Disclaimer
Introduction
You can only apply for a residence permit (Carte de séjour) if you plan to stay in France for more than three months. Residence entitlement for shorter stays is automatically covered by your short-stay visa (or Schengen short-stay visa), which may allow single entry or multiple entries into France.
If you are in France on a Short stay visa, you can not apply for the "Titre de Séjour". However, if you are entering France on a long-stay visa, you must (unless or otherwise specified on the visa) apply for a temporary residence permit (Titre de Sejour) as soon as you arrive in France.
The information about different catagories of carte de séjour delivered by the Prefecture of Haute-Garonne is available on Prefecture website (
Here) in French.
Temporary residence permit (Titre de Séjour or Carte de séjour)
Holders of a long-stay visa allowing application for a residence permit (carte de séjour) are required to make the application within three months. The carte de séjour will be issued for a specific period of up to one year, depending on the length of your stay. If your stay is longer than one year, you will have to apply again when it expires to renew the carte de séjour.
Where to apply for a carte de séjour ?
For residents in Toulouse, the carte de séjour is issued by the Préfecture of Haut-Garonne. It is located at
Préfecture de la Haute Garonne - Service Etrangers
1, rue Sainte Anne
31038 Toulouse Cedex 9
How to obtain a carte de séjour ?
For first time applicants, please see the following link here or for Students here.
To apply for a carte de séjour, you will be required to fill in the form and supply number of documents. Typical list of documents (many of which will be the same as those you supplied for your visa application):
- Certificate of enrollment at institution of higher education. or Work Contract etc. indicating the reason of your stay.
- Proof of accommodation (rent bill/gas or electricity bill for last 2 months issued on your name or certificate from person who is lodging you).
- Proof of financial resources.
- Two photographs (It costs about EUR 4.00 for four photos at an automatic "Photomaton" booth such as those often found in town halls or train and underground stations.)
- One stamped self-addressed envelope .
Citizens of non-European-Union countries will also need to supply the following items:
- Medical certificate, which is delivered after a medical examination at the ANAEM / OMI. You will get a letter from the Prefecture a few days after you submit the above application.
Keep this certificate carefully as you will need it for renewing your Carte de Sejour the next year.
- Fiscal Stamps for each type of renewal - Check the tarifs at the prefecture.
Once the application has been processed, you will be invited (by post or by phone call) to come and collect your carte de séjour in person. The application processing time varies greatly (upto three months, usually). Till you receive your carte de séjour , you will be provided with the recepisse de carte de séjour (Receipt of carte de séjour). It is valid for three months. If you do not receive your carte de séjour in three months, you will have to apply for the renewal of the recipicess carte de séjour to Prefecture along with three photographs. It is quiet common that many don't receive carte de séjour in first three months. Don't panic! As long as you have valid recepisee you are a legal resident in France.
Note: You are not allowed to travel out of France on your first Recepisse de Carte de Sejour
For Workers
The types of Carte de Sejour that are given to workers are identified here:
For post-doctoral researchers and their family members
For a baby born in France
The procedure for obtaining French visa (Titre d'Indentite) for an Indian baby born in France is as follows:
- First get the "acte de naissance" (Birth certificate) from Service de l’état civil (Birth, marriage and death registration office) located at 6 rue du Lieutenant Colonel Pélissier - Toulouse, Téléphones : 05 61 22 30 26. Alternatively, you can obtain acte de naissance by filling up following online form.
- Get Indian passport for the baby. The relevant information pertaining to Indian passport is available on following page of Indians in Toulouse website: Services offered by Embassy of India in France to Indian Nationals.
- Please note that we are not aware of any procedure if you do not want to avail Indian citizenship and still obtain French visa for the baby.
- Once Indian passport is available apply to local prefecture for "Titre d'Identité française" for your baby. The relevant information is available in French on Prefecture of Haute Garronne web site.
Can a child born in France to Indian parents acquire French citizenship by birth?
This is a often asked question/query in the message board of Indians in Toulouse.
Please note that the child born in France to Indian parents is not entitled for French citizenship by birth. Here is a liberal translation of the information available on Service-public.fr
The French law (Civil Code, Articles 17 and henceforth) grants French citizenship:
To a child born to French parents; adopted by French parents; born to unknown parents (abandoned); born to stateless parents or to parents who could not grant the child their nationality. Every child born in France of foreign parents acquires French nationality on his coming of age where, at that time, he has his residence in France and has had his usual residence in France for a continuous or discontinuous period of at least five years, from the age of eleven.
The tribunaux d'instance, local authorities, public bodies and services and especially educational establishments are obliged to inform the public, and in particular those persons to whom paragraph 1 applies, of the provisions in force in matters of nationality. The requirements as to that information shall be prescribed by a decree in Conseil d'État.
(SOURCE: Civil Code, 21-7)
A minor child born in France of foreign parents may from the age of sixteen claim French nationality by declaration, in the way laid down in Articles 26 and following where, at the time of his declaration, he has in France his residence and has had his usual residence in France for a continuous or discontinuous period of at least five years, from the age of eleven.
Under the same terms, French nationality may be claimed, on behalf of the minor child born in France of foreign parents, from the age of thirteen and with his personal consent, in which event the requirement of usual residence in France should be fulfilled from the age of eight.
(SOURCE: ibid., 21-11)
- Marriage to a French citizen under some restrictions, see Art 21-2
- People of French cultural heritage
- French speaking alient who contributes to the society.
For more information see the source: Service-public.fr
Renewal of residence permit (Carte de Séjour)
For Students
- For student from Universities (Social Sciences, Mirail and Paul Sabatier) and the INP , officials of the prefecture will receive students only by appointment, which must be taken directly through your university office.
- For students in University Paul Sabatier, you can take this appointment from
- For students from other institutions, they can submit document at At CROUS (Branch of the Prefecture)
You will have to fill in the renewal form with all requisite documents and their photocopies. Also don't forget to carry black ink ball point pen. You need to sign on some forms in front of authorities and it is to be signed only with the black ink pen. If your documents are correct, you will be provided with the récépissé de carte de séjour (Receipt of carte de séjour) which is valid for three months. You will be communicated later by post to come to prefecture and collect your titre de séjour once it is ready. All requisite information is available on this web page of Prefecure of Haute-Garonne.
Typical Documents required for the renewal of titre de séjour
You must produce photocopies of following documents along with their original copy:
- Valid passport (identity, valid visa)
- Last residence permit (titre de sejour)
- University or institution enrollement certificate, student card or a work contract
- Proof of residence
- Electric bill/Gas bill, fixed phone line bill for last 3 months
- Housing certificate and a copy of the residence permit or the national identity card for the hosts, if you are hosted by the French family.
- 3 photographs (French VISA format 3.5 / 4.5 cm)
- Proof of monthly resources ( not less than 430 € / month ) for the last 3 months. If working, last 3 months salary slips or tax returns.
- Recent diploma/ degree certificates
- Work permit. If you are student and if working part time, temporary work permit.
- Medical certificate issued by the ANAEM / OFII for first renewal
- Carnet de famille (Family book) if there has been a change in the family situation.
- Fiscal stamp of 30 euros (Check the latest rates at the Prefecture). These stamps are available in Prefecture or some Tabac shops.
In case, your scheduled appointment date is not suitable and you are in urgency to renew your titre de sejour, you need to justify your need with valid documents to Prefecture authorities. The valid reasons could be death of your family member, surgery, etc. For all medical reasons you need to provide doctors certificate. Upon production of appropriate documents, prefecture authorities may process your application before the scheduled date.
Travel with Carte de Séjour or recepisse
The official circular from the French Government on this subject is available here (Circulaire NOR IMIK090087C, dated 21 Sept 2009). It is best to print a copy of this while you travel.
From the experience of other members of the group:
1) If you have an expired Visa and a valid carte de Sejour, you can travel out of France and back before the end of validity of the Carte de Sejour.
2) If you have a Carte de Sejour and Recepisse from the prefecture indicating that you have applied for the renewal, then you can travel to India and come back before the date mentioned on the Recepisse.
3) If you have a long stay visa (valid for >3 months) and an OFII stamp then your Stay in France is valid till the date mentioned on the Visa. If it is a multiple entry visa, you can travel to India and come back before the visa validity date ends.
4) If you have a long stay visa (valid for >3 months) and an OFII stamp and your visa has expired or will be expiring then you have to apply for a carte de sejour. You will get a recepisse on application and your stay in France is valid till the date mentioned on the Recepisse. If this case is treated as renewal of carte de Sejour then it should not be a problem to travel to India and come back. Please do check with the Prefecture and share this information with all of us.
5) If you came to France on a Long Stay visa (valid for 3 months) which was to be extended here in France with a Carte de sejour of 1 yr, travel out of France with the First recepisse is not possible. From second yr onwards, it is possible to travel out of France with the Carte de Sejour or Carte de Sejour + Recepisse. Some of them have travelled to India (country of Nationality) , however if it can be avoided, it is highly advised not to travel with the First Recepisse.
In cases 2,4 and 5 normally the applicant will receive in about 2 months time his new Carte De Sejour with the validity date mentioned on it. If it takes longer than 3 months then the Recepisse will have to be renewed at the prefecture.
For more precise and up to date information, please check with the Prefecture and let us all know of your findings.
Change of status of residence permit (Carte de Séjour)
Source: http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F2229.xhtml
Transliterated version of the source
is here 