They’re not the same as a visa but they can be the same as a titre de séjour, there are different types of card, not everyone needs one and the process for getting one varies a lot – in short, the world of the carte de séjour is often a confusing one for foreigners in France.

Here’s a breakdown of how the system works and how to apply for your card. 

Who needs one? 

Let’s start with the basics – who actually needs one?

If you have citizenship of an EU country (including Ireland) you do not need a carte de séjour because France is one of the few EU countries that does not require EU nationals to register for residency after a certain period of time in the country. If you are asked for proof of your right of residency in France, your EU passport acts as this. 

There does exist a carte de séjour européen for EU citizens which can be requested, however because it is not required it is rare and many préfectures are not sure about how or when to issue one. 

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country you will probably need a carte de séjour at some point, depending on your personal circumstances and how long you intend to stay in France.

Carte or titre?

In addition to carte de séjour you will probably also hear the phrase titre de séjour – these are often used interchangeably but there is in fact a subtle difference. 

READ ALSO Vital French vocab for the carte de séjour

Technically, a titre de séjour refers to a foreigner’s right to reside in France, while the carte de séjour is the document that proves this right.

Despite the legal distinction between the terms, French administration frequently use titre and carte de séjour interchangeably to refer to residency permits.

Is a carte de séjour the same as a visa?

For most non-EU citizens moving to France the pathway is to first get a visa, and then a carte de séjour.

The visa must be applied for from outside France – using the online visa portal – and the visa type you apply for depends on your personal circumstances (eg student visa, working visa, visitor visa, etc).

READ ALSO What French visa do I need?

Once you are settled in France, you then apply for the carte de séjour – this is either after two months of residency or when your visa is approaching its expiry date, depending on the type of visa.

When you receive your visa you will also be given information about the next steps and it’s important to read this carefully to ensure that you fulfil all your obligations once you arrive in France. 

French visa – what paperwork comes next? 

There are some exceptions to the ‘visa first, then carte de séjour’ pathway – if you have an EU spouse or EU close family members that you are joining in France, you can enter the country as a visitor and then apply directly for the carte de séjour.

The same applies if you are the spouse or close family member of a UK national who is a beneficiary of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (ie someone who was living in France prior to 2021). 

How to apply for the carte de séjour

Unlike visas, which you apply for online on a central visa portal, carte de séjour applications are dealt with on a local level – so you will need to contact your local préfecture (or the préfecture de police if you live in Paris).

Each préfecture has a slightly different system for carte de séjour applications, but most now have an online process for applications – if you head to the ‘étrangers’ section of your local préfecture’s website you should be able to find precise details for how to apply.

In most cases you will need to supply details of your current visa, plus proof of continued residence in France (such as a utility bill) and that you still meet the criteria eg proof of work, study or income. In most cases you can make the first application online, and then have an in-person appointment at the préfecture. 

While you are going through the application process, you can request a récépissé – which acts as proof of your right to live and work in France (and can be used for travel) until your new card arrives – full details HERE.

How long does the card last for?

There are different types of carte de séjour with a different duration.

For most people the pathway is visa; then onto a one-year card; then after several consecutive renewals of the one-year card moving onto a multi-year card. However there are exceptions, including for the ‘talent passport’ visa. 

There are different types of multi-year card including the carte de séjour pluriannuelle and carte de residence – some of these have more stringent requirements such as a certain level of integration.

Brits in France

Brits who lived in France prior to 2021 have a slightly different system – people who had already lived in France for more than five years in 2021 went straight onto the carte de séjour permanent. The card itself needs renewing every 10 years, but there is no need to provide documents each time since the right to stay is ‘permanent’.

Those who had lived here for less than five years in 2021 were given a five-year card – when this comes up for renewal in 2026 it can be exchanged for the carte de séjour permanent with only proof of continued residency in France required. At the time of writing, the exact process for renewing this card had not been revealed, but it is likely to be through préfectures.

Brits who moved to France after 2021 face the process for non-EU citizens as outlined in the article above. Those who were already here in 2021, and were therefore covered by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, benefited from both a streamlined application process via a special website and going straight onto a five-year or 10-year card.

This does not apply to new arrivals, so if you have arrived in France since 2021 be aware that your application process will be radically different to any friends or neighbours who applied in 2021. 

Second home owners

Most second-home owners will not have a carte de séjour, either contenting themselves with limiting their stays to 90 days in every 180 under the EU’s ’90-day rule’ or holding a six-month visitor visa to allow for longer stays.

There does exist, however, a special type of carte de séjour for second-home owners, although you will need to get the visa first – full details are outlined here.

British second-home owners who bought their property before 2021 are not entitled to the special Brexit carte de séjour that was available to UK nationals living in France, and in fact having this card can create many problems including with French tax authorities and with cars – full details here.