I’m a relative newcomer…almost 3 years and not jumping either way yet…
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But we don’t even need one yet. It is only harder because of the high demand & the prefectures did not expect it from a group that does not yet need one. I suppose it is similar to a rush on banks when rumours say that they are running out of cash.
I’ll play the long game…
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Me too, waiting to see what we need to do after B-day, no need to do things twice. After all President Macron has already started to put in place a fast track system for us so …
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Sorry!! I meant swapping licences xx
Unless there is an agreement by 29March the government suggests that you buy heath insurance (let them eat cake ?)
However the government has taken powers to make an agreement with other states to pay for our healthcare, but how long will that take?
This also opens another can of worms. I understand the the Spanish system is free while the French system only covers about 70%. Why are UK citizens in Spain to be favoured?
Not strictly true! :
I guess each country has the right to deal with immigrants as it sees fit - just like the UK does 
Which Govt is suggesting this…???
and does it relate to newcomers or existing… in which country ???
Hi,
The website with information has now deleted the advice to buy health insurance, however the picture has now changed since I last checked it.
This is another example of the buggers muddle that we live in. The motto is “nobody knows”
Regards
Richard
If you live in France, you might do better to follow what the French Government says… At the moment there is no further update since 8 fevrier…
https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000038100655&dateTexte=20190209
based on a No Deal/Worst Scene …
As you say, things are changing…
*Folk travelling (wherever), would be advised to take out Travel Insurance…to cover the unforeseen… but that was always advisable… so , we can’t blame that on anyone… 
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My wife and I recently attended the British Embassy Outreach meeting in Clermont Ferrand. The guy from the embassy had managed to coax / cajole the head of department from Service de l’Intégration des Etrangers from the Prefecture du Puy de Dome to turn up and answer any questions we might have in relation to CdS, in particular in light of the newly passed emergency powers in case of No Deal Brexit. I’ll summarize below what she said:
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UK citizens will require a CdS
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UK citizens will have a year to apply for a CdS from the day after Brexit
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Applications for CdS to be made on paper (form) and post only.
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List of documents required for CdS are those indicated on the Prefecture web site, or in case of difficulties in interpretation, the government Ministry of Interior web site
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No special extra resources at present are being allotted to handle the influx of UK citizen CdS applications, however, applications will be dealt with by a dedicated group with the current department
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All CdS applications will take at least 4 months to be pre-vetted - if the application is deemed complete, a letter of acknowledgement of receipt of the application will be issued, if not, the application documents will be returned with a request to complete the necessary documentation
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The “contrat d’integration républicaine” will be waived for UK citizens.
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The cost is yet to be determined, but will probably be somewhere in the order of 100 Euros
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If you have applied for a CdS recently, then processing of your application will probably be handled under the new legislation, assuming Brexit happens, and in the meantime, probably suspended.
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Depending on your particular circumstances, you will be entitled to either a 10 year permanent resident card, a 5 year “first” resident card, or a 1 year temporary residence card or student card (the various types of card are enumerated in the emergency ordinance of Feb 7th/8th, 2019).
The woman from the Prefecture didn’t come across as particularly sympathetic to the plight of UK citizens, but did nonetheless recognize that the circumstances were particular, and due consideration would be given to each case. The guy from the embassy (who was translating for the woman from the Prefecture, as the majority of the assembled audience had expressed a preference for English as the language of presentation) did however make it clear that anyone who was having issues with the way the Prefecture might be handling their CdS application should report it to the British embassy in Paris.
The woman from the Prefecture also laid weight on the fact that each Prefecture can pretty much do “as it pleases” with regards to the way they organize processing of CdS applications.
Once you have received the official receipt for your application, i.e. all your papers are in order, you will be invited, generally around 8 months after you have applied, to come to the prefecture with the originals of the documents submitted in the application, the relevant tax stamps (which you can actually pay on line now if the latest government blurb is to be believed) corresponding to the required fee (whatever that might turn out to be), and have your fingerprints taken (necessary in order for the card to be made out).
Simples !
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I am afraid that little, if any, has changed. I have lived in France for over 25 years, kept my carte de sejour, and went through the renewal process last November. Usual heaps of _justificatifs, request for originals and 5 years history of taxes, bank accounts etc. Still have not received the new card although I have a receipt (in the form of a temporary card) until May this year.
Nothing much changes with the French administration.
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Hi very interesting info.
We live in 03 so our prefecture is Moulins. Applied for our CdS last summer, rdv booked online. Off we went and after handing in documents, photos and electronic finger printing we were recalled 4/5 weeks later for our cards. We are hoping renewal goes as smoothly!
Different track - its taken 15 months to receive exchanged uk driving licence! Arrived last week by signed for post.
Gosh! It has been four weeks since I applied for driving licence exchange and thinking it should arrive soon
But it helps keep down unemployment!
I hadn’t realised that we needed to make payment for the CdS, no one mentioned that to us when we attended for our appt last month! Can this be done when we pick them up, otherwise how do we know how much to pay online?
We weren’t asked to bring our original documents again either, only OH’s passport which he’d forgotten (!!) to take to the rdv.
Our local sous prefecture is Draguignan, found them very helpful.
Ours took 18 months, a bit scary driving without a licence for all that time!
There is no payment needed for CDS at present as we are still EU citizens. After 29th March that may/will change. TCN have to pay.
Thanks Sue, I doubt we’ll be recalled before 29th so we shall see what happens then!
but IIRC if your application for a CdS was in before 29th March, the rules prior to Brexshit will apply (ie no charge).
Oh, that’s excellent news, we applied in January, rdv exactly one month later (with a ream of 500 sheets of scanned and copied paperwork to ensure I had everything possible) so we should be within the deadline. Thanks!