The withdrawal agreement, entered into force on1 February 2020, contains specific provisions for the right of residence of certain British citizens. Thus, British nationals and members of their families who resided in France before December 31, 2020, retain their acquired rights as European citizens.
Under the Withdrawal Agreement, you will need to apply for specific residence permits “UK Withdrawal Agreement from the EU”. You must make your application before 1, July 2021.
And if you are British citizens who did not live in France before 01/01/2021, You cannot benefit from the withdrawal agreement. You will therefore need to submit an application for a Long Stay visa (staying more than 90 days in France) and request a Visa and a Residence Permit.
You will be required to hold a residence permit from 1 October 2021 or even earlier.
The British nationals who settle in France after1 January 2021 will be subject to the provisions of common law. They will have to apply for the issuance of a residence permit directly at the prefecture.
On December 31, 2020 at midnight, European Union law will cease to apply in the United Kingdom. British living in France, French living in the United Kingdom, a company working with the United Kingdom, you are directly concerned by Brexit. Citizen or economic actor, you ask yourself many practical questions. “ Www.brexit.gouv.fr ” is the government’s website providing French citizens and businesses with practical information related to the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union.
Since 1January 2021, although an agreement has been signed, significant changes are taken into account.
Thus, the rules of free movement no longer apply to and from the United Kingdom. If you are British living, working or studying in France, if you wish to travel or work in France, this site helps you to adapt to these changes.
You will be required to hold a residence permit marked “Withdrawal agreement”. You must apply for a permit before July 1, 2021 online on the site https://contacts-demarches.interieur.gouv.fr .
You will need to hold this from 1 October 2021.
Is It necessary for UK nationals to obtain a residence permit?
During the transition period, British nationals and their family members residing in France before December 31, 2020 retain their acquired rights as European citizens.
They must apply for a residence permit online, before July 1, 2021, via a site specially dedicated for this purpose ( http://invite.contacts-demarches.interieur.gouv.fr/ ). They will be issued with a residence permit marked “Agreement for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union”.
British nationals who wish to settle in France from January 1, 2021 will have to apply for a residence permit on the basis of the provisions of common law, directly to the prefecture of their place of residence.
As an exception, family members coming to join, from January 1, 2021, a British citizen living in France before December 31, 2020, will benefit from a free visa and access to a “Withdrawal Agreement” residence permit. once arrived in France as the agreement provides.
All British nationals, regardless of their date of arrival in France, will have to hold a residence from 1 October 2021.
What are the criteria for allowing British nationals to stay in France?
British nationals who have legally resided in France for more than 5 years as of December 31, 2020 will have access to a permanent residence permit for a period of 10 years.
British nationals who have legally resided in France for less than 5 years as of December 31, 2020 will be able to obtain a title for a period of 5 years. They must justify that they fall within one of the following situations:
- Either exercising a salaried or self-employed professional activity (or having exercised such an activity and being registered as a jobseeker);
- Either have sufficient resources for themselves and their family, as well as health insurance;
- Either follow studies or vocational training, and have health insurance;
- Either be a family member of a British national living in France before December 31, 2020 and having a right of residence there (spouse, partner, child, ascendant or family member supported or part of the household of a British national).
British nationals arriving in France from January 1, 2021 and who do not have a family tie with a British beneficiary of the withdrawal agreement will be able to apply for a residence permit on the basis of the provisions of common law.
They will have to submit a request for a residence permit directly to the prefecture of their place of residence.
Will residence permits obtained before the date of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union still be valid after that date?
Within the framework of the withdrawal agreement, the titles bearing the mention “European Union citizen” obtained before the end of the transitional period will continue to be valid until 1 October 2021 but will lose their validity after this date.
British nationals, even if they hold a residence acquired in their former capacity as European citizens, will also have to apply for a new “Withdrawal agreement”online (https: //contacts-demarches.interieur .gouv.fr / brexit / brexit-requisition-titre-sejour / ) before July 1, 2021.
From October 1, 2021, British nationals must hold either a specific residence permit bearing the words “withdrawal agreement “(if they arrived in France before December 31, 2020) or a common law title (if they arrived in France from January 1, 2021).
Is a British national who has applied for a residence permit obliged to renew his procedures to exchange it if he moves?
British nationals who have applied for a residence permit and who have since moved to another department must complete a new online process.
Within the framework of the withdrawal agreement.
Residence permits issued in France will allow, in addition to settling in France, to travel to other states that are part of the Schengen area for periods not exceeding three months.
The Agreement, which Withdrawalentered into force on February 1, 2020, provides specific provisions for the right of residence of British citizens. British nationals and their family members residing in France before December 31, 2020 retain their acquired rights as European citizens.
Pursuant to this agreement, British nationals and members of their families will have to request the issuance of a residence permit bearing the words “Withdrawal agreement”, before July 1, 2021. British nationals will be required to hold a residence permit as of October 1, 2021.
On the other hand, British nationals who settle in France as of January 1, 2021 will be subject to the provisions of ordinary law. They must apply for the issuance of a residence permit directly from the prefecture of their place of residence.
Will the British have to obtain a work permit in order to continue their professional activity in France?
British nationals and their family members settled in France before December 31, 2020 and beneficiaries of the withdrawal agreement will not need a work permit. On the other hand, those who will settle in France and start their professional activity from January 1, 2021 will have to apply for a work permit in accordance with the provisions of common law.
Will the family members (third country nationals) of a British national have a special status?
Third-country nationals who are family members of a British national living in France before December 31, 2020 and beneficiaries of the withdrawal agreement, will have access to a residence permit due to the existence of their family link. Like British nationals, they will also have to apply for a residence permit online.
Will UK nationals looking for work be entitled to a residence permit?
Two situations must be considered:
- – If the British national, beneficiary of the withdrawal agreement, looking for a job has already exercised a professional activity in France before December 31, 2020, he will be issued a residence permit of a period of validity of 5 years.
- – If the British national, beneficiary of the withdrawal agreement, enters France before December 31, 2020, with the aim of looking for a job and has therefore never exercised a professional activity in France, he will be issued a temporary residence permit for a validated period of 6 months renewable once, provided that he is able to prove that he is actually looking for a job and that he has real chances of being hired in a reasonable delay.
What are the conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit for British nationals residing in France?
British nationals and members of their family settled in France before December 31, 2020 and who can prove that they have resided there regularly for 5 years, will be granted a right to a permanent residence which will take the form of a renewable 10-year card.
People who already hold a permanent residence card issued in their former capacity as EU citizens will benefit as of right from the exchange of this document for a permanent residence card “withdrawal agreement”.
The agreement also provides for specific terms and conditions of access to this card for certain situations (retirees, incapacity for work, etc.).
British nationals residing in France before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union will they have to pay a tax to benefit from a residence permit?
Residence permits issued pursuant to the withdrawal agreement will be issued free of charge.
How will the beneficiaries of the agreement be able to apply for a residence permit?
British nationals and members of their family present in France before December 31, 2020 can apply for a residence permit on the online residence permit application service of the Ministry of the Interior.
This online service is intended for nationals of British nationality as well as members of their families (spouse, partner, children, ascendants, and family members dependents of British nationality or third-country nationals) settled in France before December 31, 2020, date of the end of the transition period. Family members whose family link existed before the end of the transition period (December 31, 2020) but who would like to settle in France after this date will be able to benefit from the provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement.
To make your request, you will need to send a photographed or scanned copy of your passport as well as one or more other additional documents depending on your situation.
British nationals and members of their families who wish to settle in France after December 31, 2020 will be subject to the provisions of common law and will have to go to the prefecture of their place of residence to submit their application for a residence permit.
As an exception, Britons who are family members of British citizens already settled in France before December 31, 2020 will benefit from a free visa and access to a residence permit once they arrive in France as the agreement provides.