It was extremely easy for us to get our permanent CdSs, and now all we have to do is send a copy to get them exchanged for free… So not fed up at all, as means we can wait until the rush is over and any teething problems with the system ironed out.
Not sure where you are Graham, but I bet it isn’t Perigueux. I had a CdS for 10 years from 1999 but was refused a renewal in 2009 (at the time I was unaware that I could legally demand, and receive, one). I would have one now if it wasn’t for that, so yes, I am just a tad fed up, as Nigel says, and I didn’t find his comment joyeuse in the slightest.
@cat make sure you have a copy (perhaps certified by your Maire) before you send it off for renewal. We applied on-line 23 July 20 and received new ones 25th September 20 although some people are now saying it’s slightly quicker than that now (perhaps travel restrictions influenced)?
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We are in the Charente @David_Spardo
Angoulême Préfecture were ultra efficient 
So I have heard, also elsewhere, Correze on the other side of us for instance. I have even had one or two people speak highly of Perigueux, but I am not the only one who was required to produce a massive bunch of paper. All to no avail.
Ah… fond memories of our very first visit to the Perigueux Prefecture…
and of the small (but fiery) lady who controlled all visitors to the building… or so it seemed… at that time.
I can still see her, in my mind’s eye… bellowing “écoutez-moi… écoutez-moi” at an absolutely huge chap, who was towering over her …
He was trying to complain about being turned away by the counter-clerk…
Whatever, she was not standing for any nonsense…
“écoutez-moi” … again and again… with finger stabbing in his direction… but not making contact of course…
The chap continued to complain and the guard came in and escorted him away…
We sat, quietly, hardly daring to breathe… and when our turn came, we were so glad that our dossier was OK and we rushed out as fast as our legs could carry us… 
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Graham you might be contractually obliged to automatically gainsay any comment of mine but I was taking no joy at people’s pain just having a wry smile about the needless self-inflicted difficulties encountered by some but obviously not by you.
As there are tens of thousands of Brits living in France without a CdS (maybe over 100,000) it can’t be all that big a drawback not to have one. Likewise no big advantage to have one especially if it took a lot of effort.
We do know that the application procedure for those who have been resident for over 5 years will be much simpler than whatever you had to do to get your CdS & massively simpler than that of some poor souls eg @David_Spardo
It’s Interesting that apparently that you won’t even have to prove legal residence. So all those living under the radar & working on the black will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as their situation is regularised. It also means that it’s egg on face time for all those doomsayers who were promising those living under the radar that they were about to be found out & come unstuck 
.
Why would it be egg on face time - France certainly had the option to make life more difficult for those not following the rules. Let us face it they are quite strong on reciprocity and the UK hasn’t exactly gone for a laissez-faire welcome all with open arms approach.
For myself I am pleased that they have opted for such a pragmatic route.
I just can’t believe how relieved I feel, I actually slept through last night (well that is a lie but wasn’t woken worrying - just by 5 year old terrified from an awful night mare - he went straight back to sleep at 3am and I had to read for an hour!!). I’m not even sure why I was so stressed - we probably would have been OK but after having DHs CNF refused this was really our second choice of route and I was scared. We couldn’t even get back to Oz if we were kicked out
Well I’m not, as people who pay no taxes just increase the cost for those of us who do and is hugely disrespectful to the country they wish to call home. I do not like freeloaders of any nationality. If people are genuinely in financial difficulty then they should be supported, but otherwise people should pay their way and contribute to society.
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Just to add after Janes comment, I have been working / paying taxes, just lost my job that was a ‘certain’ this year due to Covid (tourism) and only starting a new one (plus my new business that has been running for a month) this Friday! Just in case anyone thought I meant I was a flying under the radar - we have been doing our taxes etc the whole time here!
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I know what you mean but the alternative would have been to have them gumming up the system for everyone.
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I have seen postings by self-righteous Brits resident in France gloating about the comeuppance that some of their fellow countrymen would face with the need for CdS post-Brexit. To be fair I don’t recall any gloating in this forum.
The UK has regularised over 3.7 million EU citizens at last count requiring nothing more than proof of residency. No proof of any income was required. No tax returns. No fingerprints. No RDV. etc etc
How do you work that one out?
One they have applied for a CdS-WA they are no longer «under the radar» and will be in the system with an expectation that they will comply with the rules on pain of being removed. But I repeat since you seem to ignore those comments which don’t server your purpose,
The pragmatic approach means that those elderly, frail & poor Brits who have been living under the radar for years are spared deportation.
The WA CdS is effectively an amnesty for all those British immigrants who have been working on the black & living under the radar. To remain they will have to register & once registered they will have to play by the rules.
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precisely! So pleased you have recognised that…
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It really is becoming tedious to have you constantly snipe at every comment I make.
To explain…I’m sure that those who were under the radar & wouldn’t have qualified for a CdS under “normal” rules will breathe a sigh of relief as there is now an amnesty but to remain they will have to register & once registered they will have to play by the rules.
I agree the settled status scheme has, out of everything Brexity, been one of the least worst bits in terms of its implementation.
It’s not quite true that they have needed “No proof of any income […]. No tax returns” because they (sensibly for the most part) based that on HMRC records - but as with any scheme this size it wil not reach 100% of the people that it needs and will not get it right for 100% of the people that do apply. Do not forget that every 1% that run into problems is 37,000 or more individuals being put through unnecessary distress.
I suspect the French system won’t be perfect either, of course.