The French National Assembly’s Law Committee quietly released its much-anticipated report (n° 2199) on 10 December 2025, throwing its weight behind a Socialist-sponsored bill that would make the renewal of multi-year cartes de séjour and 10-year resident cards almost automatic. The proposal—first tabled by MP Fatiha Keloua Hachi—seeks to replace today’s in-person renewal interviews with a simplified online declaration, provided the foreign national has respected French laws and continues to meet the original eligibility conditions.
Under current rules, holders of multi-year residence permits must appear at the préfecture months before expiry, submit updated documents and biometrics, and often wait many weeks for a decision. HR teams complain that these delays disrupt assignment planning and increase the risk of employees or dependants falling out of status. The committee report notes that nearly 1.3 million renewals were processed in 2024, tying up prefectural staff and generating an estimated €120 million in indirect costs for employers and local authorities.
If enacted, the bill would introduce a “tacit-renewal” system similar to the UK’s e-visa concept: residents would upload proof of address, tax filings and a recent photograph through the ANEF online portal; absence of a prefectural objection within two months would trigger automatic renewal. The report also calls for a drastic cut in renewal fees—from €225 to €100—and for a new appeals channel to France’s digital administration ombudsman.
![French Lawmakers Publish Report Backing Automatic Renewal of Long-Term Residence Permits]()
Specialised service providers like VisaHQ are already gearing up to support companies and individuals as the landscape shifts. Through its France-dedicated platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/), VisaHQ can manage online filings, track tacit-renewal deadlines and curate the required digital evidence, giving HR teams a single dashboard to monitor every employee’s status.
Business-immigration lawyers say the measure could be a game-changer for multinationals operating in France, where dependants on family permits account for almost half of renewals. However, conservative MPs have already filed amendments to restrict the benefit to highly skilled workers only, arguing that automatic extensions could weaken immigration controls. Debate in plenary session is scheduled for 18 December, with a Senate review expected in January 2026.
For global mobility managers, the takeaway is clear: if the bill survives the legislative gauntlet, renewal planning cycles could shorten from six months to six weeks, reducing compliance risk and budgeting uncertainties. Companies are advised to audit their assignee populations now so they can pivot quickly should the new rules enter into force—possibly as early as 1 July 2026.
Under current rules, holders of multi-year residence permits must appear at the préfecture months before expiry, submit updated documents and biometrics, and often wait many weeks for a decision. HR teams complain that these delays disrupt assignment planning and increase the risk of employees or dependants falling out of status. The committee report notes that nearly 1.3 million renewals were processed in 2024, tying up prefectural staff and generating an estimated €120 million in indirect costs for employers and local authorities.
If enacted, the bill would introduce a “tacit-renewal” system similar to the UK’s e-visa concept: residents would upload proof of address, tax filings and a recent photograph through the ANEF online portal; absence of a prefectural objection within two months would trigger automatic renewal. The report also calls for a drastic cut in renewal fees—from €225 to €100—and for a new appeals channel to France’s digital administration ombudsman.
Specialised service providers like VisaHQ are already gearing up to support companies and individuals as the landscape shifts. Through its France-dedicated platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/), VisaHQ can manage online filings, track tacit-renewal deadlines and curate the required digital evidence, giving HR teams a single dashboard to monitor every employee’s status.
Business-immigration lawyers say the measure could be a game-changer for multinationals operating in France, where dependants on family permits account for almost half of renewals. However, conservative MPs have already filed amendments to restrict the benefit to highly skilled workers only, arguing that automatic extensions could weaken immigration controls. Debate in plenary session is scheduled for 18 December, with a Senate review expected in January 2026.
For global mobility managers, the takeaway is clear: if the bill survives the legislative gauntlet, renewal planning cycles could shorten from six months to six weeks, reducing compliance risk and budgeting uncertainties. Companies are advised to audit their assignee populations now so they can pivot quickly should the new rules enter into force—possibly as early as 1 July 2026.
