If you are a non-EU citizen moving to France for more than ninety days, you will need a carte de séjour — the French residence permit. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens have the right to live in France without one, though they may choose to obtain a residence certificate (attestation d'enregistrement) for administrative convenience.
For everyone else, the carte de séjour is not optional, and the process of obtaining one involves French bureaucracy at its most layered. Here's the vocabulary that makes it navigable.
Before You Apply
Visa long séjour — long-stay visa. If you are arriving from outside the EU, you will typically enter France on a visa long séjour (VLS) issued by the French consulate in your home country. Depending on the type, this visa may serve as your temporary residence permit for the first year.
VLS-TS — Visa Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour. A long-stay visa that functions directly as a residence permit, eliminating the need to apply for a separate carte de séjour in year one. You must validate it online through the ANEF portal within three months of arrival.
ANEF — Administration Numérique pour les Étrangers en France. The online portal through which most residence permit applications and renewals are now processed. For some municipalities, in-person préfecture visits have been replaced entirely by the ANEF process.
Préfecture — the departmental administrative authority that issues residence permits. In Paris, this is the Préfecture de Police; elsewhere it is the local préfecture or sous-préfecture. Even with ANEF handling much of the process online, some appointments still take place here.
The Main Categories
Carte de séjour temporaire — temporary residence permit. Issued for one year (or the duration of your activity), renewable. The category you'll start with for most purposes.
Carte de résident — the longer-term residence permit, valid for ten years and renewable. Typically available after five years of legal residence, subject to integration conditions.
Mention portée sur la carte — the description on the card that specifies why you're allowed to be in France. Common mentions include:
- Salarié — employed worker
- Étudiant — student
- Visiteur — financially self-sufficient person not working
- Vie privée et familiale — family/private life (for family reunification and long-term partnerships)
- Entrepreneur/profession libérale — self-employed or freelancer
- Passeport talent — the talent passport, a four-year permit for highly skilled workers, researchers, artists, and investors
The Documents
Every application requires a core set of documents, with additions depending on your category. The following appear on almost every list:
Formulaire CERFA — the official application form. Downloadable from the Ministry of Interior website. Each permit type has its own CERFA number.
Acte de naissance — birth certificate, with a certified French translation (traduction certifiée) if it is not in French.
Justificatif de domicile — proof of address in France: a utility bill, housing tax notice, or a attestation d'hébergement (accommodation certificate) signed by the person you're staying with, along with their own proof of address and ID.
Justificatif de ressources — proof of income or financial means. Payslips (fiches de paie), bank statements (relevés de compte), employment contract (contrat de travail), or proof of financial support.
Titre de voyage — travel document (passport), with copies of all pages.
Photos d'identité — two passport-format identity photos.
Timbre fiscal — a tax stamp purchased online at timbres.impots.gouv.fr. Required for most permit applications; the amount varies by permit type.
Récépissé — a receipt issued when your application is accepted, confirming that it is being processed. This document temporarily replaces your permit and authorises you to remain in France while you wait. Keep it with you.
During the Wait
Délai de traitement — processing time. Officially a few weeks to a few months; in practice, it can be longer at busy préfectures. Follow up if you've heard nothing after three months.
Convocation — a summons to attend an appointment, issued when your permit is ready for collection.
Remise du titre — collection of the permit. You will need to present your récépissé and identification.
The Phrases Worth Knowing
"Je souhaite renouveler mon titre de séjour." — I wish to renew my residence permit.
"Quels documents sont nécessaires pour ma situation?" — What documents are required for my situation?
"Pouvez-vous m'indiquer les délais actuels?" — Can you tell me the current processing times?
"J'ai déposé ma demande il y a [X semaines] et je n'ai pas encore reçu de réponse." — I submitted my application [X weeks] ago and have not yet received a response.
"Mon récépissé expire le [date]. Que dois-je faire?" — My receipt expires on [date]. What should I do?
One Thing That Trips People Up
The French system distinguishes very carefully between the date your application is déposée (submitted) and the date it is instruite (processed). Submitting on time — before your current permit expires — is what matters legally. The récépissé is your proof that you did so.
Administrative life in France rewards those who arrive prepared. The vocabulary above covers the framework; the specific document list for your personal situation will be on the relevant ANEF or préfecture page. Print it, check every item, bring everything, and bring copies of everything.
Expat administrative vocabulary is never finished — there is always the next renewal, the next form, the next change of category. Build it systematically.
Navigating French bureaucracy in a second language is a specific skill. Vokabulo helps you build it — word by word, situation by situation. Available on iPhone and iPad.
