Who to contact in France for help with Brexit residency card
The deadline to apply for a Withdrawal Agreement Residence Permit is fast approaching. Britons who are unsure about aspects of their application, are not confident with using computers or have any other difficulties can contact several different bodies for personalised assistance
International Organization for Migration
There are several sources of help if you are struggling to complete the online formalities for a new Brexit deal card.
All Britons who were living in France in 2020 and want to stay should have applied online for one of the new Withdrawal Agreement (WA) residency cards before October 4, 2021.
According to a recent announcement from French officials, the application website will close officially on October 4, whichallows people a few extra days “to allow registration of applications that were not able to be made in the [original] timeframe provided”, which involved a deadline of June 30.
France has recently extended the deadline for Britons to hold Withdrawal Agreement (WA) residency cards to January 1, 2022, amidst a backlog of applications.
If you are unsure about aspects of your application, are not confident with using computers or have any other difficulties, a number of bodies can advise.
Some of these are approved and funded by the British government under the UK Nationals Support Scheme, however, there are geographical restrictions as to who these can help. The British Embassy has stated if you want to ask for their help you should do so before October 15, 2021.
The International Organisation for Migration (IoM)
This is a UN partner agency helping migrants and refugees. Its section helping Britons with Brexit is based in Saint-Brieuc, Brittany with two full-time staff there and will focus on Normandy, Brittany and Paris and Ile-de-France, Hauts-de-France and Pays-de-la-Loire.
It intends to share information on residency requirements and provide direct help for those in difficult situations. The latter could include people with chronic illnesses, or language, literacy or IT difficulties.
The focus is residency applications and topics that are directly linked to applying for residency.
However, the organisation has said they will not take on any new cases after October 15, 2021.
Contact details: By email at UKnationalsFR@iom.int or by telephone on 08 09 54 98 32, Monday to Tuesday 14:00-16:00 and Wednesday to Thursday 10:30-12:30.
Meetings at the office are possible by appointment. It has a website at france.iom.int/en/uk-nationals-support-fund-uknsf.
Franco-British Network (FBN)
A non-profit body that helps Britons move to France and set up businesses. It is focused on the Dordogne, Aubergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
Its team consists of three bilingual professionals from the area who were already part of the network, plus two new paid part-time workers.
Contact details: Questions may be sent via tinyurl.com/y29bfxbk. It also has a telephone helpline on 05 19 88 01 09 (Monday to Wednesday 9:00-13:00 and Thursday and Friday 13:00-17:00) and a Facebook page: facebook.com/francobritishnetwork. Its website is: francobritishnetwork.fr.
The Church of England’s Diocese in Europe
The diocese is offering assistance to those in Nouvelle-Aquitaine apart from Dordogne, as well as Occitanie, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Centre-Val de Loire, Corsica and Grand Est.
Contact details: It has a website relating to its Brexit help at frenchresidencysupport.org. Its hotline is on 05 32 80 00 05, Monday to Wednesday 09:30 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 16:00.
Also offering help nationwide
One English-speaking body that is not part of the official funded network has told The Connexion they are also able to help.
The Old School (oldschoolfrance.com), which has received some funding from the British Community Committee of France for this work, has a helpline on 05 53 40 60 54 from 09:00 to 16:00 on Thursdays and can also arrange one-to-one meetings.
All local prefectures should be able to assist to some extent with making the application online, using free public computer terminals.
Paper applications are not possible.
Another option would be to visit one of the Maisons de Services au Public at: maisondeservicesaupublic.fr. These are local centres that can help people with administrative tasks.
Update on the SSAFA and Cancer Support France
SSAFA, the charity for British military veterans and their families, no longer supports people with residency applications in France.
We have tried to contact Cancer Support France to check if they are still volunteering support services but have not received a response.
Read more on Brexit residency cards
Britons' French Brexit residency cards: How to apply
What is waiting time for Britons in France for Brexit residency cards?
More than 10,000 Britons in France still awaiting a residency card
