OFII Convocation Day One: Everything You Need to Know About the CIR

I’ll be honest with you: no matter how much homework I did, no matter how prepared I was, I was always a little nervous before every OFII appointment. It was natural. You are navigating an unfamiliar system in a foreign country and the stakes feel high at every step.

But here is what I learned: the OFII process is far more straightforward than what you will read about online. And if you speak French, even at a conversational level, you are already a step ahead.

This post combines everything I wish I had known before my first OFII convocation. What the CIR actually is, what happens on the day, what has changed since the 2024 immigration law, and all the resources you need in one place.

What is the CIR?

The Contrat d’Intégration Républicaine, the Republican Integration Contract, is a one-year agreement between you and the French State. By signing it, you commit to adopting the values and principles of the Republic and French society. In return, the State provides you with mandatory civic training and, if needed, French language classes to support your integration.

You can find the current model CIR contract on Légifrance at legifrance.gouv.fr. Note that a new model contract was issued in July 2025, so if you come across older versions online they may not reflect current requirements.

Completing the CIR successfully has direct consequences for your ability to renew your titre de séjour and eventually obtain a multi-year residency card. It is not a formality. It is the foundation of your legal integration pathway in France.

Who Needs to Sign the CIR?

The CIR is for anyone planning to settle in France permanently. The following visa and residency categories require it:

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

You are exempt from signing the CIR if you completed at least three years of secondary schooling in a French educational establishment in France or abroad, or if you completed at least one year of higher education in France.

If your situation does not fit one of the categories above, you likely do not need to sign. If you are unsure, you can submit a voluntary request to sign through your local OFII territorial office or download the request form at service-public.fr. Note that this request now goes through the préfecture rather than OFII directly.

What the CIR Includes and What Has Changed

The CIR appointment is a half-day. It covers a language test, a personal interview with an OFII agent, and the signing of your contract. You will also be assigned four mandatory days of civic training and your first two will be scheduled before you leave the appointment.

The 2024 immigration law introduced significant changes that came into effect from January 2026. Here is what is new:

The language threshold has changed.

An A2 level of French is now required to obtain a carte de séjour pluriannuelle. B1 is required for a carte de résident, and B2 is required for naturalisation. If your level is below A2, language classes will be prescribed as part of your integration pathway.

A civic exam has been introduced.

Passing a civic exam is now mandatory for any first application for a multi-year residence permit, a carte de résident, or naturalisation. The exam is 45 minutes long, conducted digitally, and consists of 40 multiple choice questions covering French Republican values, institutions, and your rights and duties as someone living in France. A passing score of at least 80%, meaning 32 out of 40 correct answers, is required. You can take it as many times as needed. A free preparation resource is available at formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr.

The mid-contract interview has replaced the end-of-contract interview.

You will now be called back between six and nine months after the start of your prescribed training rather than at the end of the year.

What to Bring

Printed copy of your convocation. Your passport. Proof of residence in France. Your visa validation confirmation letter. If you haven’t read my post on validating your visa upon arrival, do that first and print the confirmation before your appointment. You will be asked for it. If you have a language certificate such as a DELF or TCF showing B1 or higher, bring it. You may be exempt from the language test on the day.

And bring extra copies of everything. I brought my entire binder of documents to every single OFII appointment. When asked about it I would say something along the lines of having learned early to always come over-prepared because you never know what you will be asked to provide. The agent at my CIR appointment was visibly impressed. That same binder saved me when there was a confusion about my married and maiden name. My copy of my birth certificate cleared it up immediately.

What to Expect on the Day

My appointment was at 13h45. I arrived 30 minutes early and there was already a line of eight people outside. A security guard was giving instructions. Be patient, listen carefully, and do not be the person who refuses to follow directions. I watched that happen and it was not a good look for anyone involved.

Everyone is brought upstairs at the same time regardless of where you are in the queue. You are taken to the second floor and asked to wait outside a large room where you will be called back one by one to submit your paperwork and sign in. I was asked whether I spoke French, whether I had studied in France, and directed to where I should present my language attestation.

Once everyone has signed in you will be seated in the room together. An agent will come in and explain in French what will happen that day. The language test comes first, followed by individual interviews.

The Language Test

The test takes about 20 minutes and is both written and oral. Its purpose is to determine your level and whether you need language classes as part of your integration pathway. If you have a DELF, TCF, or other recognised certificate showing your level, bring it. You may be exempt from sitting the test on the day.

I was exempt because I had taken the TCF tout public within my first week of arriving in France in March 2020. My CIR appointment wasn’t until August 2020, so if you are planning ahead, taking a language test early is worth considering. From January 2026, the threshold for your carte de séjour pluriannuelle renewal is A2. If you test below A2, language classes will be prescribed as part of your CIR.

The Personal Interview and Signing the CIR

Once the language test is complete you will be brought to a small cubicle where an OFII agent will be waiting. The agent will verify all your information, ask about your situation in France including your address, family status, work, schooling and social security, and walk you through the contract before you sign it.

This is where I was asked for my visa validation confirmation letter. I am very glad I had the instinct to print it out.

During my interview the agent asked whether I had applied for my carte vitale, set up a bank account, and whether I needed help finding work. The interview is genuinely there to assess your needs. It is not an interrogation. After signing, the agent explained my civic training schedule and printed off the attestations for my first two days.

The whole meeting took about 20 to 30 minutes. All in all it was quick, painless, and far less complicated than anything I had read online.

What Happens After

Once you have completed your four days of civic training you will be called back for a mid-contract interview, held between six and nine months after the start of your training. This replaces the end-of-year interview that was in place when I went through the process in 2020. The interview reviews what you have learned and identifies any further resources or services that might support your integration.

Keep every attestation you receive after each civic training day. You will need them when you renew your titre de séjour.

Respecting the terms of your CIR matters more than ever under the 2024 immigration law. Successful completion, including attending all prescribed training and passing the new civic exam, is now required for your first application for a multi-year residence permit, carte de résident, or naturalisation. If you are found not to have respected the terms of your CIR, the préfet will notify you in writing with the specific reasons.

One Last Thing

Be organised. Be patient. Smile. Ask questions. And remember that showing up over-prepared is never the wrong choice.

The OFII process felt intimidating before every single appointment. But looking back, it was consistently more manageable than I expected. Do your homework, bring your documents, and trust the process.

Resources

Official CIR information

Current CIR contract model (July 2025)

Civic exam preparation

CIR request form

OFII official website

My visa validation post

My OFII medical visit post

Le parcours personnalisé d’intégration républicaine

Les étapes de la procédure: contrat d’intégration républicaine