For those applying under WA, are there any advantages for those that the rules seem to say would receive a 10 year CdS, as compared to those who can expect to receive a 5 year CdS.
I am giving serious thought to applying for citizenship as soon as this would be possible - is there any difference in eligibility for this according to what length CdS is awarded out of the WA CdS process?
Plus any other advantages?
During your first 5 years you must be present in France at least 183 days / year. After that (once you have a 10 year card meaning you have permanent residency status) you cna be away up to 5 years without loosing your residency. That’s the only difference I can think of.
Thinking ahead, for some reason pre-WA I had the feeling that if applying to renew a 10 year permit it was counted as already kind of a permanent one?and proof of income was not required to renew. Whereas applying to renew a 5 year one, this proof was required?
I vaguely remember something like that too…that with a 5 year card on renewal you need to show you have met the conditions for the 5 years before they will turn it into a 10 year card. Once you have a 10 year card there are few further questions unless you do something very wrong.
Bit no idea where I read this.
I’m not sure if they will be doing that with the WA cards - my understanding is that they can be exchanged at the pref once you have hit your 5 years, or when the card runs out. they shouldn’t be putting extra demands on that people who originally got 10 year cards didn’t have to meet.
This is pure speculation…but if you arrived on 31/12/20 you will get a 5 year card? So are you saying that all you have to do is wait 5 years and you will be given a 10 year card?
That doesn’t seem quite fair as when we applied for our first 5 year cards we had to prove that we had met all the conditions for legal residence for each of the previous years in order to even get it. (Edit…memory failure, I had inly been here 4 years when I applied so only 4 years on info demanded)
I know they have lowered the bar hugely, but to say all you need to do is be a legal resident for 2 days and then after a period of time you will automatically get a permanent card just seems bizarre.
Does a five year one run from the issue date or from the date you arrived in France? We we came in mid 2019 so in the latter case we would apply for permanent 10 year one in July 2024 not in 2026
Yes correct.
Yes correct from what I understand based on WA rules.
A 5 year card is valid for 5years. If you are keen you can ask for a 10 year one once you have crossed the 5 year line of being here.
But during first 5 years surely something says you have to meet conditions of legal residence…not just be here? Otherwise British people are getting a hugely favorable treatment compared to other TCNs who have to do acrobatics to get a permanent card.
Ahem (possibly one for @toryroo) in the theoretical case that one had been here exactly 5 years and 1 month, say, but had somehow only just managed to find out tax returns are required in France too (not owing anything as qualifying on the income, but only just so below the levels of owing anything)…is one going to possibly have to consider oneself lucky to get a 5 year CdS? in other words no way is 10 going to eventuate as a starter?
My main aim is am seriously giving thought to applying for citizenship as soon as I would be able to , and it seems 10 would be a better start than 5 even if one would have to do some sorting out/catching up etc. But unsure if such as issue would mean 5 only as a start.
Nationality is different from CdS, so as long as you can show you have been here 5 years you can start the process. I really don’t think whether you have a 5year or 10 year card makes any difference whatsoever in how your dossier is treated.
When I started the process I had a 5 year card, now I have a 10 year card - the process is slow…!
Karen, don’t worry, a carte de séjour makes absolutely no difference for the naturalisation process, I went through it without a carte de séjour. But as Jane says, it’s a completely different process for a completely different thing, one being just a document giving you the right to stay here for 5 or 10 years, the other you’re asking to take (be given) French nationality 
Yes I totally see what you are saying, I guess they are getting favourable treatment under the WA rules but they can’t have one rule on checking for someone who has been here say 5.5 years and another for 4.5. That is the benefit of the WA, it is easier than a normal TCN pathway and they can’t change the goal posts.
That was point of the WA…the core intention was to give Brits who were served here prior to 31/12/20 preferable treatment as is the same for EU s in Boris land
We’ve just got our ten year cards. Should see us out.
Well done lucky you…we applied in 22 in mid dec’ and haven’t heard anything beyond official receipt of application.
Us neither in 50! According to you prefecture website @strudball , they are processing the December ones now…