🇫🇷 EU / International

Carte de séjour (France)

French Residence Permit for Non-EU Nationals

Hard ~30 min Residence PermitFranceImmigration

/ What is this form?

Non-EU/EEA nationals staying in France for more than 3 months must apply for a titre de séjour (residence permit) at the local Préfecture. Different categories exist: salarié (employee), étudiant (student), vie privée et familiale (private and family life), and talent (skilled professionals).

Most applications are now made online through the ANEF portal. The permit is a biometric card valid for 1 year, renewable annually. After 5 years of legal residence, you can apply for a carte de résident (10-year permit).

People who arrive with a VLS-TS long-stay visa must validate it online within 3 months of arrival — this is a separate step from applying for renewal.

/ Who needs this form?

Non-EU/EEA nationals staying in France for more than 3 months
People with long-stay visas (VLS-TS) who need to validate and then renew
Family members of EU citizens may have a different procedure

/ What you need before you start

Valid passport and long-stay visa

Proof of address in France (rental contract, utility bill)

Proof of income or financial means

Health insurance proof

3 recent passport photos (35x45mm)

Proof of purpose of stay (employment contract, university enrollment letter)

/ Step-by-step guide

1 Validate VLS-TS Visa Online

If you arrived with a long-stay visa (VLS-TS), validate it online at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr within 3 months of arrival.

2 Create an ANEF Account

Register on the Administration Numérique pour les Étrangers en France (ANEF) portal — most applications are now online.

3 Complete Application

Fill in personal details, reason for stay (salarié, étudiant, vie privée et familiale, talent), and upload all required documents.

4 Attend Prefecture Appointment

Some applications require an in-person appointment at the Préfecture. You'll be notified if this is necessary.

5 Receive Titre de Séjour

The residence permit is issued as a plastic card (biometric) valid for 1 year, renewable.

/ Key fields explained

Field	What to enter	Common mistake
Motif du séjour	The reason for your stay: travail (work), études (studies), vie privée et familiale (private/family life), talent, etc.	Applying for the wrong category — each has specific requirements and conditions.
Justificatif de domicile	Proof of address: rental contract, utility bill, or accommodation certificate.	Providing a document more than 3 months old — proof of address must be recent.

/ Common mistakes to avoid

Not applying within 2 months of arrival — this puts you in irregular status.

Not validating the VLS-TS visa online within 3 months — this is a separate mandatory step.

Providing incomplete documentation — Préfectures return incomplete files, causing delays.

/ Frequently asked questions

How long is it valid?

Usually 1 year, renewable annually. After 5 continuous years of legal residence in France, you can apply for a 10-year carte de résident.