British woman warns of struggle to report lost residency card
The issue was compounded by the difficulty in getting a face-to-face meeting at the prefecture
Brexit Withdrawal Agreement cards must be obtained via prefectures
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A British woman whose Brexit Withdrawal Agreement card was stolen during a trip to Italy has told of her struggle in reporting the theft, compounded by France's official websites and the difficulty in getting face-to-face help at a prefecture.
Elisabeth Lenheim, a retired travel agent from Loire-Atlantique, says her card was stolen in Italy in spring.
However the theft has not been officially acknowledged despite her registering it on several official websites.
She was unable to get step-by-step help from anyone at the Nantes prefecture and neither could admin help network France Services help.
When trying to register the problem, websites produced error messages that referred to Brexit.
“I am travelling to visit family in America in October and am at my wit’s end as to what I can do,” she said. “The difficulty is talking to anyone. Everything has to be done on the internet.”
She expects now to travel with a photocopy of her card to show on return.
The stolen card was a permanent-stay Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (WA) card and the theft was reported to police and the French consulate in Florence, which is the procedure for a theft abroad.
Information on the procedure is not easy to find: several sites say the request should be made at the Interior Ministry’s Anef website but not which route to take on this site.
The correct procedure for a lost residency card
The Connexion has seen one prefecture website advising to click je demande ou renouvelle un titre de séjour (I would like to apply or renew my residence permit).
This is incorrect.
Anef ’s FAQ section - which is also hard to locate - confirms that after loss or theft, you must request a duplicate by clicking Je déclare un changement de situation, then Je signale la perte, le vol ou la détérioration de mon titre de séjour.
In the case of cards that were set to expire in three months or less, you will be told to apply to renew instead.
However, WA cards cannot be renewed on the site, but must be obtained via prefectures.
When applying for a duplicate, it is preferable, if possible, to supply a copy of your card, meaning that it is advisable for foreigners in France to keep a photograph or a scan of their cards.
The Loire-Atlantique prefecture said it could not comment on an individual case but reiterated the procedure, saying you must attach receipt slips for the report to the police and French embassy/consulate, a signed statement declaring on your honour that the card has been lost, a scan of your passport and a recent passport photograph.
The latter needs to be attached as an e-photo, which can be taken in accredited booths with France’s Marianne logo. You need a code from it to enter on the site.
Ms Lenheim said she will now try again.
Note that help with residency procedures is not officially one of the areas covered by France Services. However, some prefectures do have points d’accueil numériques, which can assist with using online procedures.
