Permanent resident card of a foreigner in France
Verified 01 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Do you have a valid 10-year resident card? The map of permanent resident may be issued to you upon renewal. It allows you to stay in France and allows you to work. If you have a card of long-term resident - EU, you can apply for the permanent resident in renewal. This card entitles you to permanent residence in France, under certain conditions. We present you the information to know.
What applies to you ?
Resident Card
You are affected by the permanent resident card if you have a expiring resident card.
The permanent resident card is always offered to you if you have already obtained 2 consecutive resident cards.
The permanent resident card is also available to you if you are over 60 years of age and have already held a resident card, unless you wish to apply for the issue or renewal of an EU long-term resident card.
If you are Algerian, you are not concerned by this permanent card, but by the certificate of residence.
Warning
Your presence must not constitute a threat to public order and you must meet the conditions for republican integration into the French business. You must, in particular, prove a civic examination and your knowledge of the French language which must be at least equal to level B1 of the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
You are not subject to the condition relating to knowledge of the French language or to the civic examination if you are over 65 years old.
You must submit your card application on the internet as soon as possible 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the expiry of your residence document (visa, VLS-TS or title):
If you submit your application after the deadline, except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa, you will have to pay, in addition to the cost of the card, a visa fee for regularization of €180.
- Full copy of the birth certificate containing the most recent information, accompanied if necessary by the court decision ordering its transcription
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
or consular certificate with photo
or photo ID card
or consular card with photo
or certificate of nationality of less than 6 months with photo
- Proof of address less than 6 months old
- e-photo : enter the e-photo code (provided by the photographer or the authorized booth on the photo board). If you don't have an e-photo yet, you can locate a digital photo and signature service.
- Statement on the honor of no polygamy in France if you are married and are a national of a country that allows it
- Diploma or certification to attest to French proficiency at a level at least equal to CEFR level B1 (unless you are over 65 years of age or have a medical certificate notifying you of your inability to take the French language test)
- Certificate of success at thecivic examination
- Signed copy of the commitment to respect the principles of the Republic
- Certificate on honor stating that you have not stayed more than 3 consecutive years outside France in the last 10 years
- Proof of payment of the stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the title)
The issuance of the permanent resident card is subject to a fee.
You have to settle €225 (tax of €200 + stamp duty of €25) by tax stamps.
Proof of payment is requested on the day of delivery of the card.
The card is given to you by the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home (depending on the place where your application is submitted).
The permanent resident card is valid for 10 years and renewable. It is also necessary to demonstrate that the initial conditions for the award of the card are always met.
After a long-term resident card - EU
You are affected by the permanent resident card if you have a long-term resident - EU maturing.
This card is offered systematically if you have already obtained 2 consecutive resident cards.
Warning
Your presence must not constitute a threat to public order and you must meet the conditions for republican integration into the French business. In particular, you must prove your knowledge of the French language, which must be at least equal to level B1 of the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). You must also have passed civic examination.
You are not subject to the condition relating to knowledge of the French language or to the civic examination if you are over 65 years old.
You must submit your card application on the internet as soon as possible 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the expiry of your residence document (visa, VLS-TS or title):
If you submit your application after the deadline, except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa, you will have to pay, in addition to the cost of the card, a visa fee for regularization of €180.
- Full copy of the birth certificate containing the most recent information, accompanied if necessary by the court decision ordering its transcription
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas)
or consular certificate with photo
or photo ID card
or consular card with photo
or certificate of nationality of less than 6 months with photo
- Proof of address less than 6 months old
- e-photo : enter the e-photo code (provided by the photographer or the authorized booth on the photo board). If you don't have an e-photo yet, you can locate a digital photo and signature service.
- Statement on the honor of no polygamy in France if you are married and are a national of a country that allows it
- Diploma or certification to attest to French proficiency at a level at least equal to CEFR level B1 (unless you are over 65 years of age or have a medical certificate notifying you of your inability to take the French language test)
- Certificate of success at thecivic examination
- Signed copy of the commitment to respect the principles of the Republic
- Proof of payment of the stamp duty (to be delivered at the time of delivery of the title)
You have to settle €225 (tax of €200 + stamp duty of €25) by tax stamps.
Proof of payment is requested when the voucher is handed over.
Ask your prefecture.
The permanent resident card is valid for 10 years and renewable. It is also necessary to demonstrate that the initial conditions for the award of the card are always met.
The card is given to you by the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home (depending on the place where your application is submitted).
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Administrative information by phone - Allô Service Public
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.
- Lundi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
- Service free
The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.
Permanent Resident Card
Contract of commitment to respect the principles of the Republic
List of documents to be supplied: item 52