I find myself in a bit of a dilemma, (sadly, rarely, almost never🤔). Done the CdS application, absolute PoP, but noticed that my passport expires next April. So, do I apply for a new one right now? thinking it’s going to be a while until they get round to processing it, and then going with a different passport to the one given with the application. Or, do I wait until the last minute and risk having no passport come April?
Decisions, decisions…
Mmm… I’d probably wait as long as possible…
Whatever, might be an idea… before you do send the PP off to UK… ask your Mairie to make a photocopy, stamped with the official Mairie stamp… and words to the effect that it is a copy of the original passport …
Both OH and I have renewed our passports fairly recently. In both cases we got them back in less than 2 weeks. So I’d say wait a bit.
Thanks Stella and Jane. Probably going to wait. I’ll start worrying at the end of March next year:persevere:
(If nothing happens before then)
If the worst comes to the worst you can zip back to England with an expired passport and pre-book a superfast new passport which you pick up and can then return the same evening/next day. Of course it will have to replace Christmas presents for the whole family, but it is an option that exists.
I think the passport offices are closed for personal visits due to Covid and there are still delays for postal applications.
Oh ok, sorry. But maybe by next April the world will be restored to normal? 
Personally (and this is what we did) forego the remaining few months on your existing passports - (you’re unlikely going to be able to use those months anyway) and apply online now. The process is quite straightforward.
Morning All
Thanks for all the responses.
Now have all my ducks in a row, and ready to go in April.
Andy
If it helps with your decision, they will be at least a month getting through the old applications.
Usually GED means “Gestion Électronique de Documents”
I have just received a email from the Prefecture to attend a RDV next week to complete the procedure for a CdS.
I do not remember actually applying because the procedure kept changing (bloody Brexit!) I have no evidence of receiving conformation of application. Could this be a scam?
Sorry if this has been covered already, but I have not caught up with this thread and wanted to post this before I dash to another RDV.
My husband has also received the same, rdv’s five minutes apart.
Is it the Prefecture itself… where you have to go…??
Check… where exactly is the email telling you to present yourself… ???
Thank you Alex, sounds like it might be important but I hope that it isn’t, seeing as how I didn’t keep a note of it. It was right at the top of the document and, as far as I recall, was not mentioned thereafter.
It was only when I got my confirmatory email that GED was mentioned, but not the number, only the reference number of the application.
I think the GED is only important if you can’t complete in one go… and need to pick up the thread later…
If one needed to guard the GED in the normal way… it would be made very clear from the outset… as it is… GED is only mentioned when discussing breaking-off and returning later…
at least that is how I have read things on the site… 
in what way was GED mentioned ???
@David_Spardo Are you talking about this David? It’s a footnote to the email we received from the Ministry of the Interior. It’s the ATTESTATION D’ENREGISTREMENT N°29-9230 number which is now the important one. Seems like there are too many different numbers being used, Begins to get confusing!
1 Ce numéro d’attestation d’enregistrement est distinct du numéro de demande de titre de séjour (numéro « GED ») qui vous sera communiqué par mail par la préfecture en charge du traitement de votre dossier. Lors de vos futures démarches, vous devrez utiliser votre numéro de demande de titre de séjour.
Aha… seems like the necessary “number” will be communicated in the email which is yet to be sent to the Applicant by the Prefecture … and said “number” must then be quoted in future dealings…
as Sue says… the number given by return… is simply the registering number on the system…
Yes to both of you, if I had gone back to re-read and re-translate it I would have realised.
What is confusing is when you relax because you are dealing with a document in English you are suddenly confronted with something in French.
you are not alone… but I prefer to read the French, then see what the English looks like…