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Long-term resident card-EU (foreigner in France for 5 years)
Verified 01 mai 2022 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)
If you have been legally and uninterrupted for at least 5 years in France or have EU Blue Card, you can get a resident card mention 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 EU countries. It is valid for 10 years and is renewable.
What applies to you ?
Depending on your personal situation, the steps to take may vary.
Resident card mention long-term resident - EU allows you to continue to stay in France after regularly for 5 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 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden). You will need to apply for a residence permit in the host country, depending on the reason for your installation.
To obtain the EU Long Term Resident Card, you must be a foreigner European and fulfil conditions regarding your length of residence in France. You also have 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
General case
You must have stayed at least 5 years in France with one or more of the following residence permits:
- Long-stay visa valid for residence
- Temporary residence card visitor
- Temporary/multi-annual residence card private and family life (without subsidiary protection, complaint for certain offences and testimony in criminal proceedings)
- Temporary/multi-annual residence card employee
- Temporary/multi-annual residence card entrepreneur/professional
- Multi-year residence card talent passport (Out of 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 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 of your asylum application.
EU Blue Card
If you have EU Blue Card , you must show 5 years of stay with this card in a country of European Union (EU), including the 2 years preceding your application in France.
The stay in the EU must have been uninterrupted. Periods of absence over the 5 years are allowed.
Health Insurance
You must have health insurance.
Resources
General case
You must have stable, sufficient and regular resources to support yourself.
Your income must be at least Smic (€1,645.58 monthly). All your own resources are taken into account.
The following family benefits and allowances are excluded: Paje, family allowance, family complement, housing allowance, AEEH, ASF, ARS, AJPP, RSA, ASS.
You touch the AAH or the Asi
The resource condition does not apply to persons who Adult Disability Allowance (AAH) or Supplementary Disability Allowance (Asi).
Integration into French business
To get the long-term resident - EU, your republican integration into french business is also taken into account.
General case
This condition shall be evaluated in particular in the light of 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 will refer your case to the mayor of your municipality.
You're over 65
This condition shall be evaluated in particular in the light of 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 will refer your case to the mayor of your municipality.
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 travelling, first check the website of your prefecture.
Warning : it is not possible to do the paperwork in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
In Paris:
If your file is complete, you receive a reclaimed pending the prefecture's response.
Acceptance or refusal to issue residence card
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
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 where otherwise provided, such refusal shall be accompanied by obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) fixing the country where you will be returned.
You can form litigation before the administrative tribunal (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 did not respond after 4 months, it is an implicit refusal.
You can then train within 2 months of this refusal:
- One administrative appeal (ex gratia before the prefect and/or hierarchy to the Minister of the Interior),
- And/or litigation before the administrative tribunal
Warning : if your receipt expires and you do not have a response from the prefecture, the processing time may be extended. In this case, you can get your receipt renewed. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
- Full copy of birth certificate (unless you already have a residence card) with the latest information
- Passport (pages on marital status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas). Otherwise, other supporting documents (for example: Consular certificate, identity card, consular card).
- Proof of domicile less than 6 months old
- 3 photos. If the request is made online: enter the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the approved cabin on the photo board).
- Certificate of payment of stamp duty (to be handed over at the time of issue of the title)
- Statement on the honour of no polygamy in France if you are married and are a national of a country that allows it
- Valid and uninterrupted residence in France for 5 years (residence permits, renewal certificates, school certificates, tax notices, etc.):
- If you have a European Blue Card: some of these 5 years may take place in the territory of another EU member country. However, you must have completed the 2 years of stay prior to applying for the residence card in France.
- If you are a refugee or have subsidiary protection: calculation of 5 years begins onapplication for asylum
- Justifications for your or your couple's resources if you are married:
- Sufficient, stable and regular resource justification over the last 5 years: pay slips, tax notices, pension payment certificates, employment contracts. Social benefits and allowances are excluded.
- If you touch theAAH orAsi : you must attach supporting documents
- Health insurance certificate: health insurance card or health insurance certificate
- Republican Integration Justifications: declaration on honour of respect for the principles governing the French Republic (released to prefecture) + proof of sufficient knowledge of the french language (if you are under 65).
General case
€225 : stamp duty €25 + tax €200 to be paid by tax stamps
Request Out
(except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa)
€405 : stamp duty €25 + tax €225 + right to regularise €180 to be paid by tax stamps
Map of long-term resident - EU valid 10 years. It is renewable.
Warning : the residency card is no longer valid if you leave France for 6 consecutive years.
To renew your card long-term resident - EU, you can:
- or re-apply for long-term resident - EU,
- or apply for permanent resident.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
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 where otherwise provided, such refusal shall be accompanied by obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) fixing the country where you will be returned.
You can form litigation before the administrative tribunal (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 did not respond after 4 months, it is an implicit refusal.
You can then train within 2 months of this refusal:
- One administrative appeal (ex gratia before the prefect and/or hierarchy to the Minister of the Interior),
- And/or litigation before the administrative tribunal
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 where otherwise provided, such refusal shall be accompanied by obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) fixing the country where you will be returned.
You can form litigation before the administrative tribunal (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 did not respond after 4 months, it is an implicit refusal.
You can then train within 2 months of this refusal:
- One administrative appeal (ex gratia before the prefect and/or hierarchy to the Minister of the Interior),
- And/or litigation before the administrative tribunal