In a late-night sitting that ended at 23:58 on 11 December, France’s National Assembly adopted—by 98 votes to 37—a Socialist-sponsored bill that would overhaul the renewal process for the country’s 2 million-plus long-term foreign residents.
Today, holders of four-year cartes de séjour pluriannuelles or ten-year cartes de résident must appear at their prefecture months in advance, submit fresh biometrics and extensive paperwork and pay €225 in fees. Processing times can run to eight weeks, causing anxiety for employers who must ensure continuous right-to-work status.
The new text introduces a “tacit renewal” regime: eligible holders file an online declaration via the ANEF portal; if the prefecture raises no objection within 60 days, the permit is automatically extended and a downloadable attestation generated. Fees will fall to €100, and only serious criminal convictions or loss of eligibility (e.g., unemployment beyond permitted thresholds) can trigger refusal.
![National Assembly votes for near-automatic renewal of long-term residence permits]()
As expatriates and HR teams adjust to these digital changes, VisaHQ’s France service (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can provide practical assistance by pre-screening documentation, sending renewal reminders, and acting as a liaison with prefectures—helping residents and employers avoid deadline surprises while the new tacit-renewal model beds in.
Business-immigration lawyers welcome the change, noting that 99 % of renewal applications are currently approved—rendering the in-person process “pure administrative friction.” HR directors at multinational firms say the reform will cut compliance workload and reduce expensive emergency travel when executives learn too late that their card is expiring.
The bill now goes to the Senate in January. Although the Interior Ministry opposes the measure, observers believe a cross-party majority may back at least a pilot scheme, given prefectural backlogs and upcoming EES resource needs. Corporates should audit employee permit-expiry data and prepare to pivot to the digital workflow once a promulgation date is confirmed.
Today, holders of four-year cartes de séjour pluriannuelles or ten-year cartes de résident must appear at their prefecture months in advance, submit fresh biometrics and extensive paperwork and pay €225 in fees. Processing times can run to eight weeks, causing anxiety for employers who must ensure continuous right-to-work status.
The new text introduces a “tacit renewal” regime: eligible holders file an online declaration via the ANEF portal; if the prefecture raises no objection within 60 days, the permit is automatically extended and a downloadable attestation generated. Fees will fall to €100, and only serious criminal convictions or loss of eligibility (e.g., unemployment beyond permitted thresholds) can trigger refusal.
As expatriates and HR teams adjust to these digital changes, VisaHQ’s France service (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can provide practical assistance by pre-screening documentation, sending renewal reminders, and acting as a liaison with prefectures—helping residents and employers avoid deadline surprises while the new tacit-renewal model beds in.
Business-immigration lawyers welcome the change, noting that 99 % of renewal applications are currently approved—rendering the in-person process “pure administrative friction.” HR directors at multinational firms say the reform will cut compliance workload and reduce expensive emergency travel when executives learn too late that their card is expiring.
The bill now goes to the Senate in January. Although the Interior Ministry opposes the measure, observers believe a cross-party majority may back at least a pilot scheme, given prefectural backlogs and upcoming EES resource needs. Corporates should audit employee permit-expiry data and prepare to pivot to the digital workflow once a promulgation date is confirmed.
