How long can someone remain outside of France before residency permit is invalid?

Reader Question: I lived in France for 20 years but have moved back to the UK. I have a 10-year residency permit and still visit the country occasionally on holiday. Do I keep residency rights through my card?

In your question you did not specify exactly what type of residency permit you have, as there are several different ones issued for 10 years, two of which are more commonly held by our readers. 

The most common of these for Britons would be the ‘permanent stay’ Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (WA). 

If you have this card, you lose your residency rights after five years of continuous absence from France - if you have the five-year version of the card, this can, legally, happen after a six-month continuous absence if there are no special circumstances justifying this.

You can read more about losing residency rights with this card here. 

Legal experts The Connexion have spoken to say that absence, in the case of the permanent stay card, can be interpreted literally as physical absence, not establishing your main or habitual home elsewhere, though this precise point has yet to be put to the test in France. 

If in future you will rely on this ‘physical absence’ rule (eg. because you have had your main home outside France for more than five years but have occasionally visited the country) then it is possible you could be asked for proof of relevant stays.

Some readers, on the other hand, have a carte de résident de longue durée - UE (a card which foreign people can apply for, under certain conditions, after living in France for five years or more). In this case, residency rights are legally lost after an absence of six years from French territory. 

However, a French government website also states that you should not reside outside the EU for more than three years consecutively.

There is, in either case, no obligation to return your card, but it will no longer be valid after spending the given amount of time outside of the country and this could be flagged up when you ask to renew. 

If you choose to return to live in France, and have returned enough times to keep residency rights, you do not need to reapply for the card when moving back, however you will need to resubscribe to many services (see below). 

Read more: What is the difference between a French carte de séjour and a titre de séjour?

Inform authorities about move 

Regardless of which card you are in possession of, you need to inform the necessary authorities about your move, including:

• Tax authorities in both countries, including your local tax office. This includes informing the French authorities of the address change, and you may still need to pay taxes the following year depending on when you moved and your situation

• Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie (Cpam), via this form within one month of leaving, as well as private health insurance if applicable. You will lose your right to French healthcare (including when on holiday in France) as well as your carte Vitale

• The Caisse de Retraite for pensions

• Caf or other social services you benefit from 

• Your bank, although you may be able to keep a French bank account 

• Bills and other utilities 

Read more: Do I keep healthcare rights if leaving France?