Student to private and family life permit in France: the cases

During your studies, your personal life changed. You got married, entered a PACS, or became the parent of a French child. Your "student" card then no longer reflects your situation. A lawyer checks your file in 20 minutes on Avocat20min.fr.

Private and family life permit: which cases?

The switch from student to private and family life permit targets the temporary residence card of that name. It lasts one year and lets you work without a work authorisation. Three situations open that right most often.

Situation	CESEDA article	Key condition
Married to a French national	L.423-1	Shared life, and a marriage registered in France if held abroad
Parent of a French child	L.423-7	Effective contribution to the child's upkeep and education
Personal and family ties	L.423-23	Strong and stable ties in France

The PACS, the French civil partnership, does not appear in this table as a separate case. It falls under personal and family ties, as we will see.

Finally, Algerians follow other rules: their stay falls under the Franco-Algerian agreement of 1968. Our article on Algerian nationals explains them.

Student married to a French national

Article L.423-1 of the CESEDA, the French immigration code, covers a foreign national married to a French citizen. Three conditions apply:

• the shared life has not stopped since the marriage;
• your spouse has kept French nationality;
• a marriage held abroad was first registered in the French civil records.

Also, the prefecture checks that the couple is real. It therefore asks for proof of shared life: joint lease, bills, tax notices, photos. A sham marriage leads to refusal and prosecution.

After the permit, our article on separation and the spouse of a French national permit covers the risks of a break-up.

The long-stay visa: when does it apply?

In principle, a first temporary card calls for a long-stay visa. For the spouse of a French national, this condition often raises questions. Yet a student who entered France on a long-stay "student" visa usually meets it already.

Then, article L.423-2 covers another case. It concerns a foreign national who entered lawfully and married a French citizen in France. After six months of shared life in France, they obtain the private and family life permit with no further long-stay visa.

Finally, the parent of a French child and the personal and family ties ground need no long-stay visa. Service-public even states that the parent may apply while unlawfully present. Still, check your prefecture's practice before filing.

Student in a PACS with a French national

A PACS gives no automatic right of stay. The prefecture then examines your application on the ground of personal and family ties. In practice, it often expects at least one year of shared life in France.

So gather dated proof of your life as a couple. The PACS alone falls short, even an old one. In contrast, a wedding plan or a child clearly strengthens the file.

Parent of a French child

Article L.423-7 covers the parent of a French minor child who lives in France. You must contribute effectively to the child's upkeep and education. That contribution must exist since the child's birth, or for at least two years.

Evidence matters a great deal:

• regular transfers, or child support set by the family court judge;
• nursery, school or health bills in your name;
• statements from the school, the doctor or the other parent;
• photos and proof of regular visits.

You no longer live with the other parent? The private and family life permit remains possible, provided you prove that contribution.

Personal and family ties

Article L.423-23 covers a foreign national whose ties in France are such that a refusal would disproportionately harm their private and family life. The prefecture looks in particular at:

• the intensity, length and stability of your ties;
• your living conditions and your integration in France;
• your ties with the family still in your country of origin.

Careful: years of study often carry little weight here. The prefecture sees them as a temporary stay. A strong file therefore combines family ties, a job, housing and social life. If this ground fails, our article on exceptional leave to remain presents another route.

Filing and cost

File your application before your "student" card expires. Depending on the prefecture, you file on ANEF or at an appointment. Our status change guide covers the filing window and the extension certificate.

The private and family life permit costs €350 since 1 May 2026, that is a €300 tax and a €50 stamp duty. You also sign the contract committing you to respect the principles of the Republic.

After one year, a multi-year card becomes possible. Since 2026, it requires level A2 in French and the civic exam in principle.

While the application is examined

A complete file lodged in time entitles you to a certificate of extended processing. It extends the rights of your "student" card. Thus you stay limited to 964 hours of work a year until the decision. Unlimited work waits for the private and family life permit itself.

Then, the prefecture may call you to an interview, alone or with your spouse. It then checks that your shared life is real. So prepare for it: key dates, the couple's habits, your plans. Inconsistent answers sometimes suffice to justify a refusal.

Finally, keep your evidence up to date throughout the review. Send a new lease, a birth or a newly registered marriage without waiting.

Private and family life permit or employee card?

Do you also have a job? The choice deserves thought. The private and family life permit lets you work freely, without depending on an employer. However, your permit then depends on your family life.

Conversely, the "employee" card ties you to your contract and requires a work authorisation. A lawyer helps you weigh these options. Also, in case of violence within the couple, our article on the residence permit and domestic violence sets out your protections.

When to consult a lawyer

A lawyer checks that your evidence will hold up before the prefecture. They also choose the right legal ground, and so the right documents. If you are refused, our article on residence permit refusal sets out the remedies.

An immigration lawyer answers within 20 minutes. The official conditions appear on the service-public private and family life card page.