Non-EU citizens living in France need a carte de séjour residency card, but what happens if you then acquire French citizenship, or citizenship of another EU country such as Ireland?
It’s not an uncommon scenario – you’re living in France with a carte de séjour residency card, but then you become a citizen of either France or another EU country (like Ireland, for example).
Being an EU citizen removes the need for pesky things like residency permits – but what practical steps do you then need to take?
What happens when your carte de séjour is up for renewal? And how does this affect your carte vitale health card?
French citizenship
If you have obtained French citizenship, then technically you are French from the moment the notice is published in the Journal Officiel, however if you want to travel as a French national, then you will need to apply for a French passport. Having a French passport also lets you prove your nationality to anyone who asks, as does the more pocket-friendly French ID card.
How to get a French passport after gaining citizenship
What you need to know about France’s new digital ID cards
Being French means that you no longer need a visa or residency card in order to live in France, you have the right to unlimited stays (and unlimited time out of France), and you can also vote.
Other EU citizenship
Gaining citizenship of another EU nation also gives you the right to live and work in France, under EU freedom of movement legislation. France is one of the few EU member states that does not require any kind of registration for EU citizens, so you no longer need a visa or residency card. Your new EU passport and/or ID card now acts as proof of your right to live and work in France.
You can vote in local elections (municipales) and European elections, but not presidential or parliamentary elections. You can hold a local office, such as being a local councillor, but you cannot become an MP or run for president.
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You can also hold most fonctionnaire (public sector) jobs, although certain fonctionnaire roles – mostly high-level civil servants – are reserved for French citizens.
Carte de séjour – so what do you do with your residency card? Well, firstly, there is no need to cancel it – the general rule of thumb for any change of status is that you wait until the card is approaching its expiry date and then, if necessary, apply for a change of status or a new card.
If you are now an EU citizen, you simply don’t renew the card when it expires.
If you are ever asked for proof of your right to be in France, you instead show your EU passport/ID card.
There are, however, a few people whom you might need to inform of your new status;
Employer – if you are an employee, make sure you tell your company that you are now an EU citizen so they can update their HR records.
Likewise if you are a student you should tell your university so they can update their records.
Electoral rolls – if you have become French, then you should be automatically added to the electoral roll in your local commune – here’s how to check that this has been done. If you are an EU citizen, you will need to register in order to be added to the electoral roll ahead of the next local elections (2026) or European ones (2029).
Travel – when it comes to travel it’s generally up to you which passport you decide to travel on, although some countries have extra restrictions, for example Americans must use their US passport in order to enter the USA, while the UK appears to be insisting that all British dual nationals have a current UK passport as part of its new ETA system.
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When you do travel, remember you need to follow the rules of the passport that you are travelling on, particularly with systems such as the EU’s EES and ETIAS and the UK’s ETA. Contrary to popular belief, the passports of dual nationals are not ‘linked’, so border control officials have no way of knowing that you are a dual national.
If you have your passport details saved on accounts such as Eurostar or an airline, remember to update them.
Mairie – this isn’t compulsory, but if you live in a small village or commune, it might be a good idea to let the mayor know that you’re now French/European so they can update their records. Depending on your age and the commune rules, it might make you eligible for a free hamper at Christmas.
READ ALSO: 5 things that dual nationals in France need to know
Healthcare
When it comes to healthcare, the situation is slightly different. Everyone who has lived in France for more than three months is entitled to register in the French system, and once registered in the system, everyone gets the same level of cover.
Therefore, becoming French or European gives no extra rights in addition to the ones you already have.
Some people living in France will have their healthcare costs reimbursed by another country under the S1 scheme – this isn’t tied to citizenship, it’s based on your ‘competent state’, which for most people will be the country that they worked in before they retired.
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For example if you worked in the UK for your whole career (and therefore you ‘paid in’ to the pot through social security contributions) then the UK pays your healthcare costs in France via the S1 scheme. Getting an EU citizenship does not change that and the UK remains your competent state for healthcare.
READ ALSO: Explained: The S1 healthcare form and how to use it in France
You can update your personal details for the French health system via a visit to your local CPAM office. You may also be periodically contacted by CPAM asking for proof of your right to be in France – in this case instead of showing your carte de séjour, you show your EU passport/ID card.
But it will not change your healthcare rights.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
