FranceAsylum / refugee status

Refugee status in France

A refugee is a person persecuted in their country of origin on political, religious or other grounds who has been granted protection in France under the Geneva Convention. The status is recognised by the French authority OFPRA after an interview and an assessment of how well founded the fear of persecution is. Someone granted the status receives an unrestricted right to work, live and start a family in France. They may be naturalised with no minimum period of residence. Extended support and assistance are available at the stages of the procedure and after recognition.

Visa term

The status is indefinite; the titre de séjour réfugié is usually 10 years

Work

A full right to work once the status is recognised

Residence

You have to live mainly in France

A refugee immediately receives a 10-year carte de résident

Source: service-public.gouv.fr — rights of a recognised refugee

Who the asylum programme suits

Refugee status is available to people who have faced persecution and to members of their families who meet certain conditions. The main categories of applicant are set out below.

Main applicant

A person who has faced persecution on grounds of race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinion
A person who has acted in defence of democracy (a politician, journalist, artist or activist)
A person who is in danger in their country of origin and cannot obtain protection from their own state

Members of the applicant's family

A spouse or partner (18+) where the marriage or union predates the asylum application
Unmarried children under 19, named when the application was registered
The parents of the refugee, if the refugee is a minor and unmarried

Special cases

People who already have protection in a third country cannot come to France
People who have committed serious crimes or who threaten security are excluded
People from countries of doubtful safety may be considered under the accelerated procedure

When the programme is not a fit

The persecution is not based on politics, religion, race, nationality or social group

Consider subsidiary protection (protection subsidiaire) or temporary protection

The person committed a serious crime before arriving in France

Apply to the specialist authority dealing with exclusions from the status

The person already has protection from another EU member state

Remain in the country that has already granted protection (the Dublin principle)

Documents to gather

The following documents are required to register an asylum application at the prefecture.

Identity document (passport, identity card) — the original and a copy
Document on entry to France (visa, stamp in the passport) or a description of the circumstances of arrival
4 photographs (35×45 mm format) for the applicant's certificate
Details of family members (names, dates of birth) if they are also applying
When filing with OFPRA: copies of documents evidencing the persecution (certificates, letters, medical reports)
When filing with OFPRA: 2 further ID-format photographs
Address of residence or contact details (if available at the time of registration)

How the process runs

Recognition of refugee status runs through several consecutive stages, each with its own deadlines and requirements.

1
Registration at the prefecture
3 working days
Attend the prefecture for your region (or the border authority, if you have arrived from abroad). Provide identity documents, details of your entry, 4 photographs and an address of residence. The prefecture registers the application and issues an asylum applicant's certificate (attestation de demandeur d'asile), valid throughout France. The period is 3 working days (extendable to 10 days in the event of a mass influx).
2
Filing the application with OFPRA
21 days
Once you have the certificate you have 21 days to send the full application to the French Office for the Protection of Refugees (OFPRA). The application can be sent by post (registered letter) or in person (for residents of Paris and Île-de-France). Attach copies of the passport, the certificate, documents on the persecution and 2 photographs. The form has to be completed in French.
3
Interview with OFPRA
varies
OFPRA will invite you to a personal interview to discuss the reasons for your application and the risks you have faced in your country of origin. The interview can be held in a language of your choice with an interpreter. You may attend with a lawyer or a representative. The interview can be held by video link where there is a reason (distance, health). OFPRA may request a medical examination, but a refusal will not lead to your application being rejected.
4
Consideration by OFPRA under the ordinary procedure
6 months
Under the ordinary procedure OFPRA considers your application within 6 months of receiving it. Where necessary the period can be extended to 9 months, and then by a further 3 months in particularly complex circumstances. You will be notified of the decision through a secure personal account on the OFPRA website or by registered letter.
5
Consideration by OFPRA under the accelerated procedure
15 days
The accelerated procedure applies if you have filed a repeat application, if your application is manifestly unfounded or if it is based on forged documents. In administrative detention the period can be shortened to 96 hours. The rest of the process stays the same.
6
Recognition of refugee status
0 days
If the decision is positive you are granted refugee status under the Geneva Convention. The prefecture for your region will issue you a resident card (carte de résident) for 10 years. The status gives the right to work, live, start a family and travel on passports and documents. The process of obtaining the resident card starts straight away and has to be completed within 3 months.
7
Appeal to the CNDA (if refused)
1 month
If OFPRA rejects your application, you have 1 month from receiving the refusal to appeal to the CNDA (the National Court of Asylum). The appeal is lodged by letter or fax with one of the 7 regional chambers of the CNDA. The CNDA will consider your complaint within 5 months (5 weeks under the accelerated procedure). The service is free, but you pay for translations and a lawyer yourself.

Who you can bring with you

Members of the applicant's family can obtain refugee status and rights equivalent to those of the main beneficiary, through family reunification or by applying jointly.

Spouse or civil partner (PACS)

Has to be over 18. The marriage or civil union has to predate the asylum application by the main applicant. Receives a resident card for 10 years. The cost is €50 (a tax stamp).

Unmarried children

Have to be under 19 on the date the application is filed with OFPRA and to be named in the main applicant's application. They receive a resident card for 10 years. The cost for each child is €50 (a tax stamp).

Parents of a minor refugee

If the main applicant is under 18, their parents can be included as family members and obtain the status. They receive a resident card for 10 years once the status is recognised. The cost is €50.

A spouse, partner or children where the relationship began after the application was filed

If the relationship arose after the application was filed, the family member cannot be included automatically. A separate family reunification procedure (regroupement familial) through a French mission is required. The spouse or partner has to evidence a stable relationship of at least 1 year and apply for a visa at the consulate.

Renewal and the grace period

A refugee's resident card (carte de résident) is valid for 10 years and has to be renewed once it expires. The renewal is filed with the prefecture between 4 and 2 months before the old card expires. The renewal procedure is free for refugees (unlike other foreign nationals, who pay €350). Renewal may be refused if the holder represents a serious threat to public order. The card lapses if the holder leaves France for more than 3 years in a row. After two consecutive resident cards a refugee is entitled to a permanent resident card (carte de résident permanent), also valid for 10 years and subject to renewal.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Refugee status	Work visa	Subsidiary protection
Visa term	The status is indefinite; the titre de séjour réfugié is usually 10 years	For the term of the contract; renewed on new grounds	A temporary residence permit for 1 year, renewable (1-4 years)
Money	There are no financial requirements; material support is possible (ADA, a reception centre)	The salary under the contract (the minimum depends on the position)	There are no financial requirements; the same material support
Work	A full right to work once the status is recognised	Yes, within the approved grounds, sometimes with a specific employer	A full right to work once the titre de séjour is issued
Residence	You have to live mainly in France	Genuine residence while the employment grounds still hold	Permanent residence in France

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation after 4 years of residence instead of 5

Frequently asked questions about Refugee status

What does it cost to apply for asylum in France?

Filing an asylum application is entirely free. Registration at the prefecture, filing with OFPRA and the interview require no payment at all. However, if you need notarised translations of your documents from a foreign language, or engage a lawyer to represent you before the CNDA (on appeal), those services are paid for.

What financial support is available while the application is being considered?

Asylum applicants can receive a daily allowance (ADA — Allocation pour Demandeur d'Asile). The amount depends on the size of the family: a single adult receives €6.80 a day (or €14.20 with the housing supplement). A family of 4 receives €17 a day (or €24.40 with the supplement). The allowance is paid only once the full application has been filed with OFPRA and ends at the end of the month in which the final decision on the status is taken.

Can I work while my asylum application is being considered?

Yes, but with restrictions. Immediately after the application is registered at the prefecture you are issued an applicant's certificate (attestation), which allows you to work. However, during the first 6 months of consideration some categories of applicant may be restricted. If your application is still being considered after 6 months, you may be issued a full work authorisation. Once refugee status is recognised you receive a full right to work with no restrictions and with no need for the employer's consent to employment.

How long does an asylum application take to consider?

The standard period for consideration is 6 months from the date the full application is filed with OFPRA. However, OFPRA can extend the period to 9 months, and by a further 3 months in particularly complex circumstances. The accelerated procedure (15 days) applies if you have filed a repeat application, if it is manifestly unfounded or if it is based on forged documents. In administrative detention the period under the accelerated procedure can be shortened to 96 hours.

What happens once I have refugee status? What documents will I receive?

Once refugee status is recognised, the prefecture for your region will issue you a resident card (carte de résident) valid for 10 years. The card is free for the refugee. It allows you to live and work in France without restriction. If you want to travel abroad you can obtain a travel document (titre de voyage pour réfugié), a biometric document valid for 5 years and costing €45. You can also ask for your family to be included and start the family reunification process.

What grounds of persecution are recognised in France?

France recognises refugee status for people persecuted on the following five grounds: race, religion, nationality, social group (including gender identity and sexual orientation) and political opinion. In addition, the status may be recognised for people who have acted in defence of democracy (politicians, journalists, artists, activists), provided they face a real risk of persecution in their country. OFPRA assesses each case individually, requiring evidence of the persecution and of the state's inability to provide protection.

Other ways to move to France

Every route in one list — migration programmes: France.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.