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When do you have to apply to renew a French residence permit?

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Apply between the 120th and the 60th day before your current permit or VLS-TS expires when the card is renewed online through ANEF; for cards still filed at the prefecture, apply within the two months before expiry. A late renewal costs an extra 180 € regularisation fee unless you show force majeure or a valid visa.

Key facts

What The law says Source
Permits renewed online (ANEF) Apply between the 120th and the 60th day before your current document expires CESEDA art. R431-5, 1°
Other permits Apply within the two months before your current document expires CESEDA art. R431-5, 1°
Ministry guidance, online At the earliest 4 months, at the latest 2 months before expiry Service-public.fr F35799, F302
Ministry guidance, employee or entrepreneur card File at the prefecture or sub-prefecture within the 2 months before expiry Service-public.fr F35799
Late application 180 € regularisation visa fee, unless force majeure or a valid visa CESEDA art. L436-5
While you wait (online, filed on time) Extension certificate valid up to 3 months, renewed until the prefect decides CESEDA art. R431-15-1
What you must prove That you still meet the conditions for the card CESEDA art. L433-1

The deadline in the law

CESEDA art. R431-5, 1° covers people already living in France with a VLS-TS or a residence card. If the permit you are applying for is on the list of permits handled through the online service (art. R431-2), you must apply between the 120th and the 60th day before your current document expires. If it isn’t on that list, you apply during the two months before it expires.

What the ministry’s guidance says

Service-public.fr turns this into practice: renewals done online on the ANEF site are filed at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before your card, visa or VLS-TS expires (for example the visitor and student cards). For the employee (salarié) and entrepreneur/profession libérale cards, it says you file at the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your home within the 2 months before expiry. Check which channel applies to your card on your prefecture’s site.

If you apply late

The law (art. L436-5) adds a 180 € regularisation visa fee to a renewal requested after the deadline, unless you show force majeure or a valid visa. That comes on top of the normal renewal cost.

While your application is being examined

Filing online gives you an immediate filing certificate, which does not prove legal residence (art. R431-15-1). If you filed a complete application on time and the decision isn’t made before your current document expires, the prefect must give you, through the online service, an extension certificate (attestation de prolongation d’instruction) valid for up to three months. Together with your expired document it proves your legal stay, and it is renewed as long as the prefect hasn’t decided.

Sources

  1. CESEDA, arts. R431-4 to R431-8, deadline to apply for a residence permit (Legifrance) checked 2026-10-25
  2. CESEDA, arts. R431-15-1 to R431-15-2, provisional documents for online applications (Legifrance) checked 2026-10-25
  3. CESEDA, arts. L436-1 to L436-13, taxes and stamp duty (Legifrance) checked 2026-10-25
  4. CESEDA, arts. L433-1 to L433-7, renewal of residence permits (Legifrance) checked 2026-10-25
  5. Carte de séjour pluriannuelle « générale » (Service-public.fr, DILA), sections « Dépôt de la demande » checked 2026-10-25
  6. Carte de séjour « visiteur » (Service-public.fr, DILA), step 7 « Renouveler la carte de séjour temporaire visiteur » checked 2026-10-25

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This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.