The withdrawal of the residence permit is the final step of your application: the prefecture informs you that the card is manufactured and available, then hands it to you in person, by appointment or on summons, against the tax stamp and the return of your old title or receipt. You cannot send someone in your place, because the agent verifies your identity and, often, your fingerprints. On the appointed day, you must present the notice of availability, your passport, your old title or receipt, and the tax stamp purchased in advance. This article describes each step and explains what to do if no appointment slot is available while your receipt is expiring.
How you are notified that the title is available
When the decision is favorable, the file goes into production, and then the card is delivered to the prefecture. You then receive a notice of availability, by SMS, by email, or in your ANEF space (Digital Administration for Foreigners in France). The message indicates the collection location and the procedure: either a summons at a date and time set by the prefecture, or an invitation to make an appointment for "title collection" yourself on the department's online module.
This message is important to keep: in many prefectures, it serves as a pass for entry, and only those who present it can access the collection counter. If you have submitted on ANEF, also check the status of your file: the ANEF file tracking page explains the labels that announce the availability. If you receive a summons without understanding its purpose, the article why the prefecture summons me reviews possible reasons.
Making the collection appointment
- Open the appointment booking module on your prefecture's website (department-name.gouv.fr) and choose the exact reason: "residence permit collection" or "title withdrawal." An appointment made under a different reason may be refused at the counter.
- Provide your foreign number (AGDREF number, found on your receipt or old title) and your identity as it appears on the passport.
- Keep the confirmation email. It usually contains a link to modify or cancel the slot, which frees up the spot for someone else if you have a scheduling conflict.
- If no slots appear, check back regularly: prefectures open their schedules in waves, and cancellations free up spots at any time. The service rendezvousprefecture.com will notify you by email or SMS when a collection slot opens in the prefecture you are monitoring.
Some prefectures summon themselves, without a module: the date and time are indicated in the notice, and you can only change them by writing to the service. Local organizations differ significantly; see for example the withdrawal of the title in Créteil, the title collection in Melun, or the withdrawal of the title in Rouen.
The tax stamp
The tax and stamp duty due for your title are paid by electronic tax stamp, purchased before the appointment on the site timbres.impots.gouv.fr or at an authorized tobacco shop. You receive a receipt bearing the stamp number, to be presented printed or on your phone. No payment is possible at the counter, neither in cash nor by card: without a valid stamp, the card is not handed over, and you must make another appointment.
The amount depends on the title issued and your situation: some categories are exempt, others pay a reduced tax, and a regularization visa fee is added if the application was submitted late or in an irregular situation. The exact amount is indicated to you by the prefecture in the notice of availability or on the page of the relevant title on service-public.fr. Purchase the exact amount: a stamp of a different amount cannot be "completed" at the counter. An unused stamp can be refunded online within a limited time after purchase.
The documents to bring on the day of collection
- The notice of availability or the summons (SMS, printed email, or displayed on the phone).
- Your valid passport.
- Your old residence permit, or the receipt or certificate of ongoing instruction extension: they are retained at the time of handover. The prefecture does not hand over the new title if the old one is not returned, except in case of loss or theft declaration.
- The tax stamp of the required amount.
- A recent proof of residence if the notice requests it, for example, to verify the address printed on the card.
- For a minor: the presence of the child and a parent, with the parent's ID.
At the counter, the agent verifies your identity, compares your fingerprints if necessary to those recorded, has you check the details on the card (name, date of birth, address, title mention, validity dates), and has you sign a handover slip. Check the card before signing: an error reported on-site is corrected by a new free production, while an error discovered later requires a rectification request.
Usual timelines between the decision and the handover
Three durations follow one another, and only the first is under the strict control of the prefecture:
- Production. Once the decision is made and the file transmitted, the card is produced by the national production center. This generally takes a few weeks.
- Shipping and availability. The card arrives at the prefecture or the relevant sub-prefecture, which triggers the notice.
- Waiting for a collection slot. This is the most variable segment: from a few days to several weeks depending on the prefecture's workload.
During this entire period, your receipt or your certificate of ongoing instruction extension must remain valid. If it expires before the handover, request its renewal on ANEF or from the prefecture, indicating that the title is pending collection. The guide on the receipt and the extension certificate details this process.
No collection slot available: what to do
- Check that you are looking on the correct site: the collection takes place in the prefecture or sub-prefecture indicated in the notice, which is not always the one where you submitted.
- Keep dated screenshots of the empty schedule, on several dates and times.
- Write to the prefecture using the contact form or by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, attaching the notice of availability and your screenshots, and requesting a slot or an extension of your receipt.
- If the situation persists, remind in your letter that the Council of State ruled on June 10, 2020 (n° 435594) that a prefecture must offer an alternative when online appointment booking is permanently impossible. As a last resort, the "useful measures" summary proceedings before the administrative court (Administrative Justice Code, article L. 521-3) allow the judge to order the prefecture to give you an appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Can a relative collect my title on my behalf?
No. The handover is done in person to the holder, because the agent checks the identity and, most often, the fingerprints. A proxy is not accepted for a residence permit.
What should I do if I did not receive the SMS while my file indicates "title available"?
Check your spam folder and the phone number registered in your ANEF space. If the status indicates availability, you can make an appointment for "title collection" without waiting for the SMS, bringing a printout of the tracking page.
I cannot come on the date of the summons, what happens?
Cancel or reschedule the slot via the link in the confirmation email, or write to the service if the date was set by the prefecture. The title remains available at the prefecture for several months, but do not delay: an uncollected title will eventually be destroyed.
Can I pay the tax stamp on-site?
No. The stamp must be purchased before the appointment, online or at an authorized tobacco shop, for the exact amount indicated by the prefecture. Without a valid stamp, the handover is postponed.
