Income Requirements for a 10-Year Resident Card in France

To obtain a 10-year resident card in France, it is not necessary to have an income at least equal to the minimum wage (SMIC) for all five years. The French Supreme Court clarified on August 3, 2026, that the law does not provide for such a condition.
The case involved a foreigner who was denied a resident card by the prefecture due to insufficient income over the previous five years. The court ruled that the required level of income must be achieved at the time of the decision on the application.
The prefecture may analyze income over the previous five years, but cannot require that the income in each of those years be at least equal to the SMIC.
Starting from 2026, to obtain a 10-year resident card, it will be necessary to confirm knowledge of the French language at the B1 level and successfully pass the integration exam.
Decision: Conseil d’État, August 3, 2026, n° 497914. Text of the Conseil d’État decision