Do I need to inform the French authorities of my new EU passport?
If you become a citizen of another EU country, you are free to live in France, but what happens if you already have a residency card?
We look at what happens when you regain EU citizenship when living in France
Eogan Roberts / Shutterstock
Reader question: I was born in Denmark but lived for many years in the US where I became a citizen, losing my Danish citizenship.
I have since lived in France for 15 years and have a 10-year residency card, but have now been able to get my Danish citizenship renewed so I have an EU passport and no longer require the residency card.
Am I required to notify the authorities?
The good news is there is nothing you need to do.
That was the conclusion of Haywood Wise, an American-born French attorney based in Paris, when contacted by The Connexion.
His law firm specialises in helping people obtain the right to live and work in France or in the United States.
You do not need to cancel your residency card, nor will you need to request a renewal once it expires.
Having a passport from an EU country provides a number of benefits in France, from easier travel to eligibility for a greater number of jobs in the public sector.
You will be able to provide your Danish passport as and when it is needed to assert your rights to these benefits.
Related articles
Language tests, votes, immigration: French residency changes in 2023
Renouncing US citizenship: ‘Procedure is cumbersome and unlawful’
Debate: Should all foreigners in France have vote in local elections?
