Residence permit

Algerian residence certificate: 1 year and 10 years on the ANEF

By The FrenchPappers team · Published on 20 July 2026 · Last reviewed on 20 July 2026 · 6 min read

You are Algerian and your permit is about to expire? Unlike other foreign nationals, you do not fall under the CESEDA but under the Franco-Algerian agreement of 27 December 1968. Your document is called a residence certificate (certificat de résidence), valid for 1 or 10 years, and it is now renewed on the ANEF. We explain the concrete differences to you.

Why Algerians do not fall under the CESEDA

Most foreign nationals in France are governed by the CESEDA, the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and the Right of Asylum. Algerian nationals are an exception: their residence is governed by a specific bilateral text, the Franco-Algerian agreement of 27 December 1968, which entered into force in 1969 and was amended by three riders (1985, 1994 and 2001, the latter published by decree n° 2002-1500 of 20 December 2002).

This particularity is not a mere detail: it changes the name of your document, its conditions of issuance and its duration. An Algerian national cannot rely on a CESEDA residence card if the agreement does not provide for it, and vice versa. This is why it is essential to think in terms of the "Algerian regime" rather than the "general regime".

Residence certificate: the right vocabulary

The document issued to Algerians is not called a "residence permit" or "residence card", but Algerian residence certificate (sometimes abbreviated CRA). It is mandatory from the age of 16 in order to reside legally in France. A distinction is drawn between the 1-year residence certificate and the 10-year residence certificate.

To remember: "residence certificate" and "residence permit" are not interchangeable. Using the right term in your ANEF file avoids misunderstandings, because your situation is examined in the light of the 1968 agreement, not the CESEDA.

General regime or Algerian regime: the table of differences

Here are the concrete differences that come up most often in the files we prepare.

Point	General regime (CESEDA)	Algerian regime (1968 agreement)
Document issued	Residence card	Algerian residence certificate
Applicable text	CESEDA	Agreement of 27 Dec. 1968 (riders 1985, 1994, 2001)
Multi-year residence card (2 to 4 years)	Exists	Does not exist for Algerians
Talent passport	Exists	Does not exist (no equivalent in the agreement)
Student – authorised work	About 60% (964 h/year)	Byt-time (50%), art. 7 of the agreement
Spouse of a French national	1-year card, then multi-year	1-year "private and family life" certificate (art. 6), access to the 10-year certificate (art. 7 bis)
Long-term permit	10-year resident card	10-year residence certificate (art. 7 bis)
Renewal in 2026	ANEF	ANEF (since July 2024)

The most striking difference is the absence of a multi-year residence card: the permits created by the laws of 2003, 2006 and 2018 do not apply to Algerians. You therefore alternate between a 1-year certificate and a 10-year certificate, with no intermediate multi-year stage.

The 1-year residence certificate

This certificate concerns in particular the following categories, provided for by articles 6, 7 and 7 ter of the agreement:

Student (long-stay visa and sufficient resources required);
Employee (long-stay visa and work authorisation);
Spouse of a French national, subject to conditions of legal entry and shared life;
Private and family life, where your personal and family ties in France are such that a refusal would cause a disproportionate infringement of your right;
Trader, scientist, or artistic and cultural profession, according to the endorsements provided for.

It is valid for one year and is renewable. Note: the endorsements and conditions do not always overlap with those of the general regime. An Algerian student, for example, may only work part-time, compared with about 60% for students falling under the CESEDA.

The 10-year residence certificate

The 10-year residence certificate, provided for by article 7 bis of the agreement, is renewable as of right and grants the right to practise the profession of your choice, subject to the rules governing regulated professions. According to service-public.gouv.fr, several situations give access to it, including:

Spouse of a French national, married for at least one year with an effective shared life;
Byent of a French minor child residing in France, subject to conditions;
Legal and continuous residence of several years (the durations vary according to your situation);
Holder for several years of a "private and family life" certificate.

Certain family situations make it possible to obtain the 10-year certificate directly, where the general regime first requires a one-year card. But each condition must be justified with precision, and only the prefecture decides of issuance.

Renewal on the ANEF in 2026

Since July 2024, applications for the Algerian residence certificate — whether a first application or a renewal — are made online on the ANEF (Digital Administration for Foreigners in France). It is recommended to file your renewal application between 4 months and 2 months before your certificate expires.

The digital procedure remains identical to that of the other permits: ANEF account, form, scanned supporting documents, then filing confirmation. To find your way, consult our guide on fill in your file on the ANEF. And if your application is not moving forward, here is what to do when faced with a blocked ANEF file.

To remember: the filing confirmation and the investigation-extension certificate are not equivalent. It is the latter that extends your rights (including the right to work) while your application is being examined.

What we can do for you

FrenchPappers is not a law firm and is in no way affiliated with the State. We do not intervene on the applicable law: it is the 1968 agreement that sets out your rights, and the prefecture that decides. On the other hand, our experts support you on the procedure : checking that your ANEF file is complete and consistent, that the right documents are gathered for your category, and that the filing is done within the deadlines. We cannot guarantee that you will obtain your certificate — no one can — but we reduce the risk of an incomplete or misdirected file.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a multi-year residence card as an Algerian?

No. The CESEDA multi-year residence card has no equivalent in the Franco-Algerian agreement. You fall under the 1-year or 10-year residence certificate, with no intermediate multi-year stage.

Is the residence certificate the same thing as a residence permit?

In practice, it authorises you to reside in France, but its exact name is "Algerian residence certificate" and it is governed by the 1968 agreement, not the CESEDA. This vocabulary matters for your file.

How do I renew my certificate in 2026?

Online, on the ANEF, ideally between 4 and 2 months before expiry. You upload your documents, then receive a confirmation. Be sure to keep the investigation-extension certificate.

Can an Algerian student work as much as any other student?

No. Article 7 of the agreement limits the work of Algerian students to part-time (about 50%), where the general regime authorises about 60% of the annual working time.

Does FrenchPappers guarantee that the certificate will be obtained?

No. Only the prefecture decides. We intervene solely on the procedure to make your ANEF file reliable; we never promise a result.

A renewal to prepare flawlessly

Our experts check and prepare your ANEF residence certificate file, document by document, to avoid the errors that block an application. You remain in charge of the process; we secure the procedure.

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Official sources

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