Multi-year residence card: the date of your application
Enter your first permit and its expiry: the calculator gives the filing window for the multi-year card and what it costs.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Multi-year card: apply by
30 November 2026
| Earliest filing date | 30 September 2026 |
| One year of residence reached on | 1 February 2027 |
| Stamps | €350 |
| French required (first card) | A2 |
Integration contract complied with, civic exam passed, conditions of the ground still met. Without them, the prefecture issues another one-year card.
Rules and sourcesThe carte de séjour pluriannuelle (multi-year card) is not issued on arrival: it follows a first one-year permit, either a long-stay visa that serves as a permit (VLS-TS) or a temporary card, and normally keeps the same ground. It lasts 4 years in the general case (employee, self-employed, family admitted by reunification), at most 2 years for the spouse or parent of a French national and for personal and family ties, and the length of the course for a student. Since 1 January 2026, a first multi-year card requires A2-level French and the civic exam (32 correct answers out of 40), unless you are 65 or over, plus compliance with the republican integration contract (CIR). With a first employee card valid until 31 January 2027, you file between 30 September 2026 and 30 November 2026. It costs €250 in tax stamps, €100 for a student; after a VLS-TS it counts as a first card at €350.
What the calculator works out
It takes your first permit's expiry date and derives the filing window: at the earliest 4 months, at the latest 2 months before expiry. It checks that the first year of residence has been reached (1 February 2027 for a permit starting on 1 February 2026) and shows the stamps due for the ground chosen. After a VLS-TS, the multi-year card is your first residence card and is charged at the first-issue rate.
| Ground of the card | Length of the multi-year card | Stamps |
|---|---|---|
| Employee, self-employed | 4 years | €250 |
| Family admitted through reunification | 4 years | €100 |
| Spouse or parent of a French national, family ties | up to 2 years | €250 |
| Student | length of the course, 12 months to 4 years | €100 |
Three proofs to gather before filing
First, proof of A2 French: a TCF or TEF test under two years old, a DELF-type diploma or a French qualification at level 3; foreign diplomas do not count. Second, the pass certificate for the civic exam ("carte de séjour pluriannuelle" version), which never expires and is taken at an approved centre. Third, proof that you attended the training sessions of the integration contract. The commitment to the principles of the Republic is signed when you file. These rules come from article L433-1 onwards of the CESEDA and article L412-7, summarised on the official multi-year card page and the page on French-language requirements.
Limits
The calculator does not check the conditions specific to your ground (employment contract, shared life, income). Nor does it know your prefecture's processing time, which no official source publishes. The civic exam page describes the test.