ANEF, ANTS, France Titres: three acronyms, one question that keeps coming up — "which one do I actually need?" The confusion is understandable, these platforms partly overlap. Here's how to tell them apart, without unnecessary jargon.
The starting point: two very different families of processes
Two worlds that have almost nothing to do with each other:
- Immigration procedures for foreign nationals in France (residence permit, naturalisation): these are handled through the ANEF.
- Processes related to everyday secure documents (vehicle registration, driving licence, ID card, passport): that's France Titres, formerly the ANTS.
If you're looking for information about your residence permit, the ANEF is almost always the right entry point. For anything related to a vehicle or a French identity document, it's France Titres.
ANEF: the platform for immigration procedures
The ANEF (Administration Numérique des Étrangers en France) is the dedicated portal for residence permit procedures: creating an account, filing an application, tracking the review, uploading documents, downloading — depending on how the file is progressing — a proof of filing, an instruction-extension certificate or a favourable decision, and, depending on the process, booking a préfecture appointment for the final permit handover. Since 2020, almost all residence permit procedures go through the ANEF rather than a paper file at a counter.
The ANEF covers many residence procedures as well as naturalisation by decree, but the exact procedure depends on your specific case: check the official ANEF site or with your préfecture before you start.
For details on account creation, application tracking and common blockages, our full ANEF guide goes further than this article.
ANTS and France Titres: same thing, two names
The Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (ANTS) has been renamed France Titres, made official by decree No. 2024-146 of February 26, 2024. Both names still coexist in everyday use and on some materials in 2026, but it's the same administration. The portal remains accessible via ants.gouv.fr.
France Titres handles the production of the following secure documents:
- Vehicle registration ("carte grise"), fully digital since préfecture counters closed in 2017.
- Driving licence (duplicate, exchange).
- National ID card.
- Passport.
An important point for foreign nationals in France: France Titres is also the agency that manufactures the physical residence permit card once the application has been reviewed. The ANEF is used to file and track the application; France Titres, behind the scenes, then produces the card itself. You normally don't need to create a separate France Titres account for your residence permit: everything is managed from the ANEF.
The simple table: who to contact for your process
| Your process | Platform to use |
|---|---|
| Residence permit, récépissé, naturalisation | ANEF |
| Vehicle registration, vehicle address change | France Titres (formerly ANTS) |
| Driving licence (duplicate, exchange) | France Titres (formerly ANTS) |
| ID card, passport | France Titres (formerly ANTS), town hall appointment |
What to do when the site doesn't work
Whether on the ANEF or France Titres, technical blockages (page won't load, upload fails, account locked) are common and don't always mean there's a problem with your file. Before contacting anyone: clear your cache, switch browsers, try again outside peak hours. If the blockage persists on the ANEF, the platform's internal messaging is the most reliable channel, more so than the phone. For residence permit files specifically, our article on ANEF blockages and an expired récépissé covers what to do.
And where does the préfecture fit in?
The ANEF and France Titres are digital platforms, but the final decision on your file still rests with the administration, generally the préfecture for a residence permit. When a process requires an in-person visit (fingerprinting, permit handover, medical board), the slots are viewed and booked through these platforms or directly on the préfecture's website depending on the case, but remain managed by the préfecture itself. Our live map lets you track availability by department and process. To understand which of the préfecture or the sous-préfecture handles your file, see also our guide préfecture, sous-préfecture, one-stop desk.
What still needs case-by-case verification
- The exact pace of the ANTS → France Titres switch on communication materials (letters, automated emails) isn't uniform; some official messages still mention "ANTS".
- Manufacturing times for the physical residence permit card once review is complete aren't published department by department.
Perfecture is an independent service, not affiliated with the préfectures or the French administration.