Attestation d'Hébergement in France: What It Is and When You Need It (2026)

An attestation d'hébergement is a signed statement from the person you live with, used as proof of address when no lease or bill is in your name. It is written on plain paper, with no town hall stamp and no fee. For a residence permit, the préfecture also asks for your host's ID and, if needed, a proof of address in the host's name.

Key facts

Attestation d'hébergement vs attestation d'accueil

The names are close, but the documents do different jobs.

• The attestation d'hébergement is for someone already living in France in another person's home: a relative, a friend, a partner whose name alone is on the lease. Préfectures, banks and the ANTS accept it as proof of address.
• The attestation d'accueil is for a foreign national coming on a family or private visit of under three months. The host applies at the town hall, pays a €30 stamp and undertakes to cover the visitor's costs if the visitor cannot.

In short: someone living here needs an address, it is an attestation d'hébergement. You are inviting a relative from abroad, it is an attestation d'accueil.

What the statement must contain (template)

• the host's full name, date and place of birth;
• the same details for the person hosted;
• the date the stay began;
• the full address;
• place, date and the host's handwritten signature.

Write it in French, since it goes to a French authority:

ATTESTATION D'HÉBERGEMENT
Je soussigné(e) [host's full name], né(e) le [date] à [city, country], déclare sur l'honneur héberger à mon domicile [full name of the person hosted], né(e) le [date] à [city, country], depuis le [start date], à l'adresse suivante : [full address].
Fait à [town], le [date].
[Signature]

An undated statement, one signed by someone other than the person on the supporting documents, or one with a mismatched address will usually be rejected.

Supporting documents

The statement proves nothing alone: the host proves the address. For a residence permit, the préfecture asks for three documents:

• the dated and signed attestation d'hébergement;
• a copy of the host's ID card or residence permit;
• a proof of address in the host's name (lease, title deed, electricity, gas, water or internet bill), if the address on the host's ID is out of date.

The proof of address must be less than six months old. All documents must be in French or translated by a sworn translator. In practice, adding a recent bill in the host's name, even when the ID shows the right address, avoids requests for more documents.

For a residence permit: what the préfecture checks

Your address is not a detail. It decides which préfecture handles your file, and it is where appointments and decisions are sent.

• The host's name is the same on the statement, the ID and the proof of address.
• The address is the same everywhere, including your ANEF account.
• The dates are recent and consistent with the rest of your file.

The préfecture may also doubt that you really live there, for example when many people declare the same address or your job contract or children's school points elsewhere. It can then have the address checked. It is up to the préfecture, though, to prove a statement is false.

If you move while your application is pending, update your address on ANEF straight away: a decision sent to your old address may slip past you. If the préfecture is slow, see what to do when the préfecture does not respond and the attestation de prolongation d'instruction.

The host: what you take on

Signing an attestation d'hébergement does not commit the host to pay the guest's expenses. But the host certifies a fact.

• Truthfulness. A false statement is a criminal offence: one year in prison and a €15,000 fine, up to three years and €45,000 when used to obtain a residence permit. The person who uses it faces the same penalties.
• The lease. A tenant may host close relatives. But charging the guest can be treated as subletting, which requires the landlord's written consent.
• Insurance and benefits. Check that your home insurance covers someone living with you, and tell the CAF about the change in your household if you receive benefits.

Long-term hosting: the limits

• The statement proves an address, not habitual residence in France. When residence itself is a condition, a statement from a relative is not enough.
• Free accommodation does not qualify for housing benefit.
• For family reunification, housing is a condition in its own right, with size and comfort standards: an ordinary statement is not enough.
• Statements signed every year by different people can raise questions about the stability of your residence, especially for a resident card or naturalisation.
• With nobody to host you, you can use an administrative address at a local social services centre (CCAS) or an approved association, reserved for people without a stable home.

If you live with a relative long term, the strongest option is to get your name on the lease or the bills.

When it gets complicated

• The préfecture doubts you really live there. A doubt can delay your file. A proven false statement can lead to the permit being withdrawn, a ban on returning and criminal charges.
• Your host refuses to sign or withdraws the statement, for example after a separation mid-procedure.
• Your declared address is out of date and a decision goes to the old one: appeal deadlines can run without you knowing.
• Housing becomes a matter of substance: family reunification, marriage to a French citizen, proof of living together.
• You are the host and someone you barely know asks you to sign. If in doubt, do not sign.

Unsure about your proof of address before applying? A short consultation is enough to check.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write an attestation d'hébergement?

On plain paper or with the service-public.fr template: identity of the host and of the person hosted, start date, address, date and signature. Attach the host's ID and, if needed, a proof of address in the host's name less than six months old.

Does it need to be signed at the town hall?

No. The host signs it alone, with no validation. It is the attestation d'accueil, for a visitor coming from abroad, that goes through the town hall.

What is the difference with an attestation d'accueil?

The attestation d'hébergement proves the address of someone already living with you. The attestation d'accueil lets a foreign national visit for under three months: the mayor validates it, it costs €30 and it commits you to the visitor's costs.

Is the attestation enough for the préfecture?

Not alone. You also need the host's ID and, if the address on it is out of date, a proof of address in the host's name. The name and address must match everywhere.

What are the risks of a false attestation d'hébergement?

One year in prison and a €15,000 fine, up to three years and €45,000 when used to obtain a residence permit. Both the writer and the user can be prosecuted, and a permit obtained this way can be withdrawn.

Related reading

• Préfecture not responding: what to do
• The attestation de prolongation d'instruction: who gets it
• France's civic exam 2026: resident card and naturalisation

Two ways to move forward

Check your file. In a consultation: your proof of address and the consistency of your file, before you apply. Book a consultation.

Hand over the application. The firm prepares your residence permit application or renewal and follows it until the decision. Describe your situation and you will receive a proposal for full assistance.

General information under French law as at 31 October 2026. It is not legal advice for your situation.