Where to go in Castelnau-le-Lez
Use the official sites below to check the responsible service, application method and appointment requirements. Not every procedure is handled by the prefecture. Contact the association to discuss available support.
Key points in 30 seconds
- Check APS validity and continue renewal while preparing.
- With a legal adviser, identify each adult’s permit basis and a plan for the children.
- Ask the prefecture for the transition procedure, visa conditions and exact document list.
The procedure at a glance
APS and residence permits: different legal grounds
An APS marked ‘protection temporaire’ confirms temporary protection, not an ordinary residence card. Extending the protection regime does not issue a ‘salarié’ or ‘vie privée et familiale’ card. Your document’s expiry date is printed on the APS. While the transition is being considered, do not stop renewing existing protection without written clarification from the prefecture. A residence-permit application is not an asylum application; these procedures have different consequences.
Advice from the association
Don't leave this procedure to the last minute — come and see us.
Work: salarié or travailleur temporaire
A permanent CDI generally relates to the ‘salarié’ card, a fixed-term CDD to ‘travailleur temporaire’, but a contract alone does not guarantee a permit. The ordinary process checks employment conditions and work authorisation. Permission to work under an APS does not mean every requirement of the new card is satisfied. Ask the prefecture about the procedure for a temporary-protection beneficiary and your employer about the required actions and documents; do not leave your job to change status.
Common mistake
Treating employment or having children as a permit guarantee.
Family and studies: individual assessment
A ‘vie privée et familiale’ card depends on a specific basis, such as being a French citizen’s spouse, a French child’s parent or having established personal and family ties. Children, marriage or years of residence alone do not automatically provide a card; the conditions of the relevant basis apply. ‘Étudiant’ requires enrolment and sufficient resources, as well as compliance with entry and application rules. Do not assume that an APS automatically waives the long-stay visa requirement: check whether you may apply within France and any exceptions before travelling.
Common mistake
Stopping APS renewal or giving up protection before assessing the consequences.
Applying and lawful stay during assessment
Check the official website of the prefecture where you live: the process may use or a separate appointment. Do not choose an unrelated category if the correct one is missing. An proves filing but does not, by itself, establish lawful stay or permission to work. A or has different effects: check its type, validity and work rights for a first application. Continuation of rights when renewing a previous card cannot automatically be applied to a transition from an APS.
Common mistake
Treating an as permission to stay, work or travel.
Children, adulthood and travel
Foreign minors generally do not need an individual residence card to live in France; from age 16 a card may be required, notably for work. Check a child’s residence basis before their 18th birthday: a parent’s card does not automatically issue a card to the child. For a child’s trip, check the DCEM and a valid passport: the DCEM facilitates return without a visa but does not replace the passport. Separately check the adult’s ability to return using their own documents; proof of filing is not travel authorisation.
Common mistake
Assuming parents and children automatically receive the same status.
ADA, and the family’s healthcare rights
Changing status may change eligibility for ADA and other benefits. Before transitioning, ask for written clarification about ADA and ask and which documents your family needs. Do not assume that all benefits continue automatically or stop immediately on application. Report changes in documents, address, income and household composition and keep proof. A student permit also does not give the same employment rights as an APS: check restrictions before choosing that card.
Common mistake
Buying appointments or ignoring deadlines in a refusal.
When legal advice is essential
Consult an immigration-law specialist before giving up protection, if the transition procedure is unclear, a required visa is missing, the APS expires without a replacement document, there is divorce or violence, or a refusal/ is issued. Ask for an assessment of each adult’s and child’s grounds and continuity of lawful stay, work and benefits. Free initial advice at a or association does not mean free representation; check legal aid if needed. Official pages for this guide were checked on 1 November 2026; the prefecture makes the individual decision.
Step by step
- 1Check APS validity and continue renewal while preparing.
- 2With a legal adviser, identify each adult’s permit basis and a plan for the children.
- 3Ask the prefecture for the transition procedure, visa conditions and exact document list.
- 4Clarify work authorisation with the employer and benefit implications with , and .
- 5Gather documents and translations using the official list, apply through the specified channel and keep proof.
- 6Before the APS expires, check which document proves lawful stay and work rights; follow up in writing if delayed.
- 7After the decision, check the card and report the new status to services; show any refusal to a legal adviser immediately.
Documents needed
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- Adults’ and children’s passports, valid APS documents and previous residence documents.
- Proof of address or with attachments required by the prefecture.
- Birth and marriage records, custody/divorce documents; sworn translations if required.
- For work: CDI/CDD, payslips and employer/work-authorisation documents for the applicable process.
- For family grounds: the relative’s nationality/status, relationship, shared life and participation in upbringing.
- For studies: enrolment, proof of resources and entry documents under the applicable rules.
- E-photo and additional items on the official list; copies of applications, correspondence and // decisions.
FAQ
Is a CDI enough to move from an APS to a residence permit?
No. A CDI may support a ‘salarié’ application, but the prefecture checks the card’s conditions, employment, required authorisations and filing rules. Clarify the process for a temporary-protection beneficiary.
Must I give up temporary protection before applying?
Do not do so on your own initiative. Before taking action, get individual legal advice and written clarification from the prefecture to avoid a gap in lawful stay and the family’s rights.
What does an APS look like and where is its expiry date?
The diagram below is not a real form. Check the name, foreigner number, ‘protection temporaire’ wording and ‘du / au’ dates on your own document; layouts vary by prefecture. The validity of proof of filing does not replace APS validity.
Does ADA continue after moving to a residence permit?
Not automatically: it depends on protection and resource conditions. Ask for written clarification about your case before transitioning and report changes; and have separate rules.
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