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Foreigner in France: multi-annual residence permit - seasonal worker

Verified 12 April 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

If you are a foreigner and wish to stay in France as a seasonal worker, you can obtain a multi-year residence permit seasonal workerunder certain conditions. It is valid for a maximum of 3 years and is renewable. You cannot apply for family reunification for your spouse and children with this residence card.

You are affected if:

  • you're a foreigner,
  • and you come to France for seasonal work not exceeding a cumulative duration of 6 months per year.

You are allowed to stay in France only for the period(s) set by your card. You must also commit to maintaining your usual home abroad.

You must have:

  • a visa valid for 3 months mention seasonal worker,
  • and a seasonal employment contract of one minimum duration of 3 months, referred to by the administration.

Warning  

this residence card does not allow you to bring your family to France.

Your employer must apply online work authorizationbefore your entry into France.

He must send the administration a file containing the following documents:

  • Letter explaining the reasons for the employee's recruitment and detailing the duties they will perform
  • Copy of the employee's passport or national identity document if he or she resides abroad
  • Evidence of the research carried out to recruit a candidate already present on the labor market
  • Proof of the employee's qualification and experience (e.g. copy of diplomas)

It must also attach the following documents unless they have already been sent within the last 12 months and have not been modified:

  • Kbis Extract for a legal person and its statutes
  • Extract K, craftsman card or tax notice for a natural person
  • Copy of the last statement of payment of social contributions
  • If necessary, a copy of the last remittance slip to the holiday pay account

The decision on the application for a work permit taken by the administration shall be notified to your employer. In the event of agreement, the work authorization shall be forwarded to theOfii: titleContent, then to the competent French consulate.

Your visa application must include the work authorization sent by your employer. The competent French consulate will then issue you a 3-month visa mention seasonal worker.

You must apply for the card within 2 months before the end date of your visa. The request is made on the internet.

Apply online for a residence permit, a change of situation, a travel document, an application for naturalization

When you apply for a residence permit on the Internet, you immediately get a dematerialized certificate deposit.

  • Long-stay visa or valid residence permit
  • Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas). Otherwise, other supporting documents (e.g. consular certificate, identity card, consular card).
  • 3 photos. If the request is made on the internet: enter the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the approved cabin on the photo board).
  • Proof of payment of stamp duty (to be submitted at the time of issue of the license)
  • Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the security)
  • Dematerialized work authorization issued to the employer
  • Written commitment to maintain your habitual residence outside France

You have to pay €75 (tax of €50 + €25 stamp duty) by tax stamps.

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.

The card is given to you by the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home.

The card has a validity of Maximum 3 years. It shall be renewable.

You must apply to renew your card within 2 months of its expiry date. The request is made on the internet.

Pending the production of your residence card, you will receive a certificate dematerialized allowing you to work.

Apply online for a residence permit, a change of situation, a travel document, an application for naturalization

If you submit your application after the deadline, except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa, you will have to pay, in addition to the cost of the card, a visa fee for regularization of the €180.

Documents to be supplied:

  • Long-stay visa or valid residence permit
  • Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas). Otherwise, other supporting documents (e.g. consular certificate, identity card, consular card).
  • 3 photos. If the request is made on the internet: enter the code of the e-photo (provided by the photographer or the approved cabin on the photo board).
  • Proof of payment of stamp duty (to be submitted at the time of issue of the license)
  • Medical certificate issued by theOfii: titleContent (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the security)
  • Copy of the paperless work authorization issued to the employer
  • Commitment to maintain your habitual residence outside France
  • Proof of compliance with the cumulative period of residence of 6 months per year during the period of validity of the previous residence permit (stamps on passports, salary slips obtained during the 3 years, etc.)

Cost:

You have to pay €75 by tax stamps.

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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