For those British Citizens who were resident in France on 31st December 2020 but who had not been resident for 5 years at that date, a five year withdrawal ageement residency permit (WARP) was issued. These are now starting to reach their expiry dates, meaning renewal is necessary. Key points to note are:
- Although there has been talk of a centralised, online renewal system being developed, there is not yet any clarity on when this might be ready. So, for the moment, it is necessary to contact your local Préfecture to confirm what that procedure is. Some Préfectures (e.g. Bouches du Rhône, Cantal, Dordogne, Loiret, Manche, Meurthe et Moselle, Paris, Vienne) are using an online renewal system. Others (e.g. Charente Maritime, Finistère, Hauts de Seine, Lot et Garonne, Nord) require an appointment at the Préfecture or request that the renewal file is posted to them.
- Each Préfecture seems to have differences in the way they are handling WARP renewals, which makes it difficult for us to provide and easy to understand summary.
- However, there should be a standard set of documents to provide, which can be found here. Basically, you need a valid UK passport, a recent (less than three months) proof of address (e.g. utilities bill), three passport photographs and the card that is about to expire. You should not need anything else, although we are aware of some Préfectures asking for more (e.g. Côtes d'Armor also ask for a birth certificate and proof of residency in France for each of the last five years).
- You will also be asked to provide proof of any changes to your circumstances such as marriage or divorce.
- You will also be asked to provide proof of any changes to your circumstances such as marriage or divorce.
- One consistent message that is coming out is that applications for renewal should not be made until two months prior to the expiry date of the card. Although this does contribute to the anxiety of those with a card coming up for expiry, it does seem necessary to follow this advice.
- There is also now clear information that the expired WARP card remains valid for three months after the expiry date.
- Additionally, if you have a “recipissé” from the Préfecture to confirm you have applied for renewal, that renders the expired card valid until the new card is issued.
- As it is almost certain that the 5-Year WARP card holder has now been in France for more than five years, the new card will be a 10-year card confirming a permanent right of residence.
- You can retain the right to hold a WARP card even if you have had periods outside France in the last five years. Once you have the permanent 10-year card, you can retain the right to hold it unless you are out of France for a period of three consecutive years.
Information from the Embassy: we are hoping to receive an updated summary from the Embassy soon. It will be posted when it is available.
