Can I lose my EU Long-Term Resident status if I spend time abroad?

The EU Long-Term Resident card is durable but not unconditional. Extended absence can cause you to lose the status: living outside France for six consecutive years, or living outside the European Union for three or more consecutive years, can end your long-term resident status.

If you expect to travel or work abroad for long periods, plan around these limits and keep evidence of your ties to France. Losing the status means returning to an ordinary residence permit route, so guarding against long uninterrupted absences is important.