a receipt awaiting the response of the prefecture.
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
Warning
it is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
Documents to be provided
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General case
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 recent id photos
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Proof of the continuity of your stay for 5 years in France: 1 document per semester (rent or expenses receipts, invoices, etc.)
- Proof of the previous 5 years of your right to stay in France (employment contract, etc.)
You have ceased your activity in France
You are retired (including early retirement)
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 identity photos
- 1 certificate of employment (including duly recorded periods of involuntary unemployment, periods of involuntary cessation of activity and absence from work or cessation for sickness or accident) or 1 certificate of professional activity for the last 12 months
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Proof of your right of residence as an employed person for more than 3 years
You are a worker permanently incapacitated for work
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 identity photos
- Sickness/maternity insurance documents
- Proof of incapacity and your right to stay for more than 2 years as an employed person or proof of incapacity resulting from an accident at work or an occupational disease giving entitlement to a pension from a social security body
You are a cross-border worker
- Your valid identity card or passport
- Indication concerning your home: provided by any means
- 3 identity photos
- Proof of 3-year professional activity (including periods of involuntary unemployment duly recorded, periods of involuntary cessation of activity and absence from work or cessation for sickness or accident) in another European country and of your continued habitual residence in France (return at least once a week)
Cost
Renewal of the residence card EU/EEA/Switzerland citizen is free.
Card Delivery
The card is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.
- Code of entry and residence of foreigners and right of asylum: Article L233-1 to L233-6Right of residence
- Code of entry and residence of foreigners and right of asylum: Articles L234-1 to L234-3Right of permanent residence
- Code of entry and residence of foreigners and right of asylum: Articles R233-11 to R233-18Residence card with "EU/EEA/Switzerland citizen - All professional activities"
- Code of entry and residence of foreigners and right of asylum: Articles R234-1 to R234-6Residence card with "EU/EEA/Switzerland citizen - Permanent residence - All professional activities"
- Code of entry and residence of foreigners and right of asylum: Articles R210-1 to R286-2Employer tax
- Circular of 10 September 2010 on the right of residence of European and Swiss citizens and their family members (PDF - 1.3 MB)