Do I need to carry my passport with me all the time?

[nectarine]

I've been lugging it around, plus Mr. Nectarine's, for ages as I knew you had to carry an original piece d'identite, and also our driving licences. But I recall that you could ask get a certified copy from the mairie and that would suffice in place of the passport. I asked our mayor's secretary today and she made the copies, stamped and signed them, but said she wasn't sure if they would be acceptable if we were stopped by the gendarmes.

I'd really like to keep the passports safe at home rather than always in my bag with the risk of theft ... but does anyone have a definitive answer if a certified copy is acceptable>?

Many thanks all.

[Sunday Driver]

The simple answer is, you do not have to carry any identification around with you.

However, if you wish to, you can prove identity by producing a photocard driving licence or a social security card or even just getting someone to vouch for you.

Note that the only circumstances under which the gendarmes can demand proof of identity is if you have committed or attempted to commit a crime, have been discovered preparing to commit a crime, can provide information about a crime, are under investigation by a judicial authority or you have or are about to commit a breach of public order.

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F1036.xhtml

 

[pachapapa]

I find your advice tendentious and also misrepresents the function of the "police judiciaire" vis à vis the "gendarmes".

French law establishes an obligation to be able to prove one's identity, whilst the proof of identity does not legally require the use of the national identity card it does "mutatis mutandis" comtemplate the carrying of some form of identification.

 Lors d'un contrôle, la personne a l'obligation de justifier de son identité.

It would seem IMHO wise to carry some form of identification in order to comply, if necessary, with the obligation to justify one's identity. Even if only to avoid the serious inconvenience of following the time consuming alternative route.

[Anton Redman II]

I would hate to be held for the four hours while any form of the French police decided if I was who I claimed.

About 40 years ago friend eventually talked his way out of a pull in Morroco using a Marylebone Squash Club membership cards 

[nectarine]

... which brings me back to my point. Might a certified copy suffice in place of the actual passport?

All replies appreciated, thanks.

[Quillan]

Whats the situation with CDS these days, I thought you could ask for one or has that changed?

[Clarkkent]

I find my UK pensioner's bus pass to be perfectly adequate. BMIBaby accept is as proof of identity when I fly to Jersey. [:)]

[velcorin]

I carry my old DNI Extranjeros after recent media stories regarding garde a vue[:D] Never bothered with anything before that, missus doesn't carry her ID card, but she just likes picking fights with authority (she stood as an Anarchiste candidate just to p*ss her mother off).

NB from early next year it is intended when paying by cheque, debit, charge or or credit card to present your ID card as proof, or passeport if non-French. As per what happens in Spain.

[NickP]

Well I would be interested Nectarine, as there are lots of us in the situation where we spend a lot of time in France, but are not domiciled here. And your point about loosing your bag or being robbed does make sense. I believe that Sunday Drivers advice; that  you are OK if you carry a photo card licence, is valid.  As I don't speak Latin and my French is not wonderful, I'm not sure that  the other posters intention is to impress or confuse. 

[Clair]

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F1036.xhtml (translation)

More info here (translation)

[pachapapa]

[quote user="NickP"]Well I would be interested Nectarine, as there are lots of us in the situation where we spend a lot of time in France, but are not domiciled here. And your point about loosing your bag or being robbed does make sense. I believe that Sunday Drivers advice; that  you are OK if you carry a photo card licence, is valid.  As I don't speak Latin and my French is not wonderful, I'm not sure that  the other posters intention is to impress or confuse. [/quote]

By inference the simple answer is that you DO have to carry something around with a photo on it.

I carry a Chilean Documento Nacional de Identidad, complete with photo and right thumb print. Always accepted with curiosity by local gendarmes. Avoids the serious inconvenience of losing my passport.

I am not sure whether that will impress or confuse ...but frankly.... I dont give a.....[:D]

[velcorin]

PPP, bit the same with my DNI..............it's out of date[:D] Just hope the police don't speak Castellano.

[NickP]

[quote user="Clair"]http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F1036.xhtml (translation)

More info here (translation)
[/quote]

 

Thank you Clair. [B]

[pachapapa]

[quote user="velcorin"]PPP, bit the same with my DNI..............it's out of date[:D] Just hope the police don't speak Castellano.[/quote]

[:D] Vintage 1981, a good year, complete with right of permanent residence in Chile.

 

[velcorin]

At least I'm in the right millenium[:D] 2003.

[Edward Trunk]

I think pachpapa meant "ceteris paribus", not "mutantis mutandis." Q.E.D.

[suein56]

[quote user="Clair"]http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F1036.xhtml (translation) [/quote]

But that's brilliant ... OH always has his wallet on him with his photo driving licence inside, so no problem there. For me I keep my identity-for-car info (hidden) in the car. Which used to leave me with a problem when I went to the shops on my bike. Now, thanks to Clair and SD, I am identifiable ... I have put my voting card in my purse.

Sorted! [:)] [:)]

Sue

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Edward Trunk"]I think pachpapa meant "ceteris paribus", not "mutantis mutandis." Q.E.D.[/quote]

pachApapa thinks he meant " with necessary change of small detail".

[Graham & Brenda]

Why not just apply for a Titre de Sejour? Real French ID with a 'photo. Accepted as proof in Spain when writing cheques too. Oh, and they are free.

[Quillan]

I always called it a Carte de Sejour (CDH) but its the same thing which is why I asked earlier if you can still get them.

[Richard51]

So I just need my professional membership card...and a bribable friend [:D]

Mrs R51

[Graham & Brenda]

Titre de Sejour is what they are now called.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Quillan"]I always called it a Carte de Sejour (CDH) but its the same thing which is why I asked earlier if you can still get them.[/quote]

Titre de séjour is the generic term for a whole raft of CARTE des SEJOURS covering Bulgarians,Roumanians, EEE nationals active and non active, non EEE citizens etc.

As an example the Carte de Sejour for an active EEE citizen but not Bulgarian or Roumanian; in principle their is dérogation but their is the possibility of a facultative Carte de Sejour.

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F2651.xhtml

P.S. Sorry forgot to add Swissie is also included.[:)]

[pachapapa]

Continued; for an active less than 5 years then the facultative CDS issued for a 5 year period; if active resident for over 5 years then can apply for a permanent CDS. This was done to death in the threads by Red Bidet and Cooperlola a couple of years ago in connection with CMU etc.

There are similarly facultative Cartes de Sejour following the 5 year guidelines for NON ACTIVES.

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F12017.xhtml

There seems to be slight error for the non active permanent Carte de Sejour.[:)]

[AnOther]

This one bubbles to the surface every now and again and I've pasted what I've written before.

"For many years I have carried in my wallet a plastic laminated

colour copy of the photo page of my passport on the reverse of which

are listed the names and phone numbers of people to contact in case of

emergency.

Of course it's worth absolutely nothing in official terms but

insomuch as it carries all my details and photo I expect (hope) it

would likely suffice in all but the most dire of

circumstances."

Useful Tip: Scan your passport and then email it to yourself or upload it to an online storage service. At least then if you lose it as long as you can get online somehow you can retrieve it. As per above worthless officially but a good starting point for getting a replacement and might be enough to get you out of a jam. You never know, it might even get you on the flight back home if you lost your passport whilst on holiday.