How can residents complete French census if abroad at the time?
Millions required to complete census across next month
France's census is run annually by national statistics body Insee
HJBC/Shutterstock
Reader Question: What do I do if the census comes to my commune but I am away for the entire period? Am I exempt because of this, and if so how will officials find out?
We recently reported that France’s census began on January 15, with millions required to complete the questionnaire.
The questionnaire must be answered by main-home households regardless of nationality in areas where the census is taking place.
The relatively short time period – less than a month in smaller communes – has led some to wonder what to do if they are away.
Not required for second-home owners
The first thing to do is check the census is indeed coming to your area, as it is not being carried out in all communes and in larger communes only a sample of the population is asked to take part.
You can check if it is required in your commune via the official census website or if in doubt as to whether you are required to take part, you can contact your mairie.
To reiterate, if your property is a second home and you spend most of your time in another property either abroad or elsewhere in France, the census does not apply to you.
Mairies will check if the property is a second home sending out letters or asking a census worker to call on you.
Online completion still possible
If the property is your main home however, you still have to complete it even if you are absent for the entire period (for example a holiday, work trip, or other emergency).
In this case, you can still complete the census online.
Login details to complete the questionnaire online are posted through letterboxes, however if you are away when this is sent you can ask the mairie directly to provide you with login information.
The Garches (Hauts-de-Seine) mairie website states: “If you are scheduled for the census but are absent during the census period, the teams will send you an online form so you can complete the questionnaire online.”
“Please provide your first and last name, address, email address, and phone number [to the mairie] to facilitate data collection.”
Similar regulations will apply in other communes.
You will be put into contact with the census officer responsible for your address, who can provide you directly with the login details to complete the census online.
As a reminder, failure to complete the census can potentially result in a €38 fine.
