School is back this week, which means there’s a new challenge looming for parents, in the form of overseas school trips. Although children under the age of 18 don’t need to hold their own French residency card as they are covered by yours, there’s a potential problem in proving resident status if they travel back into France after an overseas trip without you.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution.
The ‘Document de Circulation pour Étranger Mineur’ (DCEM) enables children under 18 to return through the French border seamlessly when they are travelling alone. Apart from school trips, it also comes in handy if they travel abroad to visit friends or family.
Who is eligible?
Any child living permanently in France and enrolled in school is eligible for a DCEM.
To obtain one, simply apply to your local préfecture. You will be invited in for an appointment and contacted as soon as the DCEM card is ready.
One additional benefit of holding a DCEM card is that your child will already be on file in the préfecture’s database, which makes everything much simpler if they decide to apply for a residency card once they turn 18.
To find out more about the DCEM or to ask any questions, you are welcome to book a free 10 minute conversation with Diana, our relocation specialist.
