UK Nationals’ Brexit Residence Permit Applications System Now Open
October 19, 2020
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At a Glance
- The French government has opened the online portal for UK nationals to register for French residence permits, following a postponement due to COVID-19-related government closures.
- As a reminder, UK nationals and their family members residing in France and those planning to enter and reside in France before December 31, 2020 must apply for a Withdrawal Agreement residence permit by July 1, 2021 and will be required to hold one beginning October 1, 2021.
The situation
The French government has launched the online portal to register UK nationals residing in France.
Impact
- UK nationals residing in France and those entering France before December 31, 2020. UK nationals and their family members residing in France and those planning to enter France before December 31, 2020 must apply for a French Withdrawal Agreement residence permit by July 1, 2021. However, the decree specifying the conditions to be met for issuance of the residence permit have not yet been published.
- UK nationals entering France after December 31, 2020. UK nationals and their family members arriving in France after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, 2020 will need to obtain a work permit prior to entry, under the rules applied to non-EU/European Economic Area (EEA) nationals.
- Rule after October 1, 2021 for all UK nationals regardless of arrival date. From October 1, 2021, UK nationals must hold a French residence permit to maintain their residence and work rights, regardless of their arrival date. For UK nationals arriving before or during the transition period, this would be the Withdrawal Agreement residence permit, and for UK nationals arriving after the end of transition, this would be a residence permit issued under non-EU/EEA rules.
Background
The online system was originally scheduled to open in July 2020, but was delayed due to COVID-19-related government closures.
The residence permit will allow UK applicants to maintain their work and residence rights in France after Brexit if they fulfill the related conditions.
Looking ahead
The decree specifying the conditions to be met for applying for the residence permit has yet to be published. Fragomen will provide updated information as soon as it is available.
For more information, please visit Fragomen's dedicated Brexit site, which contains news, FAQs, and analysis/commentary in the form of blogs, videos, webcasts and events.
Fragomen in France is Fragomen France AARPI., operating as an immigration consultancy/law firm in France. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
