I agree. If @survive15 is referring to the renewal of an EU family member CdS or an EU citizen’s CdS, it remains an online process via ANTS, according to Service Publique’s website today…
I’m guessing but it may be the case that the Niort Prefecture deals directly with non EU CdS ie involving France’s own ‘domestic law’ CdS renewals…
Very useful information. Thank you.
Looking more closely at the webpage you cited- it is a commercial website, not the official prefecture page. It cannot be relied upon.
If it’s wrong, I’ll be happy. I didn’t like the look of it.
I’m still hoping for an easy online renewal of my warp cds.
Apologies for any misinformation I have supplied.
Next year my (Luxembourg) wife and I will hopefully qualify for EU permanent residence (10 year) CdS’, after 5 years continuous living in France. Unlike me, (a Brit) where an EU Family CdS is compulsory, she has never (voluntarily) applied for an EU (citizens) CdS.
She has often said it would be quite useful and convenient to have some form of ID, other than her passport, eg at the post office when collecting parcels. It made me wonder what she should apply for if she wanted an EU CdS, in that she’s not just arrived here, which would usually be a“first” 5 year CdS. Nor is she “renewing” a CdS, which would normally be the case for a 10 year CdS request (after the initial 5 years).
I wrote to the EU’s Your Europe Advice service, and received a helpful, same day response, confirming that she can simply apply for a (standalone) 10 year EU permanent residence CdS (irrespective of whether or not she has previously applied for a CdS) after living in France for at least 5 years.
“Dear Sir
Both your wife and you should apply for a permanent residence card, which will have to be with a 10-year validity and automatically renewable.
See: Carte de séjour d'un retraité (ou inactif) citoyen UE/EEE/Suisse - Après 5 ans de séjour | Service Public (for your wife)
And
Carte de séjour en tant que membre de famille d'un Européen | Service Public > Comment renouveler la carte de séjour… » > « Vous avez une ou des cartes depuis 5 ans ou plus consécutifs » (for you)
We confirm that the renewal of the card is obligatory for you, and only voluntary for your wife – the right of permanent residence is attested but not conditioned by holding a permanent residence card.
Ref. : EU Free Movement Directive 2004/38/EC, articles 16 and subsequent, and 25.1
With our best wishes,
Your Europe Advice
I had the same issue. I decided to get an Italian CIE which I had to fetch from the Italian consulate in Paris. I’ ll get permanent residency in France in 2 years.
Less than a month after filing my EU family CdS renewal, seeking a permanent residence EU CdS, I received a barrage of demands for more information today. Some were plain silly, some were irrelevant, and some pure box ticking.
They want a water bill from the month BEFORE I moved to France. Quite bizarre. I don’t have one. I will give them a bank statement from the following month to prove I was in France.
They want a translation of my marriage certificate, the same one they happily accepted on arrival (I’ve kept the same wife!) - untranslated.
They also demanded an Attestation d’assurance maladie française. They cannot insist that I have French private medical coverage. The EU rules (and official French interpretations) are quite clear that any comprehensive coverage, whether public or private, French or foreign will do. I will politely and respectfully draw their attention to both the EU’s and their own rules. I cannot (retrospectively!) seek French coverage. That would be impossible.
Finally they wanted 5 years of tax returns, which is irrelevant as I’ve already supplied them with 5 years of asset valuations of my wife’s investments, which again is exactly what the EU rules permit.
I suspect I may have a junior bureaucrat, unfamiliar with the EU rules, asking almost as a routine knee jerk default for tax returns, translation of marriage certificate etc.
At least they’re looking at my application quickly, and haven’t challenged anything of substance (sufficient resources, Scope of comprehensive medical coverage etc).
It landed on his desk. He doesn’t know what to do so he sent you on a snipe hunt and will be taking vacation soon. His backup will sort it.
Sympathies. I detect a ‘tightening’ around permanent cards, also being applied to those with ‘plein droit’. You cannot be refused, just mucked around!
I think Numthewiser’s got it. Someone’s picked it up that is off on holiday soon so they’ve fired off their standard list of demands. Without actually looking at your file. They’d probably do that even if not just off on holiday.
They may be junior, or not. Either way I wish you strength in restraining yourself while dealing with them. I have found excessive amounts of sugar appear to be required in dealings compared to what a Northern-Europe type (eg UK, Ne) might be used to (not) providing along with any answer or communication generally here. nuff said.
Btw I think the RFR (5 years worth) request was as much about proving your continuous residence aa resources.
Good luck and I hope you can quickly find a way to satisfy this individual that is painless for both. I’ll be interested to hear how it goes because with you there won’t be any real issue so it will be interesting if attempts are made anyway as in the nicest possible way you ought to be bulletproof!
