Welcome to France! If you are a long-term resident or have just arrived in France and wish to regularise your administrative situation, you will need to submit an application to the Prefecture. To do this, it is important to gather all the evidence of your presence in France acoordingly. However, it should be stressed that immigration law is a complex area and that French legislation, in particular the Code de l’entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d’asile (CESEDA), defines the conditions and documents accepted as proof of your presence. It is therefore crucial to distinguish between the different types of evidence and to comply with the legal requirements in order to maximise your chances of success.
Would you like to submit your application to the Prefecture with proof of your presence in France?
To submit your application for regularisation to the prefecture, gather the proof of residence acccording to the year. Alien law is very complex and the CESEDA (Code de l’entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d’asile) sets out the conditions and documents that are accepted and those that are not. These help you to prove that you were in France. But above all, you must distinguish between the evidences.
Why are you asked for proof of presence?
Proof of presence in France is required when you apply to the prefecture for regularisation. The only cases in which proof of presence is not required are VLT-TS cases, which entitle the holder to a residence permit.
Foreign nationals must prove that they have been in France for a certain length of time, depending on the residence permit they wish to apply for and the legal requirements. Proof of presence in France consists of various types of document to establish that the person has actually lived in France for the period in question and justifies this. Many people are faced with the difficulty of proving this presence, particularly those who have not kept their documents, those who have lost them, or those who had not really put them together.
Proof of presence is therefore the only document that can justify regularisation.
Relevant information on proof of presence
To better understand the importance of proof of presence when compiling your regularisation file, it is essential to consult what is relevant on this subject. These ‘laws’ detail the types of documents accepted, how to organise them by period, and the importance of ensuring that each document is legible and correctly filled in. They will also guide you on the best way to prove your residence in France and ensure that your situation on French territory is properly documented.
The most relevant provisions concerning proof of presence for the regularisation of illegal residents in France are as follows:
- Article L.313-14 of the CESEDA: This deals with exceptional admission to residence for illegal residents. It allows a temporary residence permit to be issued for exceptional reasons, particularly in the case of personal and family ties.
- Article L.313-11 of the CESEDA: This sets out the conditions under which a temporary residence permit may be issued, particularly on humanitarian grounds or for reasons relating to private and family life.
- Article L.313-15 of the CESEDA: This concerns regularisation through work. It allows foreign nationals to apply for a residence permit if they can prove a certain length of presence and professional activity.
These articles of the Code de l’Entrée et du Séjour des Etrangers et du Droit d’Asile (CESEDA) provide the legal framework for regularising the situation of foreign nationals residing illegally in France, emphasising the need to prove continuous presence and links established during their stay in France.
How to organise your documents ?
Your proof of residence should contain all the 3 following categories of documents as much as possible:
1. Any proof of residence in France issued by the French authoritiesÂ
- Document issued by the Préfecture (request for an appointment, summons, etc.)
- Social and health services (AME application and response from the authorities, etc.)
- Document from the Town Hall (address for registration, etc.)
- Document from a French school
- Court (favourable or unfavourable decisions, summons, etc.)
- Urssaf (DPAE, etc.)
- Receipt from the post office (registered letter in your name)
- Property tax relating to your home,
- Hospital bills or consultations.
- Receipt from the Treasury
- Consulate (passport application, consular card, etc.)
- Impôts
2. Proof of presence from private institutions
- Solidarit̩ transport РPass Navigo (To request for summary for each year)
- Bank statements with monthly movements
- Monthly pay slips, employment contract showing your address
- Medical prescriptions with pharmacy
- Pharmacy invoice showing a medical purchase
- Student card, school certificate, report card
- Rent receipts (not handwritten)
- Internet subscription invoice
- Landline telephone bill
- Mobile phone bill
- Home / car insurance etc….
- Association, library or sports club card
3. Weak but accepted proof of attendance (weak dossier)
- Envelopes with your address
- Proof of accommodation from a relative,
- Certificate of accommodation used to renew an official document
- Attestation from an association showing your role in it
- Attestation from private individuals, testimonials, etc.
- Annual salary declaration from a temporary employment agency
Please note that it is crucial to provide documents that are not only complete but also perfectly legible. These documents must be organised by period and clearly show your identity. This will enable you to prove that you have lived in France for a number of years. Make sure that each document submitted meets these criteria to maximise the validity of your application.