FranceRegularisation

Exceptional regularisation in France

The programme allows foreign nationals staying unlawfully, who are not EU citizens, to request a residence card and the right to work on the basis of long residence, integration into society or work in shortage occupations. Approval is discretionary and depends on meeting the conditions set by the prefecture. Cards are issued for employees or temporary workers for a period of one year or more.

Visa term

Usually a temporary card for 1 year, renewed while the criteria are still met

Threshold

There are no direct thresholds; for AES par le travail — stable income (from the SMIC)

Processing time

Varies widely: from several months to a year

Work

Depends on the card: with salarié or VPF, usually a full right

Source: service-public.gouv.fr — exceptional grounds for residence

Two routes to regularisation

The conditions and requirements differ depending on how long you have lived in the country and on the type of work.

Long residence

At least 7 years of continuous residence in France
Evidence of integration into society (social ties, volunteering, taking part in community life)
Command of French (confirmed by a diploma or certificate)

Shortage occupations

At least 3 years of continuous residence in France
At least 12 months of work over the past 24 months in a field included in the list of shortage occupations
No criminal record and evidence of social integration

When the programme is not a fit

EU citizens or other European nationals

Freedom of movement in the EU; use the general rules for EU citizens

People subject to an obligation to leave French territory

That obligation has to be complied with first, or annulled; consult a lawyer

People in polygamous relationships living in polygamy in France

This category is excluded from the programme; a divorce or annulment of the marriage is required

People who represent a serious threat to public order or security

This category is excluded automatically; consult a lawyer to assess the specific situation

Documents to gather

The full list of documents for filing an AES application with your chosen prefecture:

Passport or a document replacing it (a consular identity certificate, a certificate of nationality), no more than 6 months old
Birth certificate with marginal notes (acte de naissance avec mentions)
Certificate of residence (no more than 6 months old)
3 photographs (35×45 mm)
A declaration that you are not in a polygamous relationship in France
Cerfa form no. 15186 signed by the employer (the job offer)
Evidence of continuous residence in France since arrival (letters, bills, landlord's statements, documents from state bodies)
Employment history (copies of employment contracts, employers' certificates, payslip records, income certificates)
Evidence of integration into society (association membership cards, letters from clubs, volunteering certificates, references from employers)
A signed undertaking to respect the principles of the French Republic

How the process runs

Obtaining AES runs through several consecutive stages of consideration.

1
Preparing the documents and filing the application
1-2 months to prepare
Collect all the documents on the list of requirements. File the full pack with the prefecture (préfecture) or sub-prefecture (sous-préfecture) for the place where you live. Note: some sub-prefectures do not accept AES applications; check in advance. When you file, obtain a receipt.
2
Receiving the receipt (récépissé)
1-2 weeks after filing
If your document pack is complete, the administration issues you a receipt (récépissé). On the shortage occupations route the récépissé allows you to start working officially. The receipt has a limited period of validity and can be extended if consideration drags on.
3
Official consideration by the prefecture
up to 4 months
The prefecture checks the documents, asks further questions and consults the employer and other authorities. The maximum period for consideration is 4 months. If the prefecture gives no answer within 4 months of filing, that counts as a refusal (an implied refusal by default).
4
Decision: approval or refusal
notification within 2 weeks
The prefecture will send you a letter with the decision. If it is approved you will be notified that the card is being issued. A refusal has to give reasons. A refusal (express or implied) can be appealed within 2 months.
5
Receiving the residence card
1-2 weeks after approval
Once approved you will receive a carte de séjour salarié (for workers on an open-ended contract, CDI) or a carte travailleur temporaire (for workers on a fixed-term contract, CDD). The card is issued for 1 year and can be renewed if the conditions are met.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

You have to live in France more or less continuously

The residence card is issued for 1 year and can be renewed. Renewal requires evidence of continuing work and confirmation of French at level A2 as a minimum. On renewal after the first year the card may be issued for 4 years instead of 1, if you still meet the integration conditions. The charges on renewal are lower than on the first application.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Exceptional regularisation	Work visa	Subsidiary protection
Visa term	Usually a temporary card for 1 year, renewed while the criteria are still met	For the term of the contract; renewed on new grounds	A temporary residence permit for 1 year, renewable (1-4 years)
Grounds	Work / family ties	Employment	Threat to life
Money	There are no direct thresholds; for AES par le travail — stable income (from the SMIC)	The salary under the contract (the minimum depends on the position)	There are no financial requirements; the same material support
Work	Depends on the card: with salarié or VPF, usually a full right	Yes, within the approved grounds, sometimes with a specific employer	A full right to work once the titre de séjour is issued
Residence	You have to live in France more or less continuously	Genuine residence while the employment grounds still hold	Permanent residence in France

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

After 5 years with consecutive cards — a carte de résident

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation after 5 years, with integration, income and oral B1

Frequently asked questions about Exceptional regularisation

What charges have to be paid if AES is approved?

The charges depend on the type of card issued on approval. For a carte salarié or carte travailleur temporaire the initial cost is €350 (€300 tax + €50 stamp). On renewal a year later the charges fall to €250 (€200 tax + €50 stamp). The charges are paid when the card is collected, not when the application is filed.

What if I get no answer within 4 months?

If the prefecture does not decide within 4 months of the application being filed, that automatically counts as a refusal. You can lodge an appeal within 2 months of the silence period ending. The appeal can be administrative (to the prefect or the Minister of the Interior) or judicial (to the administrative court).

Can I work while my application is being considered?

That depends on the route. If you applied on the shortage occupations route, the récépissé (receipt) issued when the complete pack is filed allows you to work officially while the application is considered. On the long residence route the right to work only arises once the residence card is issued on approval.

How do I evidence integration into society?

Integration is evidenced by documents confirming your connection with life in France: association or club membership cards, letters from them, volunteering certificates, references from employers, letters from neighbours or friends, documents on taking part in local events. On the shortage occupations route social integration is enough; on the long residence route full integration is required, including command of French.

What is the undertaking to respect the principles of the Republic?

It is a written contract signed when the application is filed and on renewal. In it you confirm your commitment to France's core values: personal freedom and freedom of conscience, equality between men and women, human dignity and the secular character of the state. A breach can lead to the card being refused or withdrawn if the breach is deliberate, serious and a threat to public order.

Other ways to move to France

Every route in one list — migration programmes: France.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.