France’s interior minister has announced a ‘massive’ plan to tackle long delays for foreigners in getting or renewing the carte de séjour residency permit, which he described as unacceptable.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced to French media a “massive plan” to tackle delays in processing requests for the carte de séjour residency permit.
In an interview with Ouest France, Nunez admitted that waiting times “continue to grow” and promised that he would “boost staffing levels in the préfectures’ residence departments”.
READ ALSO: Tell us: Have you experienced delays in getting or renewing a carte de séjour in France?✎
He specified that he would recruit 500 new staff across France’s 101 préfectures.
He also announced a slight relaxation in some of the rules, intending to ease the administrative burden on préfecture staff – specifically that fingerprints would only have to be given every 10 years, instead of every five currently.
He also said that people on long-term residency permits would no longer have to register their change of address when they move – although he did not specify the exact types of card this would involve. The Local has requested clarification on this point.
He told the paper, as part of a wide-ranging interview on everything from the terror threat to Easter, that: “These relaxations, which do not compromise security in any way, are intended to prevent applicants from losing their entitlements.
“In particular, they can lose their jobs when their residence permits are not renewed on time, which is something we want to avoid.”
He also added that legal challenges by foreigners in France have increased as processing times have.
Rights organisations have accused the French administration of “creating undocumented people” through such long delays in dealing with applications.
He gave no timescale on when the plan will be put into place.
Delays
Non-EU nationals resident in France will likely be familiar with the problem of long delays in processing requests to obtain or renew a carte de séjour, the vital document which proves legal residency in France.
It is common for people to wait more than six months to obtain a renewed card, and also common for the old card to expire while the applicant is waiting – even if they have made their request at the earliest opportunity.
Those waiting on a card can obtain a récépissé – a legal document which proves that the holder has applied in time and is waiting for a reply. It shows that the holder is legally in France and can also be used to travel.
This document is usually valid for between three and six months, and can be renewed if required – it is far from unusual for people to spend more than six months with a récépissé while they await a decision from the préfecture.
READ ALSO: Récépissé: Your questions answered on France’s temporary residency permit✎
