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The republican commitment contract
Every foreign person must sign the republican commitment contract when applying for a residence permit (titre de séjour). The person commits to respecting the principles of the Republic in order to integrate.
Key points of the sheet
- No residence permit is issued without this signed contract. It must be signed at each step of obtaining or renewing the permit. If a principle is not respected, the permit can be withdrawn or not renewed.
- The contract contains several principles: personal freedom, freedom of expression and conscience, equality between women and men, human dignity.
- It also contains the French motto, the symbols of the Republic, the national borders and secularism (laïcité).
- People with international protection must also sign the contract. These are refugees, stateless people and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection.
Words to know
- republican commitment contract (contrat d’engagement républicain)
- It is a document signed by the foreign person to commit to respecting the principles of the Republic.
- residence permit (titre de séjour)
- It is not issued without the signed contract, and it can be withdrawn if a principle is not respected.
- international protection (protection internationale)
- It concerns refugees, stateless people and subsidiary protection; these people also sign the contract.
Test yourself: 3 questions
When must a foreign person sign this contract?
In French, the language of the exam: Quand une personne étrangère doit-elle signer ce contrat ?
The foreign person must sign the contract when applying for a residence permit.
What can happen if a republican principle is not respected?
In French, the language of the exam: Que peut-il arriver si un principe républicain n’est pas respecté ?
If the person does not respect a republican principle, the residence permit can be withdrawn or not renewed.
Must refugees sign the commitment contract?
In French, the language of the exam: Les réfugiés doivent-ils signer le contrat d’engagement ?
People with international protection, such as refugees, must also sign the contract.
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More in this topic (The commitment to respect the principles of the Republic)
Source
Sheet “Le contrat d'engagement républicain” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.