Housing Assistance (CAF) for Non-EU Residents: Eligibility and Application

French rents have been climbing steadily since 2022 and, for many newcomers, the first question is not where to live but how to afford it. France’s Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF) can cushion the shock through housing benefits such as APL, ALF and ALS. Yet the rules are less transparent for third-country nationals. In this guide we clarify who qualifies, which residence permits open the door, and how to file a complete application in 2025.

1. What exactly is “housing assistance” in France?

CAF distributes three main benefits related to accommodation:

• APL (Aide personnalisée au logement): The most common. It targets tenants, sub-tenants and residents of student halls or retirement homes whose dwelling meets specific criteria (surface, sanitary facilities, rent ceiling).
• ALF (Allocation de logement familiale): For households that cannot receive APL but have dependent children or certain family situations.
• ALS (Allocation de logement sociale): A residual scheme for people who fall outside APL and ALF, often single tenants or young workers in private housing.

All three share a single online application and similar calculation parameters:

Parameter	Taken into account?
Household income from the last 12 months	Yes
Rent excluding charges	Yes (capped by location)
Number of dependents	Yes
Energy performance of the dwelling	Yes (since Oct. 2024 reform)
Immigration status	Yes (focus of this article)

2. General eligibility checklist (regardless of nationality)

1. You rent or co-rent a principal residence located in France.
2. The lease is registered and signed with the actual owner or accredited student residence.
3. The dwelling meets minimum decency standards defined by article 6 of the 1989 tenancy law.
4. You provide a Relevé d’Identité Bancaire (RIB) from a SEPA-compatible bank account.

If you tick these boxes, the deciding factor becomes your right of residence.

3. Residence permits that unlock CAF housing benefits

French law (Article D.542-20 of the Social Security Code) requires non-EU applicants to hold one of the following valid documents on the date the benefit is awarded:

Residence document	Typical validity	CAF eligibility
Carte de séjour pluriannuelle "Passeport Talent"	1–4 years	✔️ Yes
Carte de séjour temporaire "Salarié" or "Travailleur Temporaire"	12 months	✔️ Yes
Student residence permit (VLS-TS Étudiant)	Up to 4 yrs (PhD)	✔️ Yes, with income cap
Carte de résident de longue durée – UE	10 years	✔️ Yes
Refugee or subsidiary protection card	4–10 years	✔️ Yes
Récépissé renewal proof with full work rights	3–6 months	✔️ Yes, if previous permit was eligible
Short-stay visa (type C, 90 days)	≤90 days	❌ Not eligible
Visitor VLS-TS "Visiteur" (no work)	12 months	❌ Generally refused
OQTF holder (order to leave French territory)	n/a	❌ Not eligible
Undocumented (no permit)	n/a	❌ Not eligible

Important:

• A permit must cover the entire period during which aid is paid. If it expires in two months, CAF will stop payment unless you upload the renewed card or récépissé.
• British citizens post-Brexit fall under third-country rules. Their Carte de séjour Accords de retrait du Royaume-Uni is accepted.

4. How the permit influences the amount

Contrary to a common myth, CAF does not lower APL simply because you are a foreign national. Your immigration status only determines whether you qualify. The monthly amount is then computed exactly like for French citizens, based on:

• Declared resources (salaries, scholarships, unemployment benefits) from the previous 12 months.
• Geographic zone (Paris, large urban area, or rural).
• Family composition.

Crafting an accurate income declaration is therefore crucial. If you just arrived and filed no French tax return yet, CAF will rely on payslips or foreign income converted to euros.

5. Step-by-step application process in 2025

1. Gather documents

   • Passport ID page
   • Valid residence permit or récépissé
   • Signed lease or attestation de loyer completed by the landlord
   • Last rent receipt (if already paid one month)
   • Proof of income: last three payslips or university enrolment certificate plus scholarship letter
   • RIB in your name

2. Create a CAF account

   • Go to https://caf.fr and choose « Faire une demande de prestation ».
   • Select Aide au logement, then answer the eligibility questionnaire. Non-EU nationals must upload the permit in PDF or JPG.

3. Receive your numéro allocataire by email within minutes in most départements. Some prefectures, however, still trigger manual verification that can delay the number by up to 10 days.

4. Upload supporting files via the secure space called Mon Compte.

5. Wait for the decision. Average processing time observed in 2025 is 18 calendar days in Île-de-France, faster in smaller départements. You will receive either:

   • A favorable notification with the first payment date (usually back-dated to the 1st of the month following lease start), or
   • A request for additional documents.

6. Payment. CAF sends funds directly to landlords for student residences and many social landlords. For private rentals, you can opt for direct payment to your bank account.

Applying while your permit is being renewed

If your card expired but you hold a récépissé or attestation de prolongation, upload it in place of the card. According to the official CAF instruction circular of 11 Jan 2024, payments can continue for up to six months pending the new card.

6. Frequent stumbling blocks and how to avoid them

• Subletting without the owner’s written consent. CAF cross-checks addresses with tax records. Illegal sublets are routinely denied.
• Expired passport even if your residence card is valid. The passport must cover the aid period.
• Shared flats (colocations) where only one tenant signs the lease. Each roommate must appear on the lease or produce a convention d’occupation to qualify individually.
• Visitor status. Many newcomers mistakenly think any long-stay visa works. Visitor permits expressly prohibit professional activity and are excluded from most social benefits, including housing aid.

7. Updating and renewing your file

Every January CAF recalculates all aids based on new income data from tax authorities via the Revenu de Solidarité Active interface. Non-EU residents must additionally upload the renewed permit each time. A single day of gap can freeze your payments.

Tip: Set a calendar alert 60 days before your card expires and submit the récépissé as soon as the prefecture delivers it. ImmiFrance provides a prefecture appointment booking service if you struggle to find a slot.

8. What if CAF denies or cuts your aid?

1. Read the motivation letter in your online space. In two out of three cases for immigrants, the issue is simply a blurry scan or a missing page of the residence card.
2. File a claim (réclamation) within two months via the online form.
3. Still unsatisfied? Escalate to the Commission de Recours Amiable (CRA) of your département. You can attach a legal brief.
4. As a last resort, appeal before the Pôle Social du Tribunal Judiciaire. Median ruling time is 5 to 7 months.

Legal assistance: Under French law, you are entitled to free legal aid (aide juridictionnelle) if your taxable income is below €1 546 per month (single person, 2025 scale).

9. Additional resources

• Official eligibility text: Article D.542-20, Code de la sécurité sociale (available on Legifrance)
• CAF multilingual help lines: +33 9 69 32 21 21 (English option 3)
• Service-Public summary page on APL: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F12006

For tailored advice on your residence permit or to secure a prefecture appointment, visit ImmiFrance’s dedicated pages on residence permits and administrative procedure help.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I receive APL on a student visa? Yes, provided the visa is validated online and converted into a VLS-TS Étudiant within three months of arrival. CAF may ask for your current enrollment certificate.

I share a flat but only my name is on the lease. Do my roommates affect my APL? No, but their presence may reduce your benefit if CAF considers them part of your household. Adding all tenants to the lease is safer.

Will CAF back-pay my aid if I apply late? Retroactivity is limited to the month following the move-in date. Filing two months late means you lose the first month’s aid.

Does an APS (autorisation provisoire de séjour) after graduation keep me eligible? Yes. The 12-month job-search APS counts as a residence permit with work authorization.

Can undocumented migrants receive housing benefits? Unfortunately no. Proof of lawful stay is a strict prerequisite. ImmiFrance can assess your options to regularize your status before you apply.

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Ready to secure your housing aid and keep your immigration paperwork flawless? Book a free 15-minute call with an ImmiFrance adviser today and let our network of specialized lawyers maximize both your residence rights and your CAF benefits.