A new French government website for British residents to make carte de séjour applications online is set to launch – but questions remain about how it will work.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said the site – which has long been promised – will launch during October, but there was no clarification on how it is possible for it to be operational before Brexit.
While the UK is still in the EU, Britons cannot apply for a non-EU citizen’s carte or for a special card to confirm post-Brexit rights under a deal.It is too late to apply for an EU citizen’s card unless another Brexit extension is agreed.
The site is expected to launch in phases to minimise problems with possibly tens of thousands of Britons applying at the same time, all uploading scanned documents.
It has not been confirmed whether online applications will be obligatory or if people can still opt to visit their prefecture as now – nor whether the site will also be in English.
All Britons wishing to continue living in France will have to apply for, and obtain, a residency card if Brexit takes place, although the timing and type of card varies dependent of whether the UK exits with or without a deal.
An Interior Ministry official, speaking at a British Embassy information meeting in Paris, said Britons will be able to apply online with scanned documents. Their online dossier will be transferred to their prefecture.
The prefecture will then offer an appointment, after which the card will be delivered to the person’s home – contrary to the current requirement to attend to pick it up.
It is expected that the visit would be only to provide fingerprints, an obligation for all residency cards, and to pay any fee. A fee is only applicable in a no deal. In a deal scenario the cards would be free.
The fee has been set at €119, less than half the usual price charged to non-EU residents for cards. It is not known if this includes a charge for delivering the card.
Certain cards would need annual renewal.
Campaigners for Britons in France believe an online system will be simpler than current applications.
It would also minimise the need for prefecture visits, usually at least two at present, and it is expected to eliminate the current requirement by many prefectures for copies and originals of documents.
It is hoped, but has not been confirmed, that Britons who already have an EU card will be able to submit a scan of the card on the site. This could be used, for example, to swap a “permanent stay” EU citizen’s card for a long-term residency card as a non-EU citizen.
It is unclear if any provision will be made for those who have applied for, but not yet obtained, an EU citizen’s card to ask for previously supplied supporting documents to be used.
It is also not known if the site will allow for couples’ dossiers to be linked so they attend the same appointment.
Connexion will provide updates as details are confirmed.
Currently, application methods vary around France, with a few prefectures asking for them by post, while others operate a system of generalised queuing – sometimes for several hours – to see an official.
Others ask people to book an appointment in advance to submit their dossier.
Several people have had to make multiple prefecture visits due to being turned away because of excessive queues or being asked to return with extra documents.
The French prime minister says no-deal preparations are well advanced, with 600 extra customs officers and 200 more veterinary experts employed.
Michel Lalande, prefect of the Hauts-de-France region, has been appointed national coordinator for Brexit preparations.
The French government’s Brexit website, brexit.gouv.fr, is now available in both French and English, and the Interior Ministry is encouraging Britons to use the contact email addresses available on its information pages to ask questions.
