What is a Contrat d’Intégration Républicaine?

Republican Integration Contract

Upon arrival in France, you will need to validate your visa. This will start the integration process with OFII. Depending on your visa type, will depend on your requirements that will come along with your visa. But typically if you are planning to stay in France for long-term, you will be required to sign a CIR.

What exactly is the CIR

The Contrat d’integration républicaine (the Republican Integration Contract) is a contract that is between the State and you, the foreigner with the purpose of settling in France permanently. As a foreigner setting up life in France, you agree to adopt the values and principles of the Republic and French society. By signing this contract, you will in turn be given civics training classes and language classes in order to help with the integration process.

Which visas require the CIR

The CIR is for those who are wanting to settle in France permanently, that simple.

The following applies to the signing of a CIR:

Carte de séjour vie privée et familiale: other cases.
Certificate of residence for Algerian nationality.
Carte de résident.
Visa long séjour valant tire de séjour salarié.
Carte de séjour pour exercer une profession commerciale, industrielle ou artisanale.

If your situation does not fit into one of these categories, you most likely do not need to sign a CIR.

If you think your situation applies to the signing of a CIR, then you can fill out a form here.

What is included in the CIR

The CIR is usually a one-year process, from signing the contract to the final interview. The contract is presented in the first half-day appointment called upon by OFII. At the appointment, you will take a language test, be interviewed by an OFII agent and sign the contract.

You can find a copy of the contract here. This is an English example and is from 2020.

You will have the opportunity to learn more about the values of the Republic and French society in the 4 civics trainings days that will be assigned to you throughout your first year in France. Your first civics training will be given to you at the end of your CIR appointment.

How the interview process goes

The CIR is handled within your first OFII appointment.

This specific interview with the OFII agent, your first in several, will be to assess your needs for integration in the French society. During my interview, the agent asked me if I had applied for SECU, set up a bank account, and needed help looking for a job.

I was exempt from the language test because I had taken the TCF tout public test within my first week of arriving in March 2020. My half-day appointment for the CIR with OFII wasn’t until August 2020.

You can read about my CIR appointment here.

What happens after

Once you have finished your 4 days of civics training, you’ll be asked to return for an end-of-the-contract interview to go over what you learned in your training. If needed, more information for resources and services that can help with further integration into French society/life will be given.

Upon successful completion of these interviews, at your next renewal, you can be granted a multi-year residency card.

If, on the chance, that you are found not to have respected the terms of the CIR, you will be notified by the préfet, of the specific reasons why the contract will be terminated.

Websites for further reading

Here are some links if you’d like to read more information on the contract, here’s some websites. These are all in French, but some of them have the option to change the page to English.

Qu’est-ce que le contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR)?

Le parcours personnalisé d’intégration républicaine 1ère partie: le contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR)

Demande de signature du contrat d’intégration républicaine.

Les étapes de la procédure: contrat d’intégration républicaine.