Visas and residency cards

Historic Paris City Hall facade with French and EU flags between monumental stone columns.

Brexit cards: why some French prefectures ask for extra documents

Readers report additional paperwork demands in some areas

British author wrongly flagged as EU overstayer during France trip

EES error led to best-selling novelist Jojo Moyes being told she could face EU ban

Do thousands of Britons risk being ‘uprooted’ from France due to visa chaos?

Withdrawal Agreement provides strong protection to British citizens

visas and residency cards

France may extend temporary staff hiring to tackle residency card delays

Minister says recruiting 500 extra staff this year ‘extremely useful’ and operation could be repeated

I had to go on a six-hour Uber ride to collect my 10-year renewal card

Online renewal wasn’t an option for one reader who doesn’t drive

Swedish flag flying beside a grey house under a blue, cloud-filled sky.

France's Brexit approach contrasts sharply with Swedish expulsions

How support and and simpler procedures helped British residents

Some workers for British companies now exempt from French work permit requirements

Residency permit applications must also be responded to within 90 days under new decree

I moved back to the UK but still visit France - can I keep my French residency card?

Different residency permits have different absence limits

Young asian siblings care for their elderly father in a wheelchair at home.

Can I bring elderly Sri Lankan father with me to France?

Relatives of French citizens are not guaranteed a visa

Woman using an automated EES Entry/Exit System kiosk with a touchscreen.

How can I check my French EES days?

Reader worries about overstaying

EU '90-day rule' forces second-home owners to choose between France and Schengen

Reader highlights how efforts to integrate into French communities can limit other travel opportunities

Who does new visa appointment change in UK apply to?

TLScontact introduced automatic appointments in response to fraud concerns

Does EES affect the ability to stay in France after a six-month visa ends?

All entries are digitally recorded with system

Border checks at Charles de Gaulle airport

‘Absolutely no problem’: readers share their experiences of travelling in and out of France with a récépissé

Cross-border travel is permitted while waiting for an expired titre de séjour to be renewed - with appropriate proof

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

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

Brexit residency card renewals - and some delays - intensify in France

We look at when to apply, how long processing can take, and what to do if it takes longer than expected

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

French VLS-T visa explained: can you leave and re-enter France?

A common question from second-home owners planning longer stays in France

Visa,Application,Form,And,Flag,Of,France

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

Businesswoman,Hands,Working,In,Stacks,Of,Paper,Files,For,Searching

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

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

Hand drawing a red line between the UK and EU

Brexit campaign group closes down 10 years after formation

Brexpats – Hear Our Voice was created the day after the referendum

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

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

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

Writer Matthew Jackson describes experience dealing with French bureaucracy

Brexit 10 years on: campaigners say 'we'll go on until everyone has their cards'

On anniversary of referendum advocacy group pledges to continue work

Man holding a blue French passport beside a small shaggy dog indoors.

‘Last straw’: UK dog owner to sell French home over new pet passport rules

Reader says the extra cost of a UK Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for every trip is too much

Couple face France residency issue over marriage documents

Pair must find ‘transcription’ of South African documents

My experience renewing a five-year French ‘Brexit card’

The application process was quick… but the queues were not

Demonstrators with signs stand outside a large historic building flying the French flag.

Protests held outside French prefectures over residency card issues

Digitisation, delays, and lack of staff all highlighted as stumbling blocks

French residency cards: Rights group welcomes deadline to fix renewals process

The government has been given six months to remedy problems with the Anef website and other ongoing issues

How do language tests affect Americans moving to France?

Immigration bill changed requirements for several residency card types

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

Post-Brexit rights still cause problems for Britons in France

However France performs better on residency card waiting times than neighbouring countries

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

Online portal is available for requesting a change

Row over international student fees as Strasbourg looks to strike off non-payers

Some 40 students are facing not being able to complete their studies as they have not paid 16 times more than the standard fees

Residency cards: French state told to fix renewal issues

Demand comes as interior minister has already called on prefectures to take action to reduce delays

French residency card and citizenship fees to rise from May 1

Foreign driving licence exchanges are also to become fee-based for the first time

Young Latina woman sitting in a living room and using a smartphone.

Immigration service's Frello app adds convenience to learning French

Service is offered free for a year to relevant candidates

Amal,Clooney,And,George,Clooney,Attend,78th,Annual,Tony,Awards

Why not mention Mrs Clooney’s French levels in your citizenship article?

George and Amal Clooney recently obtained French citizenship through a unique request

I'm a relocation adviser and these are the five mistakes people make when applying for a French visa

Relocation adviser Louis Bouyala, co-founder of EasyStart, provides some useful guidance

Readers provide praise for French residency cards and visa processes

Steve Graham was 'delighted' with the experience on applying for a temporary long-stay card

Typical,Romantic,House,In,France,In,The,Country

Do I become a French tax resident if I stay too long at my second home?

Two legal texts determine whether or not you are liable to pay taxes in France

French Interior Minister reveals ‘big plans’ to reduce residency card delays

Plan involves recruiting 500 temporary staff to speed up processing time and especially for renewals

How far in advance should we apply for visa to visit second-home?

Visa applications are often made through third parties

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

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

Residency changes in France: more Americans, card fees set to rise and test centre update

Among those renewing residency cards, Britons stood out with a 38% increase in renewals in 2025

A mayor backs British woman ordered to leave France over low income

Briton ordered to leave the country after her small business failed to generate enough income in its first year

Passport being handed over an approved application with EU flag on desk

Hope for Britons visiting France as MPs call for more flexibility on 90/180 days rule

There are calls for issue to be raised at the next UK-EU annual summit in May

40,000 residency card renewals proceed smoothly in the main

There is a standardised process for prefectures to use but not all are doing so

90/180 days rule: readers tell of impacts on health and on family and working life

Rule affects Britons post-Brexit as well as other non-EU citizens such as Americans

Motto,Of,The,French,Republic,On,A,Cardboard,Sign,'liberty,

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

Big,Bed,In,A,Small,Bedroom,,Clean,,Comfortable,And,Affordable

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?

11% more first French residency cards issued in 2025 than in 2024

Some 15,000 first-issue permits were granted to Americans and 7,870 to Britons, provisional figures show

French justice minister supports freeze on immigration: who would be affected

Plan could halt dream of moving to France for tens of thousands, but how likely is it?

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

Brexit residency card renewals: 12 confusion points and solutions

We look at timing for applications, documents needed (and not needed) and what rights if card is delayed

New 2026 civic tests in France: 50 example questions in French

Candidates must score 80% on tests to pass

New civic tests for foreigners in France launch amid criticism

Applicants for some types of residency cards must now take 45-minute test

Residency rights and border changes: What's new and changing in France in 2026

Including the EU’s launch of travel authorisation scheme ETIAS and the continued ‘phase in’ of its digital borders system, EES

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

Briton’s EU voting rights cancelled in last-minute ruling by France's top appeal court

British civil servant Alice Bouilliez had previously been reinstated

France and UK edge closer on youth mobility deal

Key differences remain but partners have struck a 'warmer tone' over plans

Brexit WA residency card renewals simplified in some departments of France

40,000 five-year documents due to expire before the end of 2026

Cancer treatment at risk due to delays for 18-year-old’s WA card

Situation has now been eased after British consular service intervened

French budget: Plans to increase cost of residency cards in 2026 by €100

Cost of visas and of French citizenship also proposed to be hiked

EU visa-free travel: new suspension rules explained

Reasons allowed for pausing ‘90/180 days’ travel rights are being expanded