Practical visas and residency cards

Wildfire with flames and thick smoke rising above green woodland near Aubais, France.

Senator calls for improved visa rules for second home-owners in France amid wildfire risk

Issue is no longer about Brexit but safety amid record-breaking summer blazes

Close-up of a France Schengen visa sticker in a passport.

Can I obtain a visa to come to France and look after my elderly mother?

'Family regroupment' visas are not available for adult children

Close-up of a hand holding an American passport.

How Americans can stay in France beyond the EU's 90/180 days rule

US citizens are biggest beneficiaries of 'extended stays' in the EU

practical

Visitor visas for ‘digital nomads’ in France – is this permitted now?

Issue resurfaced again after MP asked question to interior ministry

Can I enter France before my visa starts and if so must I register for EES?

Nationals of certain countries benefit from visa-free access to France

Can I travel between France and UK with national ID card and not French passport?

EU and UK both have electronic border systems in place

What happens if I fail to renew my carte de séjour?

Why keeping your residency card valid matters if you are a foreigner in France

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What are ‘local requirements’ for spouse of EU citizen to stay in France

Free five-year residency cards are available

Four people standing together and smiling outdoors in a leafy garden area.

Britons praise local French officials in health emergency case

Prefecture acted swiftly to help family after 89-year-old fell seriously ill

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Who can I complain to over French Brexit card renewal issues?

Authorities asked for cards to be renewed two months before expiry date

Two smiling colleagues seated on a sofa in a bright office.

How to get a French talent visa: American arts couple share their experience

Their first visa application was rejected

What are penalties for overstaying 90-day allowance in France?

People who overstay their authorised time in the Schengen area risk penalties.

How can I get a suitable photograph in France for my carte de séjour renewal?

Licenced photographers can take shots for official French documents

What it is really like to apply for a French long-stay visa

Writer Matthew Jackson describes experience dealing with French bureaucracy

When must I update French address on ‘Brexit’ card?

Online portal is available for requesting a change

a French residence permit or brexit withdrawal card inset against Lyon departmental prefecture

How long does récépissé for Brexit card renewal last?

Holders of five-year cards are now renewing document

French residence card graphic overlaid on a bright Eiffel Tower riverside scene in Paris

Brexit cards give Britons in France similar - but not identical - rights to EU citizens

The WA residency card aimed at allowing Britons to continue living in France as they did before 2020 - with some exceptions

Border checks at Charles de Gaulle airport

I have overstayed the 90 day rule in France - what will happen?

Rules limit how long travellers can remain in EU without requiring a visa

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Explained: French civic tests for residency and citizenship

Cultural sessions now offered to newcomers undergoing the Contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR) process via the Ofii immigration service

Five-year WA card holders in France reminded to apply for renewal in good time

If you obtained your card in 2021, you should apply to renew it two months before the expiry date

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Can you offer rentals in France when staying on visitor visa?

There are different thresholds for rentals before they are deemed as ‘professional income’

A woman speaking to someone with a clipboard at a desk

'Visitor' card holders: what to do if refused 10-year card

Problems arise sometimes when people apply after having had five years in France under cartes de séjour ‘visiteur’

French visas, cartes de séjour and removals of foreign nationals in 2025

The number of foreigners in France hits its highest level ever

How did George Clooney obtain French citizenship despite speaking little French?

Were 'double standards' involved, or did he follow standard procedure?

A stock photo of a WA residency card and a red line drawn between the UK and the EU on a map

Travelling during a residency card renewal: how can I show I am exempt from EES?

Tens of thousands of ‘Brexit’ cards are nearing expiry this year

Is there shortcut for six-month French visa application?

Appointments require physical visit to processing centre

French MPs vote in favour of automatic renewal of long-term residency cards

Multi-year and 10-year cards would be only be refused in case of legal grounds for refusal

Is there a set date by which I must arrive in France from US on long-stay visa?

VLS-TS visas must be validated within three months

‘Some French residency renewals are so slow they are expired by time received’ - Amnesty International

Charity argues for abolition of precarious one-year cards for non-EU workers and criticises ‘dysfunctional’ residency card system

Could you pass the French civic knowledge exam? Try our quiz

Applicants for certain residency cards and citizenship need to get 80% right after January 1, 2026

Clarity needed on new tests for French multi-year residency cards, say applicants

A pass in a new ‘civic’ test is one requirement; we explain what it will contain

Is biometric information handed over for previous visas used for EES?

Data provided at registration is retained for at least three years

How does EES affect me if I need to travel to France urgently?

Travel authorisation system Etias may pose more problems in this area

Passport control signage in French and English

EES rules in France: How are spouses of EU citizens affected?

New system comes into force on October 12

How to renew a five-year Brexit WA residency card online in France

Interior Ministry asked prefectures to set up standardised sites: several, but by no means all, have now done so

Can you remain in France on 90/180 days quota after six-month stay is up?

American citizens benefit from short-stay visa access to bloc without needing a visa

Concern over Christmas travel for those renewing Brexit cards in France

Issues likely if simpler procedures are not put into place, says campaign group

Must VLS-TS visa holders become French residents?

Certain visas need to be validated soon after arriving in France

Visas for France: Readers share their experiences and tips on the application process

Non-EU visitors to France, including those from the UK and US, must obtain a visa for stays of more than three months

Couple with a case approaching the front door

How long can a long-stay visa for France last?

Understanding the criteria and their durations for non-residents

Can ‘visitor’ visa holders in France work remotely for foreign firms?

A review of the laws regarding residency rights, work law, tax and social charges

Who do the new French language tests changes affect - and from when?

Use our handy graphic to see if this applies to you

WA cards ‘renewal’ and expiry in France clarified

Difference between applying for a card ‘duplicate’ with a new address, and renewing a card

Can French Brexit card be renewed early if need to return home?

Five and ten-year cards have different maximum absence periods

Can our adult children join us in France through our Brexit card?

The regroupement familial process does not apply to Britons with WA rights

We do not need Brexit Withdrawal Agreement card to visit France - so how can we cancel it?

Connexion reader says allowance of the 90/180 rule is enough

What is a French ‘visa d’installation’ and is it possible to apply for one?

Some visas allow you to settle in France after you arrive

Renewing residency cards proves slow process for many in France

Connexion readers frustrated by the long, drawn-out process, as complaints rise

A blue UK border sign is shown at passport control in an airport

Strict ‘family visa’ rules for couples returning from France under review in UK

UK government asks the Migration Advisory Committee to investigate

New agreement needed with EU for visa-free travel for Britons, says UK MP

EU citizens may visit UK for up to six months without a visa, whereas Britons are subject to the standard Schengen area limit of 90 days in any 180-day period.

Can over-65s become French citizens without passing language tests?

A new immigration bill is changing several minimum language rules

Act fast on French residency card renewals, says lawyer

Legally-speaking, no news from authorities can become a tacit refusal after a certain time

Close-up of a schengen visa required for travel to EU and France

Does the spouse of a Brexit card holder have the right to live in France?

Certain residency card holders can bring spouses to France with them

French language tests: ‘B1 and B2 are marked very differently - as my 5/25 shows’

American Peyman Pejman tells what he learnt when he asked the examiner about the marking system after he got a low score in part of the B2

Do French language test exemptions for over 65s apply to all residency cards?

There has been much confusion over the incoming rules

French rules on holding both Brexit and EU residency cards explained

Britons cannot hold both Brexit and EU long-term residency cards

Tougher rules for nationality: rights watchdog criticises already ‘complex’ process

“The acquisition of nationality is already excessively complicated”

Rules to be toughened for French citizenship, announces minister

A new civic knowledge test is to be required as well as more checks on background and personal finances

What is the difference between a visa and a residency card?

Exploring the distinctions and processes for visas and residency cards for staying in the country

List: Who needs to pass new French language tests for residency?

The level required is set to increase in 2025

What will happen if French residency card holder is away when EES border checks start?

New digital border rules are to be phased in over time

UK and EU move closer to post-Brexit visa deal for young people

Agreement could allow under 30s to live and work in opposite countries, but is not a return to freedom of movement UK insists

Entry/Exit System: How will it work with a temporary French visa?

If a person enters France from outside the EU prior to the start of their French visa, they will be logged

Brexit cards: what are the rules around passport renewal and residency cards in France?

It is highly recommended that Britons in France retain a valid UK passport

New language tests for French residency cause confusion

The testing centres themselves say they are in limbo

Entry/Exit System: What happens when travelling to EU with a French spouse?

The rules are different for the family members of EU citizens

90/180 days rule: Can visa-free days be used to enter France before start of visa?

Be wary of spending too much time in France or you may be seen as a tax resident

Obligatory language tests for French residency: Differences between TEF and TCF

We speak to an official language assessment centre about why candidates may prefer the more modern and flexible TEF exam

French residency permits: Must they be handed back when leaving?

Permit holders retain rights for a certain number of years

New rules for British dual nationals entering UK: How are those in France affected?

Changes will take place due to the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

New language tests for French residency cards: ways to prove your language level and advantages of each

Plus, verify whether an existing professional diploma or training certificate could be accepted as proof

Binationals, French children of Britons: Your questions about April 2 ETA change to visit UK

EU citizens now require prior authorisation to visit UK

'My six-month battle to get meeting for French residency card'

Long-term American resident of France recounts how difficult it was to get a face-to-face meeting

Official site updated for how to renew post-Brexit French residency cards

Residents can swap 5-year for 10-year cards, government update confirms

Will new EU border security rules affect double passport holders?

We look at rules if you have two countries’ passports or two from the same country