UPDATE: You can now apply online. If anyone has current experience getting the DCEM, please share.
*This doesn’t apply to citizens of the EU or UK as far as I know*
Did you know that expat children in France need to apply for a DCEM or Document de Circulation Pour Étranger Mineur? I didn’t!
After our first year in France, it was time to renew our Visa’s. Since you don’t actually get a new Visa, instead a Carte de Séjour, that poses a bit of a problem for kids. Only adults get a fancy residents card. So what about the kids? According the lady at the Préfecture, the kids didn’t need anything since they are residing here with their parents. We thought that was cool and went about our lives.
Fast forward to us trying to enter the Netherlands after a vacation in Ireland. Apparently, kids DO need paperwork saying they can come back into the EU. Thankfully, we weren’t given too much of a hard time. The customs officials just instructed us to get the kids documentation.
I was in a HUGE panic because we would be leaving for the States in less than 2 months, with plans to return to France after 7 weeks (well outside of the 90 day Schengen requirement). I found a sticky note on my original paperwork from when we first arrived in France and visited the OFII (French Office of Immigration and Integration). It said DCEM and a note that the kids could get this but it wasn’t a requirement. Apparently, it wasn’t a requirement at the time because they had a valid Visa! More research revealed that the DCEM allowed the kids to move freely throughout France and the Schengen Area. It appears they were okay to be in France, just couldn’t leave and return.
Although foreign children residing in France are not required to have a residence permit, they have to get a traveling document for foreign minors (DCEM). Foreign minors are persons under age 18 who are in France and not French nationals.
With this document, minors can provide proof that they legitimately reside in France when travelling outside France and can be readmitted, without a visa, to France or the Schengen Area. It must be accompanied with a valid passport.
The DCEM is valid for five years. It is renewable for minors who entered France with a long-stay visa. The parent must have one of several documents allowing them to legally reside in France. For us, this was our Carte de Séjour. Minors legitimately residing in France can apply for a residence permit when they reach the age of 18, special conditions apply.
How To Get a DCEM:
In Nice, we found it fairly easy to apply for the DCEM. There is a lot of paperwork required, so ensure you have all documents prior to filing the application.
You can get all the updated information and the application form online.
Download and print the application (Demande de TIR ou DCEM pour étranger mineur : cerfa N° 11203 02) and see the requirements (entré en France avec un Visa Long Séjour). Information is also on the form (première demande DCEM ou TIR) which are all listed on this website.
We took bus 9/10 to Préfecture in Nice. According to the website, we needed to arrive between 9 – 11am. Kids don’t have to be present for document drop-off, just pick up of the card.
On the website, look under “Demande” and put your zip code in the box under the section of “Lieu de depot” to find the place for filing near you. Once the options come up, click the bold Préfecture link and the location address, dates and times will be available. For Nice, I was instructed to visit “Préfecture-Alpes-Maritimes.”
Required documents:
– Completed application form – make sure to also have kids sign! Write in black ink and in all caps. Don’t forget French spelling for English locations such as country and state of birth.
– 2 recent passport sized pictures
– Copy of child’s passport
– Copy of parents passports
– Copy of Visa used to enter the country
– Copy of letter from school saying the kids attend (certificats de scolarité)
– Copy of domicile proof within 3 months such as an electric or cellphone bill (Justificatif de domicile)
– Copy of parents resident card – Carte de Séjour
– Copy of certified translated birth certificate (Acte de naissance)
– Copy of certified translated marriage license**
– Copy of previous card, if renewing
**The old requirements wanted the translated marriage license since we don’t have family books in the U.S. This isn’t on the current forms, but I included it with our package since I had the translated document.
Originals and photocopies of the documents are required. However, only the copies were needed during our visit. I would play it safe and bring the originals as well just in case they ask to see them. I had all the copies and the 2 photos paper clipped together to easily hand over with the originals kept separate.
After waiting in line at the Préfecture, the lady at the desk looked over our paperwork and we left. Easy peasy.
You will receive a letter in the mail to pick up your DCEM. We could go any weekday except Thursday between 9-11:30. Again, kids are required to be present, so they missed a day of school. The DCEM can take up to 3 months to be issued. We were lucky and received the letter in the mail within 2 weeks.
Bring the letter you received in the mail, 45€ stamps* (timbre fiscal) and parents ID (we brought passports). I also had the kids passports just in case.
The kids signed the cards then Derrick and I signed. The oversized cards were laminated and we were on our way. The kiddos are now legally allowed to move through France and the Schengen area for 5 years!
Again, here are your references links:
Service.public.fr
Préfecture de Police
What was your experience getting the DCEM in France? Can you share other tips on how to get a DCEM?
*Please note that the required amount to obtain your DCEM and the required paperwork can vary by location and year. Please confirm what is required for your documentation at the time of submitting the application.
Don’t miss our Ultimate Guide to Family Travel in Nice!
Hello ,
I am married with a French citizen . I came to France with my long term visa . I have 2 daughters they came with me .From France they said they don’t need visa only DCEM is enough to travel . WE got the paper in ‘ months for my 10 yers girl but for 15 years one refused . She goes to school here and lives with me . Now I don’t know what to do because her Schengen limit is over now . She needs to go to Turkey to see her father but I don’t know how to get any document . To make family reunion is so long like 2 years . Do you have any experience like this .
Thank you
Goksu
Sorry! I don’t know. You can try going to the Préfecture
Hi Dana,
Thank you for the article. It helps a lot. I am Indian and I have applied for DCEM for my baby for more than 2 months now. She will be 1 in May. We planned a vacation in Spain in May and we have a flight from France to Spain for 4 days and back. Do you think we can travel without DCEM ? She has her Indian passport.
Thank you for your reply.
Best,
Tapish
Hi ,I would like to visit India at emergency situation and I have baby of 5 months old,it’s possible to travel to india without DCEM ,I have my titre de sejour valid upto 2025,and also applied for DCEM in website and prefecture people told me it will take several days and I can travel to india as I’m origin of india and I need to apply for return visa for my baby to enter into France, is there anyone help me that I can visit india with my baby
Hi
How did u contacted prefecture
Did u get dcem
Did u travelled
Goodafternoon.i did dcem for my 7month old son but i got a response that i should submit ‘handwritten certificate stating that you have parental authority.dated and sign’.What does it mean please.do i need to go to court or just write.Thank you
Hello, please can someone advise as to whether we will get back into France after a holiday in the UK, without a DCEM for our children who have been attending school since we moved here to France 5 years ago. The first we heard of the DCEM was 2 days ago from the Douane officer at the terminal in France as we left for the UK, he said we could apply online easily, but we now know that an e-photo is required and we can’t do that unless we are in France. So we have the catch 22 of needing to apply for a document to get back into France, but not being able to complete the application unless we are already in France. We have been frantically trying to get clarifcation as to whether this is an essential document or not, and if we can apply while in the UK, as some say its a desirable document and will make it easier, but its not thought to be necessary say others. I have a carte de sejour, my eldest has a carte vitale, we all have social security numbers and have our tax return to show we are all above board, but we cannot get anyone either at passport control, UK embassay in Paris, French Embassay in London, local prefectures to either pick up the phone, reply to an email or answer the question when we do get through. Any advice will be gratefully received.
I can’t tell you for sure, but with your other documentation, you will likely be fine. I would apply as soon as your back in France. Just say you were told about the DCEM upon departure.
Thank you, we will do that and hopefully it will be okay.
Can u help me
Hello are you still looking for help
Yes i am my dcem is at prefecture but i and daughter are not there . My husband have carte de sejoure my dailughtervis born there can he collect
My daughter is paris born can my husband collect as she is 6 month no need of signature
Can u help me
I
Hello,
I have received my DCEM as a paper written that this person is the holder of DCEM. But will i get the Actual card?. Because currently it is PDF paper.
You should receive a card in the mail
Can you help me i want to travel with my kids on urgent i applied dcem havent recieved any of them
How much time it took for u to recieve dcem
And did u collect your self or it came via emal
I want to travel urgent
My daughter is studying here in scoool
My another daughter born here
I want to come back
My husband have carte de sejour
Can you help me i want to travel with my kids on urgent i applied dcem havent recieved any of them
How much time it took for u to recieve dcem
And did u collect your self or it came via emal
I have some problem of my brother please help us it is to emergnce how can we make fast?
My husband Indian and I gave 10 year 10 year visa holder he is having a French child in his previous marriage, im his 2nd wife from India I dont have visa now I’m pregnant us that possible to get Imy baby get a French visa after birth
Hello, Has anyone had a recent experience on how long they waited to get their child’s DCEM considering the Covid-19 situation? Especially in Nice Prefecture.
Thankyou!
I have same problem of my brother please anyone know what should we do and any one have some expression please help me and how can we make fast it is too emergance.
Helloo.. this information is very helpful. However I have a bit strange situation. I am a master student with erasmus mobility and currently holder of Spanish residence pemit valid until sept this year. I am here with husband and a 4 yrs old kid who also foreign national but also holder of spanish residence permit. I will do my thesis research internship for 6 months in France and will bring my family with me. So, my question is, my kid does not need to validate the vls-ts in OFII and paid the 250E and applied for the dcem with 45 euro instead? Because anyway he still has spanish residence permit to circulate in schengen area. But the idea than dcem is valid for 5 yrs is awesome.
Hi Dana,
Thanks so much for this article. It has been so helpful amidst the confusion of French paperwork!
My children are under 3 and do not attend school or creche. Can you recommend any other documents I could show to prove their residency?
Thanks!
Just having your information should be sufficient since they are not of school age. Yes, the paperwork can be so overwhelming!
Please help me
I am indian and my husband has a eu resident card and he applied my file to Offi and my work is in progress but my question is now i am pregnant so what to do now?
Sorry, I can’t answer that question.
We are resident card holder in France and would go in Spain for 3 day holiday but our son’s DCEM would only be available for pick up on the 10th of November as stated in the email/ convocation sent by the prefecture, can we still travel?
I can’t tell you 100%, but I would personally go using his other documentation. You can even bring the email from the prefecture just to be avoid any headaches.
hello dcem document travel possible to flight my baby 2 years old he had a only dcem document no passport
Hi,
I am an Indian Woman and I have resident permit for one year. My son, 13 years old is studying in India. He wants to visit me frequently for every vacation. Currently he is with me and we have applied for long stay visa and the prefecture people says need school certificate! But he is not ready to study here, what should i need to do to get a long duration visa with multiple entry?
I know getting approval for homeschooling can be difficult in France. We were approved for the first year while still in the USA when we applied for our long-stay visa’s
Hello im asking how to renew the document de circulation because it’s already expired and i need to have a new document de circulation because this july i want to travel to germany
Sorry, I assume you go through the standard process
Hello, I have a question. Iam Egyptian and I live in France, I have a valid paper to stay .
My daughter has 5 Months and iam planning to travel inside the Schengen Area, and we still didn’t get the DCEM for my daughter. So the question is : Is DCEM needed to travel inside the Schengen area ?
Thanks in advacne
I can’t say for sure as I’m not familiar with the rule for Egyptian citizens. We were stopped traveling with in the Schengen area when my kids didn’t have their DCEM. We were allowed to proceed. Since your daughter under 1 year, I don’t think you would have a problem.
Hi,
I am an Indian and I have resident permit for one year. My baby is just three months old. My question is ,should i need to apply DCEM for three months old to travel .
It is my understanding that kinds under 18 are required to have the DCEM. However, I don’t know the requirements for infants. Your baby would need a passport, so I’m not sure how long that whole process takes.
Please help me, I have 10 years refugee status already and I need DCEM for my child but he don’t have passport so can I go to my country embassy to get my child a passport to allow him have the DCEM
I’m sorry. I don’t know how it works with refugee status.
Can a DCEM holder who attend language school in France work students works
Sorry, I don’t know
Hi, i have French resident card of 10 years, but my 5 years daughter and my 3 years son don’t have it as my social assistant send their passport to Ofpra and i don’t know why. we can not go anywhere in holidays. we are stuck here and don’t know what to do!
please, help!
we live in colmar and we can’t even go to our near 20 minutes germany or swiss :'( .
Sorry, I’m not sure what to tell you. You need to get your kids passports then visit the Prefecture in Colmar.
Hi,
My wide and I each have a carte de sejour and our kids have the DCEM. Our challenge is that my elder son has finished school in France and would like to go to university in the Netherlands. According to the Dutch University my son does need to apply for a Dutch study visa, which is no problem, but the process and paperwork is very much reduced if we can show that he already has permission to live in the EU.
According to them the DCEM is not sufficient as this is only a travel card for the children to use to get in and out of France, and is not in itself permission to live in the EU.
Does anyone have any ideas on what type of from I can get issued by the French Authorities to confirm that he is legally allowed to live in Europe ?
How long have you lived in France? You only need 5 years to apply for citizenship or have you lived there long enough to get a permanent residence permit?
Hi Dana,
I am planning to apply for a long stay visa to France “visitor” for my whole family, all Canadians (2 adults and 3 children), but I would like the kids to attend french public school.
Do they have to apply as “minor student” long stay visa? or can they apply like “visitor” with the adults?
I was reading that “minor student” long stay visa is only for kids moving to France alone with a host family.
Give me some advice please
Thanks
Hi,
We completed the visitor visa form for the kids, just like ours. The minor student is for children who won’t be moving with their parents, as you suspected.
Ensure you have copies and originals of everything when you apply, including drivers licenses and passports. We also needed our birth certificates translated. The school required us to get our marriage license translated as well.
putting the kids in the public school system is a great experience. While I don’t remember it being on the form, we were required to show proof of registering our children in school. I opted to homeschool in the beginning and had to explain that decision. Homeschooling is difficult to do in France, but I submitted my states homeschooling requirements. And had to explain my decision later in a phone call.
I’ve spoken with many people who were required to contact the local school prior to applying so the kids educational plans could be verified prior to visa approval.
Also, be very specific that you are only planning to stay for 1-year. Even if you’re considering multiple years. From speaking with officials, they don’t mind renewing once you’re in France (we renewed 3X), but you need to tell officials in Canada that you’re only staying for the duration of your 1-year visa.
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have other questions.
Dear Dana,
Thank you for the informative article however I am wondering why would American kids require the DCEM. After all, Americans can enter France or a Schengen country with no visas, so even if they do not have the DCEM, they should be allowed access. On the other hand, I can see why the DCEM is required for kids from some other countries (ones that require a visa to enter France). Am I missing something here?
That is correct. Americans can enter the Schengen area without a visa and move around. However, we can only be in the area for 90 days. It’s 90 days in then 90 days out.
The problem comes into play when you leave France and try to enter another Schengen country or leave France and try to come back in. If you’ve already been living in France for the 90 days (or traveling within the area), you aren’t allowed to return for another 90 days. This is for children as well.
You have to be able to show that you aren’t subject to the 90 day rule. You (and your children) are residents of France and are legally allowed to exit and enter the country.
We are always required to show our passports and resident cards (Carte de Séjour and DCEM) when coming through passport control. I’ve forgotten to put them in the passports a couple of times and have always had to pull them out and show them to be allowed entry.
If you are not planning to live in France for more than 90 day, this doesn’t apply. You don’t even need Visa’s. If you aren’t planning to stay in France for more than 1-year and are leaving before the kids long-term Visa’s expire, then they don’t need the DCEM.
Is this true for children with UK passports?
I can’t say 100%, but I don’t think so. I have a friend who’s children have a UK passport and they didn’t need anything.
My friend (married to an Englishman) had to get a carte de sejour, but it was different than mine as an American and didn’t need to be renewed annually.
UK passport holders don’t need any documents like this under the current arrangements. This may change after Brexit but nobody knows for sure so I’d apply for French nationality for your child or at least a CdS if this is an option for you.
At least then you know you’ll have no issues bringing them back into France after any trips abroad should we end up with a no-deal Brexit and therefore no agreement as to the rights of expat citizens.
Yes, we don’t know how Brexit will change the requirements for UK citizens. I agree that it would be beneficial to those citizens to go ahead and apply for citizenship, the carte de sejour or DCEM. I know there has been a huge increase in French citizenship applications 🙂
Much better to get prepared now
Good to know , I have an appointment scheduled on March 2nd and I have a trip back to Brazil on April 7th, hopefully I can get my son DCEM by then, otherwise I don’t know what I will do.
It was pretty quick for my kids to receive their DCEM, so hopefully things will move quickly for your family as well.
If you don’t receive the card in time, I would just tell the customs officials the application was submitted. When we came back in from the Netherlands, they just told us to get the kids documents. We had our Carte de Séjour, so it was known that we could legally be in the country.
Hello Dana,
Thank you for the post.
I have a question regarding vaccines to the foreign children living in France. Is it compulsory even for the foreign children living in France needed to get vaccines, though not attending the schools and day cares?IF so, what will happen if I don’t get the mandatory vaccines to my baby?
I know, this is completely not related to post but, I’m planning to go to France with my 9 month old baby and my husband is already working in France. So, before applying for a DCEM for my baby, I want to understand if is mandatory for the foreign children to get vaccinated even if not attending the schools.
I will be if you have an answer to my question.
Thank you very much 🙂
I don’t believe vaccinations are required. We didn’t need to show proof of those for our DCEM. We did have to show proof for school and daycares would be the same way. They had the same US requirements in that respect. Depending on where you want to travel from France (and how frequently), you may want to consider some of the vaccines but I don’t believe it’s required.