When it comes to making a permanent move to France, naturalisation, which includes a stringent language and cultural understanding test which worries many people, is not the only option.
Who can have a Carte de Resident?
The French carte de resident or carte resident longue durée UE, which is normally designed for 5+ year residents from non-EU countries, can also be obtained by British residents following application in person at your local Prefecture.
Check with your prefecture before going in, as some have very specific instructions for example in Nice (PACA region) you must go to window Number 3, between 9 & 11.30.
Like all French processes, applying for a card will mean lots of paperwork.
What you need for a Carte de Resident
When you apply for a Carte de Resident, you’ll need to take originals and copies of the following documentation:
- Your passport
- Recent proof of address (for example an EDF bill less than 3 months old or a recent rent receipt
- If you married in France, take your ‘Livret de famille’
- If you married abroad, take your marriage certificate – accompanied by a translated copy which must be conducted by a traducteur assermenté (certified translator)
- Your full birth certificate, showing parents’ names – this must also be translated by a traducteur assermenté
- Proof of income
- Long term contract and last payslip, or if self-employed take a recent extrait Kbis and your last company accounts or bilan
- Auto-entrepreneurs should take their ‘facturier’ – a list of the invoices you have issued in the previous year, in date order, including value
- Proof of Pension Income
- Your last two years of ‘avis d’imposition’ – tax bill for your household
Your application form will be completed by a prefecture employee with you present.
And, here’s a real bonus – whilst the UK is still part of Europe, this card is delivered free of charge, and without a requirement for speaking French.
by Jo-Ann Howell at French Admin Solutions
