# Longer stay permit for retired persons?



## vmoxa

Hi everyone,

I am a retired American happily living in France for nearly six years now. I will turn 70 this year, I’m unmarried, no civil relationship with a EU resident, never employed here, possess no property or investments in France, and never filed taxes here. I get along fine on my modest U.S. pensions.

Question… rather than going through the visa renewal process every year, is there an option for a longer stay permit? 

Thanks.

_*both great-grandparents, and both grandparents were born in Italy and all migrated to the U.S. 100 years ago in different stages. I have all their documentation, just not sure I want to pursue Italian citizenship at age 70._ ; )


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## Crabtree

There is but I think you have shot yourself in the foot by not filing a french tax return.
Have you never applied for a Carte de Sejour which you should have done on your first arrival?
How have you applied for a Visa if you are already in France?


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## Bevdeforges

There are longer term cartes de séjour available - namely the carte de résidente, which is a 10 year card. You're eligible for it after you have at least 5 years of legal residence here in France, but it's not automatic. There are specific requirements to obtain one of these. 








Carte de résident de longue durée-UE (étranger en France depuis 5 ans)


Si vous résidez de façon légale et ininterrompue depuis au moins 5 ans en France ou avez une carte bleue européenne, vous pouvez obtenir une carte de résident mention résident de longue durée - UE. Vous devez également remplir d'autres conditions pour l'obtenir (ressources, assurance maladie...




www.service-public.fr




Just be aware that part of the evaluation of your "engagement to respect the principles of the Republic" may include having filed French taxes - even if you owe nothing.

At the moment, there is no French language requirement for those over 65 (or at least not one noted on the Service Public site), but after 6 years of living here, you've probably picked up enough French to qualify if your prefecture insists.


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## 255

@vmoxa -- Filling taxes is one of the things bureaucrats use to determine if you're "integrated" into the French way of life. You may or may not have "owed" any tax -- but you still had/have an obligation to file stating your "world-wide income." You'd potentially received "credits" for foreign income.

If all your income is from U.S. Government pensions/401ks/IRAs, it's doubtful you owed any income tax to France due to the U.S. -- France Tax Treaty: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-trty/france.pdf . I recommend you schedule a meeting with the local tax authorities and expeditiously file your back tax returns ASAP. Once you "regularize" yourself, tax-wise, you'll be in a better position for obtaining a longer permit. Usually, after five years of annual renewals, you'd be eligible to apply for permanent residency (10 year card.) Your failure to file taxes might negatively impact any application for a longer term permit. 

In addition, to a 10 year residence card, you also have the option to apply for naturalization. I'd probably wait for a few years after you become tax compliant to apply through.

It also seems you are Italian -- there is a booming business helping descendants "prove" their Italian roots. Once you receive your Italian passport (by claiming Italian citizenship by descent,) you'll be able to stay in France, as a retiree, long term, without any other type of residency permit (although after watching the BREXIT fiasco, it may make sense to continue maintaining your French residency permit.) 

Bottom line, you have options. Cheers, 255


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## BackinFrance

EU citizens living in France are also required to file tax declarations.

I believe you may not be able to file tax declarations for more than the 3 years preceding 2022, but the local tax office would know.


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## vmoxa

Crabtree said:


> There is but I think you have shot yourself in the foot by not filing a french tax return.
> Have you never applied for a Carte de Sejour which you should have done on your first arrival?
> How have you applied for a Visa if you are already in France?


oops, sorry. I get my terms mixed-up. arrived on a 12 month visa issued in USA, did the OFII thing, then the Prefecture visit, then carte de sejour renewals... but I think I have no more renewals available. It appeared the Prefecture in Creteil, Val-de-Marne, wasn't prioritizing this type of thing during the covid confinements. I get reccommande confirmations back in the mail, but nothing from the Prefecture in over a year. That's why I thought a longer term permit would be practical. txs.


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## Bevdeforges

On a "visiteur" visa you aren't limited as to the number of renewals. And the prefectures don't normally send out any kind of reminders for renewing the carte de séjour. They expect you to contact them a couple months before the expiration date. I would check the prefecture webpage to see if they have information about how to renew your CDS and if you are eligible to apply for a carte de résidente based on having lived in France for more than 5 years. The lack of tax declarations could become an issue - and it is definitely a requirement for taking French nationality.


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## BackinFrance

Some Préfectures and Sous-Préfectures are so overloaded for a variety of reasons, that they simply cannot keep up with demand, irrespective of the type of CDS/TDS that you have or are seeking. But if they are deferring your request and you keep a record of that, you are for practical purposes still legally resident. However you would be well advised to keep seeking an appointment to finalise your application. Also the sooner you approach your local tax office to sort out your tax declarations the better because it will now take considerable time to to receive your avis, which you may well be asked for going forward.


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## vmoxa

BackinFrance said:


> Some Préfectures and Sous-Préfectures are so overloaded for a variety of reasons, that they simply cannot keep up with demand, irrespective of the type of CDS/TDS that you have or are seeking. But if they are deferring your request and you keep a record of that, you are for practical purposes still legally resident. However you would be well advised to keep seeking an appointment to finalise your application. Also the sooner you approach your local tax office to sort out your tax declarations the better because it will now take considerable time to to receive your avis, which you may well be asked for going forward.


I am finalizing my taxes with the help of a friend and will visit my local revenue fiscale office next week and see how to proceed next.

now... where can I find the forms and instructions to download for the carte de resident (5 years)? I live in Val-de-Marne, Creteil Prefecture is close to me. thanks.


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## 255

@vmoxa -- Here's a good place to start: Étrangers en France . Cheers, 255


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