Digital Overhaul of French Residence Permit System Causes Chaos for Immigrants

The digitalization of the residence permit renewal procedure in France, instead of being a panacea, represents a huge difficulty for immigrants who submit their applications to the prefecture of Puy-de-Dôme. Applicants face "site anomalies". Foreigners "who are only asking for the renewal of their residence permits return empty-handed from this prefecture every day," reported the French media Les Jours. They have to wait for a response from state services for several months. Some make do with APIs (attestations of prolonged instruction). Others who haven’t had this luck end up losing their job or housing after living illegally.

This prefecture is "regularly pointed out as being one of the most problematic in France" when it comes to managing residence permits, reports the French media. The processing times for residence permits have been abnormally long "for 25 years," specifies Dominique Charmeil, general director of the CéCler association. Even prefecture agents cannot help residence permit applicants via the ANEF portal. They are "prevented by the very functioning of the portal," explains the same source. The immigration service is "one of the hardest," testifies Pascal Legros, a former employee at this prefecture.

According to his explanations, "the volume of work is immense, the working hours are long, with little compensation for the agents". A job that is less appealing. There are only young interns to manage residence permit files.

It is also difficult for foreigners to obtain an online appointment. On its website, the last appointment it granted dates back to June 2024. "Instead, it offers foreigners an intercom they can ring hoping someone will answer... which happens quite rarely," notes the French newspaper.