If you’re a non-EU national planning to stay in France beyond 90 days, you’ll need to go through two separate steps: getting a long-stay visa before you arrive, then validating or applying for a titre de séjour once you’re here. The process is bureaucratic, but manageable if you know what to expect.
Who needs one
EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals don’t need a titre de séjour. They can live and work in France freely under EU free movement rules.
Everyone else — Americans, Australians, Canadians, British nationals post-Brexit, and others — must first obtain a long-stay visa (visa de long séjour) from the French consulate in their home country. The titre de séjour comes after that, once you’re in France.
You cannot simply overstay a 90-day Schengen short-stay visit and apply for a titre de séjour retrospectively. The visa must be in place before you arrive.
British nationals who were already resident in France before 31 December 2020 and can prove continuous residence may hold a “Séjour - Article 50 TUE” card under the Withdrawal Agreement. Note: the window to make new applications under this route has closed. Existing holders can renew for the 10-year permanent version.
Which permit you need
The permit type depends on your situation:
- Salarié / Travailleur temporaire — if you have a French employment contract
- Passeport talent — for highly skilled workers, entrepreneurs, investors, or artists
- Visiteur — if you’re not working and can support yourself financially
- Étudiant — for those enrolled in a French educational institution
- Vie privée et familiale — for family members of French nationals or long-term residents
- Retraité — for retirees who can show sufficient income
When in doubt, the Préfecture or a qualified immigration lawyer can confirm which category fits your circumstances.
The long-stay visa comes first
Before you can apply for a titre de séjour, you must enter France on a long-stay visa (visa de long séjour), applied for at the French consulate in your home country before you move.
Some visa types, such as the VLS-TS (visa long séjour valant titre de séjour), double as your initial residence permit for the first year. You validate it online via the ANEF platform within three months of arrival — missing this deadline can invalidate the visa entirely.
Where to apply
Applications for renewals and new titres de séjour are handled online through the ANEF (Administration Numérique des Étrangers en France) at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr.
In-person appointments at the Préfecture or sous-préfecture are still required for some initial applications — typically for biometric data collection or specific permit types. In the Alpes-Maritimes, the relevant office is the Préfecture de Nice. Check ANEF first to confirm whether your application requires a physical visit.
Documents you’ll typically need
Requirements vary by permit type, but most applications ask for:
- Valid passport with the long-stay visa
- Proof of address in France (utility bill, rent contract)
- Recent passport-size photos meeting French specifications
- Proof of income or financial resources
- Health insurance coverage
- Completed application forms
For employment-based permits, add your work contract. For family reunification, add relationship documents such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate, apostilled and translated into French.
Processing times
Expect 2 to 4 months in standard cases, sometimes longer during busy periods. You’ll receive an attestation de demande (proof of application) immediately, which extends your legal right to stay while the application is processed.
Renewals and long-term residence
Most initial permits last one year. Renewals are done through ANEF, ideally 2 to 3 months before expiry.
After 5 years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for a carte de résident longue durée-UE (a 10-year card governed by EU long-term residence rules). This is distinct from the standard carte de résident, which has different qualifying routes — some requiring as few as 3 years of residence depending on your family or professional situation. A lawyer or the Préfecture can confirm which route applies to you.
When to get help
The rules change regularly and vary by prefecture. If your situation is complex — self-employment, a non-standard family setup, a prior refusal — an immigration lawyer or specialist advisor is worth the cost. Several multilingual immigration consultants operate on the Côte d’Azur and can guide you through the entire process.