The validity period of a national identity card depends on two parameters: the date of issuance and the age of the holder at the time of issuance. Any confusion regarding these criteria may lead to boarding refusal or administrative blockage within the national territory.
CNI extended to 15 years: the trap of cards issued between 2004 and 2013
National identity cards issued to adults between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2013, benefit from an automatic extension of 5 years. Specifically, a CNI issued in 2010 with an expiration date printed in 2020 remains legally valid in France until 2025, without any action required from the holder.
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The problem lies in the gap between French legal validity and acceptance by foreign authorities. The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs states unequivocally: some countries do not accept identity cards that appear expired but whose validity has been automatically extended. Denmark, for example, acknowledges awareness of the French measure but has not officially communicated its position on the acceptance of these CNIs as travel documents.
We recommend never relying on the extension for travel outside France. Knowing precisely how long an identity card is valid prevents being stuck at a border crossing with a document that the destination country considers expired.
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Validity of the identity card for a minor: 10 years without extension
The CNI of a minor is valid for 10 years, period. The extension to 15 years does not apply to individuals who are minors at the time of issuance. A card issued to an 8-year-old child therefore expires at their 18th birthday, with no possible extension.
This distinction regularly leads to errors when preparing for a family trip. A parent whose own CNI benefits from the extension sometimes mistakenly assumes that their child’s follows the same rule.
New bank card format: what are the consequences for the duration
The new CNI in bank card format, made of polycarbonate, includes an electronic component with a photo and digitized fingerprints. Its validity remains set at 10 years for both adults and minors. The difference lies in the robustness of the support, designed to remain readable throughout the duration of the document.
This new format does not benefit from the automatic extension of 5 years. Cards issued after 2014 in the new format expire strictly on the date printed on the document.
Identity document less than 10 years old: a requirement distinct from validity
The legal validity of a CNI is not sufficient for all procedures. Health insurance requires, for a request for a Vitale card, an identity document that is currently valid and issued less than 10 years ago. A CNI extended to 15 years but issued 12 years ago will therefore be refused for this procedure, even though it remains valid in terms of civil status.
This age of issuance criterion (and not expiration date) also concerns certain banking and notarial formalities. We observe that this distinction between validity and age is the main source of administrative blockages reported by users.
- Vitale card: CNI or passport currently valid, issued less than 10 years ago
- Opening a bank account: some banks apply the same age rule
- Notarial acts: the notary may require a recent document to secure identification
Renewal of the CNI: deadlines and anticipation of the application
Issuance times vary significantly depending on the periods and municipalities. The Yonne prefecture estimated the deadlines at 5 weeks from the submission of the application in September 2025. These deadlines significantly lengthen before summer periods and exam sessions.
Applications can only be submitted at a town hall equipped with a biometric station, after making an appointment online. The application requires a pre-request on the ANTS website.
Documents to gather for renewal
- Old CNI (even expired): presenting it simplifies the application and exempts from providing a birth certificate in most cases
- Identity photo compliant with current standards (plain background, face visible, recent format)
- Proof of residence less than a year old
- ANTS pre-request number or completed Cerfa form at the town hall
Free of charge and in case of loss or theft
The renewal of an identity card is free when the old card is presented at the counter. In case of loss or theft, a tax stamp of 25 euros is required. The declaration of loss is made at the town hall, and that of theft at the police station or gendarmerie before submitting the application.
Traveling with a CNI: the countries that pose problems
Within the Schengen area and the European Union, the valid CNI is theoretically sufficient as a travel document. The difficulty arises with extended cards, whose printed expiration date has passed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes updated country sheets that specify, destination by destination, whether the extended CNI is accepted. Consulting the country sheet before each departure remains the only reliable way to ensure that an extended document will be recognized upon arrival.
For destinations outside the EU/Schengen that accept the CNI (Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt under certain conditions), the extended card is almost systematically refused. A currently valid passport then becomes the only secure option.
The basic rule remains simple: any CNI whose printed date has passed, even if it benefits from the French extension, poses a risk abroad. Anticipating renewal several weeks before a trip eliminates this risk at no additional cost.