Any self respecting ‘ex-pat’, anywhere in Europe will be more than familiar with ‘Article 50’ and what it means whilst living in a European country. Essentially we all got a shield of steel like Batfink (remember that?!) when it came to our residency rights. If you were living in Europe before the UK exited the European Union, then your right to stay was more of less guaranteed and, as these cards come up for renewal, the process is fairly straightforward.
This cannot be said for those Britons that wanted to move after this date. I do believe it was 2020 when it should have been 2019 but in any case, most Brits living in France have either renewed their Carte de Séjour (residency permit) or in the process of doing so. They are then entitled to receive a 10 year one and not have to worry about it for a decade.
Read more: Article 50, Brexit Renewal CardsGiven that so many other nationalities have to jump through various hoops to get a 1,2,3 year card this is pretty darn good going. Can I also just say that the vote was in 2016 – that’s a decade ago. A decade of a whole load of crap for nothing. If you remember rightly the Brexiteers were throwing parties and proclaiming loudly that “We Won!” “Get Over It!” like it was some game of Monopoly that was lost on Boxing Day. All those gobshites have gone a bit quiet haven’t they?! Mainly the ones that really wish they can just move to a European country without applying for a visa and what not. They have to suck it up on the promise land of NHS buses throwing out wads of cash and Spitfires flying past with ‘Stop The Boats’ out the back. Ironically many can’t conjure up a sentence in French and enjoy the socialist values citing better health care and roads. Somewhat ironic or tragic you decide.
A little walk around Cerisy la foret was in order followed by a very tasty Indian lunch
And then the poor buggers that didn’t vote for it wishing they had sold up in 2017. Luckily like we did no smugness intended – I actually thought we’d get to keep our EU rights by being here but overall it was a good bet to hedge.
Now the Brexiteers are saying “if they’d known..” maybe if they had watched the various University Lectures on what would happen…anyhow, there are plenty that voted and then decided to come over and have their 10 year carte de séjour. And in my best Forrest Gump voice..that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
I won’t go over the hassle it is to navigate Brexit with children when they turn from 17 to 18 as I wrote about it this post. I also touched on it in my imaginary French Administration Badge post. But I will add that:-
- European student loans are not available.
- Guarantees required for rental apartments – hassle as a non EU resident.
- Standard online forms cater specifically to foreign students who have recently moved to France, which is totally different from those who have completed their education in the country.
As I have always said, the impact on this shit show has always been the youngsters out here not the second home owners and the persons who looked to retire here, where a high demographic voted for it in the first place.
So, having applied for my eldest two children who were born in January and February (uni applications are in April) I had a cunning plan. As my youngest is a May baby I could already foresee the hassle of him approaching 18 whilst applying for Uni and the requests for a carte de séjour that he technically does not need.
I thought what if I could get in early..like now.
The only way you can get your 16 year old a permanent CDS under the Brexit agreement is if they wish to work. Now, this isn’t wrong – my youngest does want a summer/Saturday job. He can legally work at 14 but there are strict rules and what not as there is for a 16 year old. As I understand it, they can only work a maximum of 8 hours a day and I believe the week if they have school.
We come under the préfecture of the Manche department 50 who I have to say have a glowing reputation for processing these cards. I will put a link to a Facebook group at the bottom. I wrote to them and asked if I could apply for my son. Initially I was told no but then I quoted their own rules which say my son can if he wants to work.
So, I was sent a form to complete for him (emailed) and a list of the various documents to support this. This included a school report from when we first arrived to prove how long he’d been here, a bill for his mobile phone, photos etc and a handwritten note from him to say he wished to work.
This was duly posted (signed for – always signed for with this type of stuff also keep a copy of everything you have sent) and I then asked if they could process mine seeing as mine ran out in November. They were surprisingly happy to do so.
As I had got divorced in the meantime I sent them all the divorce stuff and highlighted the part where I was ‘allowed’ to keep my legal married name. I debated about asking if someone that has had 3 baliff notices, pays nothing towards his kids etc, has a police complaint registered, claims unemployment benefit whilst documenting his development of a property entitles someone to a CDS but thought nah! I jest.
I am sure my ex doesn’t need or hasn’t even mentioned he’s divorced. Anyhow, my card has my maiden name then ‘div’ and my married family name. This is fine and dandy as it corresponds to my passport and I ain’t paying to have that changed or pay to have my name changed by deed poll. I have no allegiance to my married name, it is just easier like this and I’ll change it if I ever get married again and not before. I digress.
I was sent the digital link which was super easy to fill out – you need to put your parents names and date of birth and provide the normal paperwork eg facture and proof of when you arrived I used my urssaf attestation of my business inception.
We then got a date to go up for fingerprints – as ever, we were seen before the actual time and out in 5 minutes. This was two weeks from our initial application. Then a week later to go up and get our cards. These can be collected without a RDV on a Monday and Thursday between 8.30 am and 10.30 am. So that we did and to my barely concealed delight, my 16 year old has a 10 year permanent carte de séjour as there were a few naysayers that said he would only get a temporary etc. We celebrated with a tasty Indian lunch back in Saint Lo.
Now I know that it is hit and miss across the country but I was told that this happened at my prefecture. A temporary card given.
I would also like to say, because I can on here, that sometimes it really is about how you position yourself some are too accepting of what you are told (never take no as gospel grind them down until you have the answer you want), some give up too soon, some wait too long. If you’ve asked for a card or whatever and you did not hear for 4 months, sorry but that’s your look out. You have to nag, chase, and repeat. What would you accept in your home country? Apply the same logic. So yes, I do get that sometimes you just can’t crack the code but 9 times out of 10 you can so you must try harder.
What do you think? Am I being too harsh? I was speaking to a friend the other day and he agreed we now just shrug at anything that is thrown at us. We also agreed that Brexit has made life more labour intensive and, to be in our gang, you have had to been awarded with our imaginary administration badge. A flat tyre on a country lane is entry level. Please god don’t dish that out to me so I come back and eat my words.
You have been reading Our Normandy Life!
Facebook Group for all info on applying for you 10 year CDS under Article 50 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1214134159941769
Direct email address for the préfecture in Manche 50 pref-brexit-sejour@manche.gouv.fr
Rules that apply for a minor applying for a CDS
– si le demandeur, âgé entre 16 et 18 ans, demande un titre de séjour car il souhaite exercer un stage
ou une activité professionnelle (article 8 du décret du 19 novembre 2020) : dans ce cas, il sera
exigé la production d’un écrit dans lequel le demandeur déclare vouloir exercer une activité
professionnelle.
Form that you will need from Manche 50
PREMIÈRE DEMANDE DE CARTE DE SÉJOUR
POUR L’ENFANT D’UN BRITANNIQUE BÉNÉFICIAIRE DE L’ACCORD
DE RETRAIT OU DE SON CONJOINT
- ARRIVÉ EN FRANCE MINEUR
(demande à déposer avant le 19ème anniversaire) - ENTRÉ APRÈS LE 31/12/2020
Renouvellement des titres de séjour « Article 50 TUE/Article 18(1) Accord de retrait du Royaume-Uni de l’UE » valables 5 ans arrivant à expiration
Link that you will need as an adult https://demarche.numerique.gouv.fr/commencer/renouvellement-des-titres-de-sejour-article-50-tue-20
Our Normandy Life 
But the 10 year visa is only for people who moved before Brexit isn’t it? i moved in 2023 and initially had 6 month titres de séjour then had a 12 month one for the first time, I’d love to get a 10 year one when i renew but can’t see it happening (and in Isère it takes 6 months to receive the card – there is no way to hassle them as they don’t reply to phone calls or emails).
Also worried about my children who are born in September and December, presumably they will start university before turning 18 so without titre de séjour ?
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Hello, this was quick I was still editing! Yes it is a residency permit not a visa but allows you to live and work here. Yes it is different if you arrived after Brexit. You children should have DCEM cards that is a card that allows them to enter in and out of France with their passport. This will make it easier to get their Carte de Séjour so I would apply for this now if you haven’t done so already. I would apply for them also to have a card from age 16 citing that they wish to work in the holidays/summer job. There must be a way of contacting them this is a public office and if you have no luck you must contact you local MP. You cannot accept that they are uncontactable. Go in person take a ticket etc. I hope this helps.
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i just replied to the email!
yes we have intermittently had DCEM, some people tell me you don’t need them (they travel with no problem without them). It’s a significant expense every year if you are not sure you are going to travel.
You can’t go to the préfecture in person it’s all dematerialised and you can only go when they send you an appointment (which is only available for specific reasons). But to be honest it doesn’t matter, you get a recipisse for 6 months then just before that expires you get an appointment to collect the card. There are pressure groups (“bouge ta pref”) but to be honest i don’t have time to be involved.
it’s all so unwelcoming, to think that my son will have been here since before he was two, he speaks better french than English, yet at 18 it’s still not automatic that he will be allowed to stay 😥.
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Hi, are you British? If he was here before he was 2 and he is approaching 18 but you came in 2023? I am a bit lost. The DCEM is free for Brits here before Brexit but otherwise it’s 50 euros which I would pay and they last for 2 years well certainly before they reach 18. Being here from a young age does not change your nationality I am afraid so does not guarantee a right to stay nor the parents. To be given a longer carte de séjour I would ensure income is reliable and preferably a CDI contract. Ultimately it is how much time you want to put in to remain here – it does take time to email a local MP etc or apply for DCEM card but not doing so makes it very difficult in the long run.
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no he’s not approaching 18 he is 4! I’m worrying about the future. And my daughter is older. obviously age doesn’t change nationality because that’s a legal/political decision (it could do if they wanted it to, in Switzerland for example foreign born children can apply for nationality before age 18 in their own right) but it does change degree of integration.
The DCEM is only valid 1 year. and 50 euros per year per child is a lot when you are on minimum wage with no right to aides for the crèche etc……. (luckily no longer the case for me and obviously he’s no longer in crèche but my first 18 months here i paid more than my entire salary just for childcare, i used savings from previous UK income to pay the rent and all other expenses).
Interestingly there is a french website which says the DCEM is not necessary for British children and most British immigrants in France i know have never heard of it or used it…… but i suspect they may just not have removed the UK from the list since Brexit.
So the DCEM makes a difference even if you have certificat de scolarité for every year proving residence and integration?
I’ve got one up till now but as we have no plans to travel outside France i did wonder about waiting till we had plans to travel to renew it…… 100 euros per year and a half day off work is not always easy.
And yes a CDI would be wonderful! not on offer in my field at present (I’m a doctor, the best i can hope for in the immediate future is a 12 month renewable contract).
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Hi, yes you are thinking way off and they can only apply when they are 18 in France. It would be easier for you to apply. The DCEM is required and most of us know about it. Please join Mums Space France Facebook group if you are not already in it or the many groups about carte de séjours. Some are stopped at airports my own children have been quizzed about their residency before we go the DCEM card. It is valid for 2 years. Please research the DCEM it is irrelevant that you have proof they are at school. Best of luck.
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Thank you for the information. Obviously you were not pro Brexit either (!). it’s just so depressing, i moved to France in order to get back for my children the benefits of the EU that we lost with Brexit (i would have moved well before Brexit, their father wouldn’t let me). It has been incredibly hard for me (lack of recognition of my medical degree meaning i was treated as a student, paid minimum wage, little choice about where i can work, no flexibility on hours, multiple extra exams to do despite my training already being more than twice as long as that of an equivalent french specialist) – and despite all that my children STILL won’t have the same opportunities as EU students.
i wonder if they can study elsewhere in the EU (Belgium, Germany etc) with a french titre de séjour, as french citizens can, or is that not possible either?
hopefully it will seem less depressing when my medical degree is finally recognised (I’ve been working in France nearly 3 years and still not officially recognised as a doctor) and i have the possibility of working less than 48h per week.
thank you for the blog, for informing me on what lies ahead (i think it will be the same for my children as for yours post Brexit, it’s more difficult for me but their situation will be as it would have been if we had moved earlier).
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Hello, your situation is again is frustrating and more than a pain at every turn. You could apply for nationality – if the parent gets it it is easier for the children to then have it. So maybe look into that. They can study elsewhere but I am not sure if they would be classed as a foreign student eg fees rather than an EU student. I would suggest asking in Mums Space France facebook group as there are mums who have definitely been through this there will always be an answer. Good luck with your studies and I shall keep posting any updates! Thank you for reading.
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Really informative post, thanks – it is hard work being a migrant sometimes especially with kids and without bundles of cash but we all much prefer life here – noted that we should get confirmation from the school to say when my daughters oldest started there. He is about to start college in September to best get the confirmation whilst they still remember him and file it away for the future.
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Thank you – yes it is worth the lifestyle that is for sure and anything worth doing isn’t generally easy. You must keep all your attestations that you will receive every year your child is in school and the reports. I used to think why do I need to have a piece of paper that says my child is at school I know they are – this is the reason and many others. You should be able to download them too.
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Very very informative and well written thanks! I moved to live and work in Italy back in 1990, my wife is Italian so I have had a fairly easy ride working for Italian companies despite stupid Brexit. I have an Italian ID card and our 2 kids were born in Roma. To be honest I find the post Brexit 🇬🇧 quite sad.
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Hello Simon, thanks for reading and glad you found it interesting. Well done on your Italian ID card and congratulations to your kids who will have Italian passports as well as British. Yes, it really is such a hassle and for what? No good came out of it.
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