EU citizens can request a card to prove legal residency
Relevant paperwork is similar to that required when non-EU citizens apply for residency cards
You may assume that EU citizens are not concerned by the issues in this guide but this is not strictly speaking the case.
They may be concerned indirectly, for example, if they have a non-EU spouse or children or dependent parent.
However concerning the ‘free movement’ right of an EU citizen, while it appears (in France at least) to be entirely free of formalities this it is not the case at the level of EU law.
EU citizens are free to stay in another EU country for up to three months; if they stay on longer, then this is considered a long-stay and is in theory dependent on conditions including having appropriate healthcare cover and being able to support themselves for the duration of the stay.
However, EU citizens usually have an Ehic for essential healthcare while travelling outside their home country but within the EU and this can be used for extended stays of up to, say, six months, as long as their habitual home has remained elsewhere.
If they decide to move permanently to France they would be able to apply for the national French ‘Puma’ healthcare scheme, which works on grounds of residency after three months.
EU citizens living long-term in France do not as a rule face any means checks and are largely treated the same as French people.
They can, however, if they so wish, apply for a free, optional card that states this.
The paperwork is similar to that required when non-EU citizens apply for residency cards, relating to proof of address, means, work or pensions etc. It is a way to prove that a person is a legal resident in France but this is not a requirement.
If a person has been in France less than five years the card issued is of up to five years’ validity.
If an EU citizen can prove five years of legal residency, they are entitled to a carte de séjour Citoyen UE/EEE/Suisse - Séjour permanent - Toutes activités professionnelles.
This attests to their permanent, unconditional, right to live and work in France; it is renewable without conditions after 10 years.