Monaco residence permit (carte de séjour): procedure and requirements
How to obtain your Monaco residence permit: conditions, required documents, steps with the Sûreté Publique and timelines.
Key facts
- Authority
- Direction de la Sûreté Publique
- Initial duration
- 1 year (then 3, then 10 years)
- Key requirement
- Housing in Monaco
- Processing time
- 2-4 weeks from complete application
- Cost of the first card
- €80 (temporary) — €100 (ordinary) — €160 (privilege)
What is the residency?
The carte de séjour is Monaco's official residence permit. It is issued by the Direction de la Sûreté Publique and is the essential document for anyone wishing to reside in the Principality.
Without a carte de séjour, you cannot legally reside in Monaco, even if you own property there.
Who needs one?
Any non-Monegasque person aged 16 or over wishing to establish their principal residence in Monaco must apply for a carte de séjour. This includes EU/EEA citizens.
First step: the long-stay visa
If you are not an EEA national, you must obtain a long-stay (type D) visa from the competent French consulate in your country of residence before filing your application in Monaco. Without that visa in your passport, the residence permit application cannot be processed. Monaco does not issue its own visas, so this formality goes through the French consular authorities — and it is frequently the longest stage of the whole process.
EEA and Swiss nationals are exempt from the visa, but still need a carte de séjour once they settle in Monaco.
General requirements
To obtain a carte de séjour, you generally need to meet these conditions:
- Housing in Monaco: signed lease, property deed, or a certificate of accommodation if you are staying with a close relative or partner
- Sufficient financial resources: employment certificate, payslip or pension documentation; failing any activity, an attestation from a Monegasque bank
- Clean criminal record: an extract less than three months old, issued by the authorities of the last country you lived in during the five years before arriving in Monaco
Exact requirements vary by nationality and professional/family situation.
No minimum level of resources is officially published. The figures widely quoted online reflect individual banks' practice, not a regulatory threshold — it is the Monegasque bank that sets its own bar before issuing the attestation. See our guide to opening a bank account in Monaco.
Health insurance is not on the list of required documents, but you need cover in practice: affiliation to Monaco's social funds follows employment, so a resident without work must arrange private insurance. See Monaco's healthcare system.
Steps
1. Prepare your file
Gather all supporting documents. Foreign-language documents must be translated into French by a sworn translator and, where applicable, apostilled.
2. Book an appointment
Contact the Residents Section of the Direction de la Sûreté Publique to arrange an appointment.
3. Attend the individual interview
The interview is compulsory. You are seen in person at the Residents Section and must bring all original documents together with copies.
4. Processing
The administration reviews your application. Additional documents may be requested. Processing typically takes several weeks.
5. Issuance
If approved, you will be called to collect your carte de séjour.
Generally required documents
- Valid passport, carrying the long-stay visa for non-EEA nationals
- Proof of housing in Monaco (lease, property deed or a utility bill)
- Proof of financial resources
- Criminal record extract from country of origin (apostilled and translated)
- Criminal record from previous country of residence
- Passport photos
- Health insurance certificate
- Birth certificate (translated)
- Marriage certificate if applicable
This list is indicative. The exact documents required depend on your personal situation. Check the official website or contact the Sûreté Publique for an up-to-date list.
The four cards and what they cost
Monaco issues four residence permits. You move from one to the next as your years of actual residence accumulate.
| Card | Validity | Residence required | First issue | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary | 1 year | none | €80 | €40 |
| Ordinary | 3 years | 3 years | €100 | €50 |
| Privilege | 10 years | 10 years | €160 | €80 |
| Spouse of a Monegasque national | 5 years | 1 year of marriage | €80 | €40 |
The ten-year requirement for the privilege card can be reduced to one year in certain special cases.
Other fees: €50 for a late renewal, €80 for a duplicate, and €30 to update the permit after a change of civil status, family situation or address.
Renewal
The carte de séjour must be renewed before it expires, and you must show that you still genuinely live in Monaco and continue to meet the original conditions. See the detailed guide to renewing your resident card. Any change of address must also be reported to the Sûreté Publique.
Where to apply
- Direction de la Sûreté Publique — Administrative Police Division, Residents Section
- Address: 9 rue Suffren-Reymond, MC 98000 Monaco
- Telephone: +377 93 15 30 15
- Open Monday to Friday
- Appointments recommended
Read next
Frequently asked questions
The information provided is for general guidance only. For official procedures, always consult the official sources.
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