French National Assembly Approves Automatic Renewal of Long-Term Residence Permits

On December 11, 2025, the French National Assembly adopted a significant law mandating the automatic renewal of long-term residence permits for foreigners residing in France. The measure was passed with 98 votes in favor against 37, largely supported by left-wing parties, despite opposition from the government and right-wing factions.

The law establishes that residence permits valid for up to four years and ten-year resident cards will be automatically renewed unless there are legal reasons presented by the administration to deny renewal. This new approach aims to simplify the administrative procedures for foreigners, creating a "presumption of favor" to reduce the lengthy delays and uncertainties currently associated with permit renewals.

Socialist deputy Colette Capdevielle highlighted the problems with the current system, where delays in renewal processing lead to serious hardships such as job losses and difficulties in housing, affecting a small minority yet clogging the system. She stated, "We are managing to clog a system for less than 1% of cases," underscoring the administrative inefficiencies.

However, government representative Marie-Pierre Vedrenne opposed the move, citing potential legal and constitutional risks. She argued that automatic renewal without individual assessments would not resolve delays but merely transfer workloads elsewhere.

The debates were reportedly intense, with both sides accusing each other of promoting unfair policies. Supporters, including Andrée Taurinya from La France insoumise, emphasized the promotion of fundamental rights through this law. In contrast, critics such as Nicolas Tryzna from the right-wing voiced concerns that the law could weaken immigration enforcement by shifting the burden of proof.

Alongside this immigration-related legislation, the Assembly also adopted other social provisions, including measures to ensure legal representation for children in social care, while rejecting government proposals to extend rent control in select municipalities.

The automatic renewal law now proceeds to the Senate for further examination, where it will face continued scrutiny before becoming fully enacted.