What is the contract of commitment to respect the principles of the Republic?

Verified 04 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

A contract of commitment to respect the principles of the Republic must be signed by any foreigner who requests a residence document. This contract must be attached when the application is submitted. The refusal to sign this contract or its non-compliance may call into question the issuance of the title or lead to its withdrawal. We're taking stock of the regulations.

Warning  

The contract of commitment to respect the principles of the Republic is different from republican integration contract.

Any foreigner who requests a residence document or the renewal of a residence document the obligation to commit, by contract, to respect the principles of the Republic.

There are exemptions this obligation for the following nationals:

  • Algerians: all residence permits
  • Tunisians:
    • Where the residence document applied for is as an employee, family member of a Frenchman, holder of an accident at work or occupational disease pension, beneficiary of family reunification where the foreigner who is joined holds a residence card
    • When the residence document requested is for a period of 10 years of legal residence in France or a period of 5 years of legal residence if the foreigner has a particular residence permit
  • Moroccans: employee residence permit.
  • Community citizens and their family members
  • Beneficiaries of the residence permit ‘United Kingdom Withdrawal Agreement’
  • Citizens EEE excluding: Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland) and members of their families
  • Monegasques.

Please note

For these different categories of foreigners, the signature of the contract is optional, due to the particular rules applicable to them.

All categories of securities the following are affected by this obligation:

  • Provisional residence permit (except those issued to title of temporary protection)
  • Temporary residence card
  • Multi-year residence card
  • Resident card.

The principles to be respected are as follows:

  • Personal freedom
  • Freedom of expression and conscience
  • Equality between women and men
  • Dignity of the human person
  • Motto and symbols of the Republic: "freedom, equality, fraternity" for the motto, tricolor flag and national anthem for the symbols
  • Territorial integrity, defined by national borders
  • Secularism (not to rely on one's beliefs or convictions to break free from the common rules governing relations between public services and individuals).

This contract must be signed when filing the file of 1re application and renewal :

  • At the prefecture, if the request is made in the prefecture, by mail or dematerialized deposit on the website demarche.numerique.gouv.fr
  • Or on the website of theANEF, if the request is dematerialized on this site.

A model contract of engagement is available on the website of the Ministry of the Interior. Sa translation into different languages is also available on the website.

You can print the document and sign it to insert it in your residence permit application file.

The version of the document signed and attached to your file must imperatively be the french version.

Model contract of commitment to respect the principles of the Republic

Ministry of the Interior

Pour en savoir plus

Warning  

The fact of not not produce the contract of employment or refuse to sign it when submitting an application or renewal of a residence permit, the prefecture will consider your file as incomplete and to refuse to examine it.

The contract commits you for the duration of validity of your residence document.

Penalties for non-compliance with the contract may range from refusal to issue or renewal of the residence permit to withdrawal of the residence permit. The procedure and the conditions are not the same depending on the category of residence permit.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Temporary residence permit: temporary residence permit, temporary residence card

Your application for a residence permit or renewal of a residence permit, may be refused if your behavior indicates that you don't respect one the principles of the Republic.

Your residence permit may also be valid for you be removed for the same reasons.

This failure to respect the principles of the Republic is characterized by all the following criteria:

  • Deliberate action
  • Serious act (this criterion is considered established if the act involves a right or freedom of another person)
  • Disturbing action by thepublic order, including in the private sphere (home).

Long-term residence permit: multi-annual card, resident card

Your application for a residence permit or renewal of a residence permit, may be refused if your behavior indicates that you don't respect one the principles of the Republic.

Your residence permit may also be valid for you be removed for the same reasons.

This failure to respect the principles of the Republic is characterized by all the following criteria:

  • Deliberate action
  • Serious act (this criterion is considered established if the act involves a right or freedom of another person)
  • Disturbing action by thepublic order, including in the private sphere (home).

The decision to refuse your residence permit or to withdraw it may be taken by the prefect taking into account the following elements:

  • Seriousness or reiteration of your actions
  • Length of your stay in France.

The opinion of the Committee on the Residence Permit, before which you may submit comments, is mandatory.

Please note

If you are refugee, beneficiary of subsidiary protection or stateless, you must sign the contract of employment. However, failure to comply with the provisions of this contract will not be sufficient to refuse you a residence permit or to allow its withdrawal. But these and other factors can be taken into account to establish a lack of integration or a threat to public order.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Administrative information by telephone - Allô Service Public

    • accès

      For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.

      Please note: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their progress.

    • horaires
      • Lundi : de 08h30 à 17h30
      • Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
      • Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
      • Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
      • Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15Horaires exceptionnels le vendredi 14 août de 09h00 à 12h15

    • Request a call

      coût Service free
    • service

      The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.

FAQ