Jump to content

Is it worth getting a Carte de Sejour in preparation for Brexit?


Recommended Posts

Hi, it seems that whether or not the UK stays in the EU is very finely balanced. I know that as an EU citizen we do not need a Carte de Sejour, but I believe you can still obtain one if so desired. My American friend suggested it might be worth we Brits getting one anyway, as it would protect our residency status was Brexit to become a reality. Does anyone have any knowledge, thoughts or insight on that theory?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 87
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

[quote user="Daft Doctor"]Hi, it seems that whether or not the UK stays in the EU is very finely balanced. I know that as an EU citizen we do not need a Carte de Sejour, but I believe you can still obtain one if so desired. My American friend suggested it might be worth we Brits getting one anyway, as it would protect our residency status was Brexit to become a reality. Does anyone have any knowledge, thoughts or insight on that theory?[/quote]

Why do people keep on pumping out these ridiculous scare mongering tales? For heavens sake. If and IF there was a Brexit; which is highly unlikely, the French government will inform of what you need. Please don't listen to "experts" who don't know what day of the week it is, after all this suggestion is from a man whose country is now wanting to let students carry concealed weapons when attending college. [:@]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, NickP, no need for the aggression! It was only a suggestion from a good friend (who incidentally is very critical of the American record on arms and violent crime), who was NOT claiming to be an expert. I was only asking a straightforward theoretical question, NOT spreading scaremongering tales. As for a Brexit being 'highly unlikely', the polls are neck and neck, so I wouldn't dismiss the possibility so readily if I were you. My thoughts were simply that after June 23rd circumstances might well change, albeit not for a year or two, but nonetheless it might be bureaucratically easier and no disadvantage at all to get a C de Sjr now, rather than wait for a possible rush if or when it became a requirement. Is that such a ridiculous notion?? If anyone has any (reasoned) thoughts on the matter, please share.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't see it hurting. Apparently applications for citizenship from EU citizens currently living in Uk have increased substantially. Citizenship is the only way to ensure your rights will be completely protected..or marriage to someone with an EU passport.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No need to rush and get a CdS. In the event of a Brexit vote, the UK will still be in the EU for a period, while the divorce settlement is made. I believe 2 years is built into the current treaties, but when Greenland (as a territory belonging to Denmark) decided to leave the EU (but remain as a dependency of Denmark) it took 3 years - and most of the time was taken up discussing the price of fish.

As LindaL says no harm in getting one, but as NickP also suggests no rush.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, to be honest it is Mrs DD who is more concerned about it than I, Brexit or not. I am aware that any UK exit from the EU would take several years, and even then there may well be arrangements preventing the need for we current residents in France to do much. I just thought I'd gather some info to pass on, at least partly to reassure.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As one living in the UK it does look like the Remain In side will win the referendum. If the Brexit side win then it will be at least two years before the actual exit occurs. Plenty of time then to apply
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would not live in France without one. Granted we had to have carte de sejours initially, then titre de sejours, but it is really 'good' ID.

So if one hasn't got one, what do you carry with you? Has to be something as if there is a 'controle' you can be arrested until you prove who you are.

Just looked at the service public web site and nothing appears to have changed with regards to this.

Yes, get one and they are free, they weren't when we started out, but they are now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="idun"]I would not live in France without one. Granted we had to have carte de sejours initially, then titre de sejours, but it is really 'good' ID.

So if one hasn't got one, what do you carry with you? Has to be something as if there is a 'controle' you can be arrested until you prove who you are.

Just looked at the service public web site and nothing appears to have changed with regards to this.

Yes, get one and they are free, they weren't when we started out, but they are now.

[/quote]

Well my French driving licence, with photo, seems to be widely accepted as une pièce d'identité whenever such things are needed!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Passport or driving licence are accepted. Most prefectures are not too keen to go through the hassle of issuing carte de sejour when they are not required. I believe you can insist.

Incidentally I was reading up about EU residents applying for British citizenship and from Dec 2015 they had to have a residents permit before applying for citizenship, even though a residence permit is not required to be a resident.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had one for 10 years and it was useful as idun says as ID which was readily understood.

It was an incredible hassle to obtain however and once it was no longer required my Préfecture more or less refused to issue a re-newal although technically I have the right to one.

Getting double nationality is scarcely more effort, and seems the better path to me, since it doesn't require giving up one's British nationality, and it the paperwork is about the same. I shall be re-using all the same 'carte de séjour' stuff if I go down that route.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I cant see the need to get one, if you feel vulnerable without one (re contrôles) etc then you will already have got one, I cant see a Brexit making it any more imperative.

 

I have no means of identifying myself ane even if I did have a TDS I would not carry it with me, I have yet to have the knee in the middle of my shoulder blades for un contrôle d'identité and there are other ways if need be just like when I am asked for un pièce d'identité elsewhere, its always a pleasure for me to innocently ask them for what they require, to wind them up saying that a carte d'identité doesnt exist for un Brittanique, "vous me demandez un truc impossible"! Then to act relieved when they ask for my permis de conduire, I love to see their reaction when they find that it doesnt have a photograph.

 

To date every person emmerding me to prove my identity has accepted my drivers license without a photo including the gendarmes as by then they have usually lost the will to live.

 

Were there to be a Brexit like Norman I might go for citezenship but only because it will give me more options for the future, I doubt that I would actually be required to do anything as an owner occupier, business owner and taxpayer. Sounds mighty strange describing myself that way after a decade off the radar [:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What would a Carte de Sejour actually 'buy' you anyway? People have been coming and living in France for years, long before we have had the EU as we know it today. If the UK leaves the EU I would think, although nobody knows and it won't happen anyway, that you would be treated like any other non EU immigrant and be required to get one anyway so why not wait and see. The far more important issue for those who are not active in France is the possible loss of healthcare I would have thought.

 

As far as taking French citizenship did I not read a while back that for security reasons the French government was going to ban French people from having dual citizenship? I have no idea how far this has progressed if at all. If that is the case, or is going to be the case, then you will have to let your UK citizenship go to become a French one. Then the question would be what effect does that have on things like the UK state pension which you may have been paying into for years and how do you get healthcare?

 

I think a bit more investigation is needed before people panic and possibly do things they might later regret or not require.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Under EU law, one is entitled to dual nationality if they are both from a member state. What the situation is as regards those with one nationality that is outside the EU, I am not sure.

The French government withdrew proposals to take away French citizenship from terrorists holding a dual (usually Middle Eastern or North African) nationality.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was thinking about applying for a Canadian passport, according to Canadian law at the time you couldn't have two Nationalities, however the British government is quite happy for you to have as many as you want and doesn't insist that you give your passport back or revoke your nationality once you become the citizen of another, so in practice you could. You would still remain entitled to a British passport whatever the French government said as the right to have one is up to Great Britain, not to France.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36195499

According to a report from the House of Lords, the negotiating of reciprocal rights for healthcare, pensions etc. for UK citizens living in other EU countries in the event of a Brexit, and the rights of EU citizens currently living in the Uk, would be a long drawn out and difficult procedure that could take several years.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="woolybanana"]Under EU law, one is entitled to dual nationality if they are both from a member state. What the situation is as regards those with one nationality that is outside the EU, I am not sure. The French government withdrew proposals to take away French citizenship from terrorists holding a dual (usually Middle Eastern or North African) nationality.[/quote]

 

I never heard anymore about it and did wonder if it was a flash in the pan idea which it seems it was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, again. Really pleased to have started off such a lively discussion.

I've looked at the Public Services website now and my conclusion is that having already been a full time resident in France for 4 years, even in the event of a Brexit vote next month, by the time any UK exit is formally effected, I will already have met France's own 5 year legal resident criteria for a right to a permanent stay. It will then be optional for me to obtain a renewable 10 year permanent resident CdS, but it would only serve as ID, which I believe my driving license does equally well. I am now spending a little time collecting together all the evidence I have that our stay since May 2012 has been continuous, just in case the question ever arises.

The healthcare issue could arise in the future if Brexit occurs, but as Mrs DD is an AE and we get our healthcare through RSI, hopefully any potential changes to the policy for those currently holding S1's would be navigable.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are two aspects to the dual Nationality question.

1) The big debate about those who already hold it was the philosophical one of whether it could/should be withdrawn from those guilty of serious offences such as terrorism.

At first sight that seems common sense, but it raises the issue of whether that creates  two classes: one that can have their nationality taken away and another that can't.

It was over this issue that Mme Taubira resigned.

2) There is a threat from the extreme right, the Front National saying that if Marine Le Pen is elected President people with double nationality will be forced to choose one.

In any case applying for a carte de séjour or dual Nationality is hardly something that threatens one's present situation, which in both cases remains exactly as before with just the addition of the new paperwork.

The main point against is the tedious amount of paperwork to be got together...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="NormanH"]

In any case applying for a carte de séjour or dual Nationality is hardly something that threatens one's present situation, which in both cases remains exactly as before with just the addition of the new paperwork.

The main point against is the tedious amount of paperwork to be got together...

[/quote]

Yes, Mme Taubira, a good egg, I think.

The paperwork, how I agree about "tedious".  Having had a look at your previous post re the necessary paperwork, I am thinking about where the devil I might get hold of a certificate of my parents' marriage!!!  For all I know, I might have been born on the wrong side of the blanket?

Not being frivolous but I doubt very much that in our scattered family anyone of us would have held on to a copy of the marriage of our parents' which would have taken place in the early 1900s![:-))]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...