IT problems and digitalisation of French residency cards ‘causing issues’
Some applicants reported to face a ‘serious infringement of rights’ during residency process
A lack of in-person help when applying for some residency cards has been criticised
BreizhAtao / Shutterstock / Diocese in Europe
The process to apply for French residency cards has been criticised by France’s rights watchdog for long delays and numerous IT issues.
A report released by the Défenseur des droits – France’s independent administrative watchdog – highlighted ‘numerous limitations and malfunctions’ in the Administration numérique pour les étrangers en France (Anef) service.
This is the online tool used to apply for residency permits, permit renewals and young foreign people's travel documents, ask for French nationality, or to validate visas where necessary.
The issues include “persistent technical problems, poor design choices that are sources of difficulties, patchy deployment and lack of information for users”, with the service launched after “insufficient trials.”
In some cases, people who meet the legal requirements to remain in France are delayed in receiving their residency permits due to these issues, causing ramifications including prevention of working and remaining in the country.
The Défenseur, set up by the French state to champion people's rights and promote equality, says issues with the service “undermine the rights” of foreigners in France who face an increased chance of finding themselves in an irregular situation.
It is not the first time the body has highlighted issues with residency card applications – a 2022 report held many of the same criticisms of the service, with the watchdog receiving over 20,000 complaints over residency card renewals that year.
Several Connexion readers have experienced severe delays in having residency cards granted or renewed.
The French government previously said it would improve the service to make it easier to use, as well as providing more information on renewals.
Read more: Residency card delays: French authorities pledge to reform system
‘Serious infringement of human rights’
The number of complaints received by the watchdog over the applications process increased by 400% between 2020 and 2024.
Complaints about the rights of non-French nationals have gradually increased as a proportion of the body's caseload, being the top single reason since 2022, making up 28% in 2023 and more than a third in 2024. Three quarters of these related to residency card applications or renewals.
Numerous personal situations are highlighted in the authority’s report – which you can read here – including those of non-French nationals who have been living and working in the country for years but were unable to receive an appointment to renew their permit.
This prevents them from being able to work, train, or receive social security payments, something the authority calls ‘a serious infringement of human rights.’
Read more: British woman warns of struggle to report lost residency card
“Anef is contributing, contrary to its stated ambitions, to the aggravation of pre-existing difficulties by affecting service users who until now seemed relatively unaffected,” said the head of the watchdog, Claire Hédon.
“We're not saying that the procedure can't be digitalised, but the necessary support is required. We cut staffing levels in the prefectures far too early,” she added. “There are ways of doing this without changing the rules.”
Read more: What is the difference between a French carte de séjour and a titre de séjour?
The authority provides 14 recommendations on how services could be improved for those using Anef, with the main points being:
Incorporating the right to carry out any residency card procedure via a physical channel, without prior conditions, into law
Improving the information given to users on prefecture websites, regarding the procedures for submitting applications for permits, and updating this information regularly
Modify the digital service to enable users to carry out several procedures simultaneously, including to rectify, complete or cancel a request, and to be kept informed of its progress more frequently
Allowing digital service points (points d’accueil numérique) from the France Services platform to better assist those applying for residency cards
Automating the renewal of attestations de prolongation d'instruction (API) and creating an immediately-issued digital attestation temporarily providing rights people are set to receive once their application is completed successfully whilst they wait for it to be evaluated
Read more: How to get help with French admin from the new 'France Services' offices
