Large family card: the system will evolve in 2023

The large family cardwhich allows you to benefit from advantageous reductions in particular on train travel, is about to change. As of January 2, 2023, “a dematerialized format that is easier and faster to obtain”, will be offered to eligible families, announced the Ministries Ecology Energy Territories on their Twitter account. This development of the large family card was requested by the government following the opening up of the rail market to competition. From now on, it is no longer the SNCF but the National Printing Office which will be in charge of making the cards. The card request service will therefore be interrupted. “between December 5, 2022 and January 2, 2023 in order to carry out this transfer of responsibility”, indicates the site of the SNCF. For families who hold a card that will expire soon, it will exceptionally remain valid in January 2023. You therefore do not risk any fines if you are checked with your tribe. How to apply for a large family card for the year 2023? What are conditions for benefit ? How much does it cost? What are the advantages ? How to renew? All the answers to your questions.

Following the forthcoming development of the large family card, a new site has been set up by the Ministry for Ecological Transition. To apply for a large family card from January 2023you will have to go to the site carte-families-many.gouv.fr. In principle, on this platform, beneficiaries will have to fill out a form, by submitting certain supporting documents. They will also be able choose between having a dematerialized cardavailable upon validation of the file, or a paper cardwhich will be sent by post within 3 weeks.

What documents to provide?

• a recent passport photo of each member of the family,
• a photocopy of all the pages of the family book (or an extract from the birth certificate of each of the applicants).
• A check in the amount of 19 euros payable to the SNCF in order to pay the administration fees.

For families from a European Union country other than France, proof of nationality must be added (such as a photocopy of the identity card or passport), as well as proof of residence. If the parents live and work in France, you must also add proof of activity, for example a photocopy of their employment contract. When applying for the large family card, foreign families coming from a country outside the European Union must enclose a photocopy of the valid residence card.

The new dedicated site indicates: “Card eligibility requirements and rail discount levels remain unchanged.” The card remains accessible to families who have at least three children under 18, with no means test. The parent who requests it must have full custody or joint custody of their children. It can also be awarded to adults who have had or raised at least five children, the site specifies. service-public.fr. Blended families can also benefit. In this case, the children taken into consideration for its allocation are those of this new union, but also those of each of the parents if they have custody of them. In this case, they will have to present a judgment defining their residence as that of the children.

What are the advantages of the large family card?

Possessing the large family card allows you to obtain reductions in many fields (clothing and beauty, child education and awakening, mass distribution, leisure and culture, health and well-being, transport, hotels and holidays, catering, museums and cinema as well as childcare services or tutoring classes, etc.).

Large family card partners

The large family card entitles you to reductions in various areas. Here are some examples :

• Beauty: 25% reduction at Marionnaud, 10% on Zoli textile items, 5% at Yves Rocher
• Education, services: discounts at Acadomia, Anacours, Kinougarde, Compléture, Acsan…
• Culture, leisure: reduced rates for the Puy du Fou, the Futuroscope park, the swimming pools and Parisian museums, the Palace of Versailles, etc.
• Transport, holidays: advantageous reductions at Ratp, SNCF, VTF Holidays or even Appart’City rentals, Camping and co, VVF Villages…
• Food: 10% discount at Flunch restaurants, at Un goût d’ici and children’s menu offered at Buffalo Grill (for an adult meal purchased).

The full list of partners is available on the website www.carte-familles-many.fr.

SNCF benefits, up to 75% off

The biggest advantage of the large family card is that it allows you to obtain reductions on SNCF train ticket prices (but not for business trips). Parents of three children will get 30% off, those with four will get 40% off, families with five children will get 50% off, and families with six or more children will get 75% off. of the ticket price. To know that “the card can be used in 1st and 2nd class, but the discount is always calculated on the standard leisure fare or normal 2nd class fare”underlines the site service-public.fr.

RATP and public transport benefits

In the Paris region, large family card can make it possible to benefit from 50% reduction in tickets on the SNCF and RATP network, provided you have the blue card and not the red version (assigned in the event of renewal when the family has only two children under 18). Outside the Paris region, other public transport companies grant reductions on presentation of this sesame. You can inquire with them.

How long is the large family card valid?

For families with three or four minor childrenthe large family card is valid for a maximum of three years. If the eldest of the siblings reaches majority before this period, the validity date is limited to the date of his 18 years. For families with five or more children, the card is valid for 6 years. For foreign holders, it is necessary to check with the SNCF because “Specific features are provided for families of foreign nationality depending on the duration of their residence permit”indicates the site service-public.fr.

The large family card can be renewed at the end of its period of validity and/or when there are only one or two children under the age of 18 left in the family. Both parents and each minor child then retain an advantage of 30% reduction on the SNCF network, but the advantages are stopped for the RATP network. Note that when all the children are adults, the family can no longer benefit from the card, except for parents who have had at least five children. They will be entitled to a lifetime reduction of 30% on SNCF tickets, and 50% on RATP tickets.

The file to be completed is the same, as are the documents to be provided. However, it must be specified on the form that it is a renewal of the large family card and not of a first request. The renewal request cannot be sent more than three months before the expiry date of the current cards.

It is also possible to get a duplicate of the large family card in the event of loss or theft. In this case, you must complete the application form, adding a recent identity photo of the beneficiary or beneficiaries, a check for 19 euros payable to the SNCF for payment of the application fees. A declaration of loss or theft issued by the police must be added or, failing this document, a sworn statement indicating the loss or theft, which must be dated and signed.