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EU long-term resident card (foreigner in France for 5 years)

Verified 01 May 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

If you have been legally and continuously resident for at least 5 years in France or have a European Blue Card, you can obtain a Resident Mention Card long-term resident - EU. You must also meet other conditions to obtain it (resources, health insurance, integration). This card allows you to stay in other countries of the European Union. It is valid for 10 years and is renewable.

The residence card mentioned long-term resident - EU allows you to continue to stay in France after regularly stayed for five years.

This card allows you to work in France.

It also allows you to stay for more than 3 months, without a long-stay visa, in certain Member States of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden). You will need to apply for a residence permit in the host country depending on the reason for your stay.

To obtain the EU Long Term Resident Card, you must be a foreigner no European and meet conditions regarding your length of residence in France. You also need to justify resources, health coverage and your Republican integration.

Warning  

other rules apply if you are European or Algerian.

Regular and uninterrupted stay of at least 5 years

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General case

You must have stayed at least 5 years in France with one or more of the following residence permits:

  • Long-stay visa as residence permit
  • Temporary residence permit visitor
  • Temporary/multi-annual residence card private and family life (excluding subsidiary protection, filing of complaints for certain offenses and testimony in criminal proceedings)
  • Temporary/multi-annual residence card salaried worker
  • Temporary/multi-annual residence card entrepreneur/professional
  • Multi-annual residence permit talent passport (off-mission)
  • Resident Card

Your stay in France must have been uninterrupted. However, some absences are allowed (maximum absence of 6 consecutive months for a total absence of 10 months) and are taken into account in the calculation of the 5 years.

Please note

if you are a refugee or a beneficiary of subsidiary protection, 5 years of regular stay are counted from the date of filing your asylum application.

European Blue Card

If you have a European Blue Card, you must show proof of 5 years' stay with this card in a country of the European Union (EU), including the 2 years preceding your application in France.

The stay in the EU must have been uninterrupted. However, periods of absence over 5 years are allowed.

Health insurance

You must have health insurance.

Resources

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General case

You must have stable, sufficient and regular resources to support yourself.

Your revenues must be at least Smic: titleContent (€1,747.20 monthly gross). All your own resources are taken into account.

The following family benefits and allowances are excluded: Paje, family allowances, family supplement, housing allowance, AEEH, BSO, ARS, PJPA, RSA, SSA.

You touch the AAH or Asi

The means test shall not apply to persons who Disabled Adult Allowance (DAA) or supplementary invalidity allowance (Asi).

Integration into French business

To get the long-term resident - EU, your republican integration into the French business is also taken into account.

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General case

This condition shall be assessed in particular with regard to the following:

  • Your commitment to respect the principles governing the French Republic (document provided by the prefecture to be signed)
  • Effective compliance with these principles
  • Your sufficient knowledge of french

To assess your integration, the prefect asks the mayor of your municipality of residence for an opinion.

You're over 65

This condition shall be assessed in particular with regard to the following:

  • Your commitment to respect the principles governing the French Republic (document provided by the prefecture to be signed)
  • Effective compliance with these principles

To assess your integration, the prefect asks the mayor of your municipality of residence for an opinion.

You must submit your card application within 2 months of the expiry date of your residence permit. In some cases, you must send your request by mail.

In any case, before traveling, find out more information on your prefecture's website.

Who shall I contact
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.

If your file is complete, you will receive a receipt awaiting the response of the prefecture.

Acceptance or refusal to issue a residence card

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Your request is accepted

If your application is accepted, you are summoned to the prefecture for the issue of the title.

Your request is denied

If the prefect has notified you of the refusal

The decision of the prefect is yours notified by reasoned letter (explicit decision). Except in exceptional circumstances, such refusal shall be accompanied by a obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) setting the country to which you will be returned.

You can form a litigation before the administrative court (within 48 hours, 15 days or 30 days depending on the type of OQTF).

No reply from the prefect on your request

If the prefecture has not responded after 4 months, this is an implicit refusal.

You can then train within 2 months of this refusal:

Warning  

if your receipt expires and you don't have a response from the prefecture, the processing time may be longer. In this case, you can obtain the renewal of your receipt. Find out more on your prefecture's website.

  • Full copy of the birth certificate with the most recent entries, accompanied if necessary by the court decision ordering its transcription
  • Passport (pages on civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas) 
    or consular attestation with photo
    or photo ID
    or consular card with photo
    or certificate of nationality under 6 months with photo
  • Proof of payment of stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the security)
  • Declaration on the honor of no polygamy in France if you are married and are a national of a country that allows it
  • Proof of legal and uninterrupted residence in France of 5 years (residence permits, renewal receipts, school certificates, tax notices, etc.):
    • If you have an EU Blue Card: part of this 5 years can take place in the territory of another EU Member State. However, you must have completed the 2 years of stay before the application for the residence card in France.

    • If you are a refugee or subsidiary protection holder: the calculation of the 5-year period begins as of lodging of the asylum application
  • Proof of your resources or those of your couple if you are married:
    • Proof of sufficient, stable and regular resources over the last 5 years: pay slips, tax notice, certificate of payment of pension, employment contract. Social benefits and allowances are excluded.

    • If you touch theAAH: titleContent or theAsi: titleContent : you must attach the supporting documents
  • Health insurance certificate: health insurance card or health insurance certificate

General case

€225 : stamp duty €25 + tax €200 payable by tax stamps

Request is out of time

(except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa)

€405 : stamp duty €25 + tax €225 + right of regularization of €180 payable by tax stamps

The map of long-term resident - EU is valid 10 years. It shall be renewable.

Warning  

the resident card is no longer valid if you leave France for a period of 6 consecutive years.

Renewing your credit card long-term resident - EU, you can:

  • or reapply for a credit card long-term resident - EU,
  • or apply for a credit card permanent resident.

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Long-term resident card - EU

Your request is accepted

If your application is accepted, you are summoned to the prefecture for the issue of the title.

Your request is denied
If the prefect has notified you of the refusal

The decision of the prefect is yours notified by reasoned letter (explicit decision). Except in exceptional circumstances, such refusal shall be accompanied by a obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) setting the country to which you will be returned.

You can form a litigation before the administrative court (within 48 hours, 15 days or 30 days depending on the type of OQTF).

No reply from the prefect on your request

If the prefecture has not responded after 4 months, this is an implicit refusal.

You can then train within 2 months of this refusal:

Permanent resident card

Your request is accepted

If your application is accepted, you are summoned to the prefecture for the issue of the title.

Your request is denied
If the prefect has notified you of the refusal

The decision of the prefect is yours notified by reasoned letter (explicit decision). Except in exceptional circumstances, such refusal shall be accompanied by a obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) setting the country to which you will be returned.

You can form a litigation before the administrative court (within 48 hours, 15 days or 30 days depending on the type of OQTF).

No reply from the prefect on your request

If the prefecture has not responded after 4 months, this is an implicit refusal.

You can then train within 2 months of this refusal:

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

    Request a call