France's residence permit for non-EU nationals (and, post-Brexit, UK nationals) — the document authorising long-term legal residence in France.
The carte de séjour is France's residence permit, issued to non-EU/EEA nationals (and to UK nationals following Brexit) who have been granted the right to reside in France for more than three months. It is the French equivalent of Spain's TIE or Germany's Aufenthaltstitel — a physical card proving your legal right to live in France under the conditions of your visa category.
The application process for a carte de séjour begins once you have arrived in France on a long-stay visa (visa long séjour valant titre de séjour — VLS-TS). For most visa categories, the VLS-TS itself serves as your initial residence permit for its first year, after which you must apply to renew it as a full carte de séjour. You apply through the French government's online immigration portal (ANEF — Administration Numérique pour les Étrangers en France) or, for certain categories, at your local Préfecture.
UK nationals living in France pre-Brexit who registered under the Withdrawal Agreement receive a specific carte de séjour marked "Accord de retrait UE/RU". UK nationals arriving in France after 31 December 2020 must obtain a standard long-stay visa (subject to French immigration rules) before applying for a carte de séjour in the same way as other non-EU nationals.
The carte de séjour must be renewed before expiry — failure to do so renders your stay irregular, which can have serious consequences for subsequent applications including long-term residency and citizenship. Renewals are applied for through ANEF, typically three to four months before the expiry date. An immigration lawyer (avocat en droit des étrangers) can manage the entire renewal process and advise on the pathway to the carte de résident (ten-year permit) after five years.
Different categories of carte de séjour exist: visiteur (no work authorisation, for retirees and passive income earners), salarié (employee), travailleur indépendant (self-employed), étudiant (student), vie privée et familiale (family/private life), talent (for skilled professionals and investors), and passeport talent (umbrella category for various high-skill/investment categories). Each has different work authorisation conditions, eligibility requirements, and validity periods.
EU/EEA citizens have the right of free movement in France and do not require a carte de séjour. However, they can voluntarily apply for a Certificat de résidence (registration certificate) from their local Préfecture if they want official proof of their residency status in France, particularly useful for administrative purposes.
No. The visiteur category specifically prohibits any professional activity — employed or self-employed — in France. It is for people with sufficient independent means (savings, rental income, pension) who do not need to work. Working while holding a visiteur carte de séjour risks invalidation of the permit and future applications.
The Passeport Talent is an umbrella residence permit category for various high-value profiles: investors, employees of innovative companies, researchers, highly skilled workers, artists, and others. It is typically issued for a four-year period (rather than the standard one year), providing greater stability for qualifying applicants.
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