Table
of Contents
Key
points
o
The withdrawal agreement gives a transition period
until the 31st December 2020 so any existing rights are carried
forward until the end of the year and if you have lived in France before this
date, your rights will be maintained.
o
Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to vote for
the local and European elections nor to be elected in the local ‘conseil municipal’ (as this would mean that France would
have to change the French Constitution)
o
It is very important that you
apply for the Health cover in the French system ASAP.
o
You will have to apply for a ‘titre de séjour’ or
‘carte de séjour’ (residency card) using the online residency portal. Due to the impact of
COVID-19, the opening of the website, initially planned for 1st July
2020, has now been postponed to 1st October 2020. You will have
until at least 30th June 2021 to apply.
To apply you will
need to justify your situation in France which could be one of the following:
§ You are employed
or self employed
§ You have
sufficient means to sustain yourself and your family as well as a health
insurance cover
§ You are a student
or are following a professional training and have a health cover
§ You are a member
of a British family who has been living in France before the 31st
December 2020 having a residency card (spouse, partner, child, parent or being
part of a British household)
o
British citizens who have been residing in France for
more than 5 years before 31st December 2020 will be entitled to a
residency card for a 10-year period. Those who have been in France for less
than 5 years before the end of the transition period may have access to a card
for a 1 to 5-year period depending on their situation.
o
For British citizens who will arrive in France after
the 1st January 2021 and who do not have any family link with a
British citizen with a residency card may get an authorisation to stay on the
grounds of common law regulations.
o
Those who already have a residency card stating ‘Citoyen Union Européenne’ obtained
before the end of the transition period will have to renew this card before 1st
July 2021 so that they obtain a card stating, ‘accord de retrait’.
o
The residency cards issued in France will allow
British citizens to travel the countries of the Schengen zone for periods less
than three months.
o
The uprating of pensions will be maintained
For more
information you can go on these websites
-
https://brexit.gouv.fr/sites/brexit/accueil.html
-
https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-paris
-
https://www.gov.uk/world/living-in-france
If you wish to
exchange a driving licence, you can do so online from beginning of March.
Please remember that you need to exchange your licence if it is about to
expire, if you want to add or delete a category on your licence, if you are
required to change it because you have had a fine.
NEW: you can now register your EU licence online with ANTS
so that the French system has a record of it without having to exchange it
(should you lose your licence for example).You need copies of the licence, your
passport and utility bill.
Should you need
any help on these issues, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you.