FranceSubsidiary protection

Subsidiary protection in France

A status for foreign nationals who do not meet the criteria for refugee status but whose lives are in danger because of the death penalty, torture or a threat arising from armed conflict. It is granted by the French office for the protection of refugees, Ofpra. It gives the right to live permanently in the country, to work and to family reunification. Once the temporary document has been obtained, a move to a permanent resident card and to naturalisation is possible.

Visa term

A temporary residence permit for 1 year, renewable (1-4 years)

Threshold

There are no financial requirements; the same material support

Processing time

From several months to a year or more, with an appeal

Work

A full right to work once the titre de séjour is issued

Source: service-public.gouv.fr — subsidiary protection

Who can apply for Protection Subsidiaire

The programme is available to people who do not meet the definition of a refugee but whose lives are in serious danger.

The main criterion

A risk of the death penalty or of execution in the country of origin
A threat of torture or inhuman treatment
A serious and individual threat to life arising from armed conflict

How it differs from refugee status

It does not require targeted persecution on grounds of race, religion, nationality or political opinion
It is based on a threat to life, not on persecution
It may be granted in cases where the criteria for refugee status are not met

Who cannot apply

People who have already been granted refugee status in France
Those persecuted on grounds that fall within the definition of a refugee
Nationals of safe countries of origin without individual evidence of danger

When the programme is not a fit

You have grounds for refugee status (persecution on grounds of race, religion, nationality or political opinion)

Apply for refugee status through Ofpra

Your life is not in danger in your country

Consider other ways of obtaining a residence permit: a work visa, a student visa, family reunification

You already have legal status in France or in another EU country

Use the document you have, or apply to the consulate to change your status

What it costs

Arranging the residence card for the main beneficiaryFree for beneficiaries of Protection Subsidiaire	0 EUR
Arranging the card for a family memberA tax stamp (timbre fiscal)	50 EUR
Travel document (TIV) with the pluriannuelle cardA biometric document, valid for 4 years	+40 EUR
Travel document with the carte de résidentA biometric document, valid for 5 years	+45 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Travel document (TIV) with the pluriannuelle card” adds 40 EUR; “Travel document with the carte de résident” adds 45 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	50–135 EUR

Paid separately

Charges for Ofpra's consideration of the application — Covered by state funding
Integration services (civics training and language tuition) — Provided free of charge through Ofii

Documents to gather

The full set of documents is needed to apply for the issue or renewal of the residence card.

The Ofpra or CNDA decision granting Protection Subsidiaire
A full civil status certificate
Passport or identity document with a photograph
Certificate of residence (no more than 6 months old)
An e-photo with a digital signature (https://www.e-photo.fr)
A written undertaking to respect the principles of the Republic
The dematerialised filing certificate (where the application was filed online)
For family members: birth and marriage certificates, documents on family ties
For unmarried couples: a certificate of cohabitation (at least 1 year)

How the process runs

Obtaining the residence document involves filing the application online, providing evidence and having the card issued. Ofpra's decision on Protection Subsidiaire itself is taken separately, at the stage when the asylum claim is considered.

1
Receiving Ofpra's decision on Protection Subsidiaire
Several months to a year (an appeal to the CNDA is possible)
The foreign national files the initial application with Ofpra, which assesses the grounds for Protection Subsidiaire. If Ofpra refuses, the applicant may appeal to the National Court of Asylum (CNDA). If the decision is positive, an official notification is issued.
2
Filing the application for the residence card
Online
The application is filed through the ANEF portal no earlier than 4 months and no later than 2 months before the current residence document expires (or within 3 months of receiving a positive Ofpra decision on the initial application). All documents are uploaded online. Once filed, a dematerialised filing certificate is issued.
3
Assessment of the application
Usually several weeks
The competent authority checks that the documents are complete and the criteria are met, and carries out the necessary checks. The applicant may be called for an interview if clarification is needed.
4
Issue of the residence card
After approval
An approved applicant is issued a residence card (carte de séjour pluriannuelle bénéficiaire de la protection subsidiaire) for 4 years. The card allows you to work and live in France and to travel with a biometric TIV document.
5
Signing the republican integration contract
When the first document is issued
Ofii presents the integration contract (Contrat d'Intégration Républicaine) for 1 year, with a possible extension. The contract includes 24 hours of compulsory civics training and language tuition on offer (if the level is below A2). From January 2026 passing the civics exam (80% correct answers out of 40 questions) is required in order to obtain the pluriannuelle card or the carte de résident.

Who you can bring with you

Family members of a recognised beneficiary of Protection Subsidiaire can join them and obtain a residence card with the same rights. The family relationship has to have existed before the initial asylum application was filed.

Spouse (18+)

They have to have been married before the Protection Subsidiaire application was filed. They are declared to Ofpra together with the main applicant. They receive a card for 4 years with the right to work.

Civil partner or cohabiting partner (18+)

For a civil partner (PACS) — the registration document, dated before the application was filed. For a cohabiting partner — a certificate of cohabitation of at least 1 year before filing. They are included in the initial application and receive a card for 4 years.

Children (unmarried, up to 19)

At the time the Protection Subsidiaire application is filed they have to be unmarried and no older than 19. On reaching 16, and if they wish to work, they may be excluded from the family composition. They receive a card for 4 years with the right to work.

Parents and brothers or sisters (if the applicant is a minor)

If the main beneficiary of Protection Subsidiaire is a minor, their parents and minor brothers and sisters who are dependent on them can be included in the application. They receive a card for 4 years.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Permanent residence in France

The residence card is valid for a maximum of 4 years. The renewal is filed online no earlier than 4 months and no later than 2 months before the current document expires. After 4 years of residence on Protection Subsidiaire status it is possible to apply for the 10-year resident card (carte de résident), provided there is no threat to public order, no polygamy in France and no convictions for violence against minors. The resident card is valid for 10 years and can be renewed provided the applicant has not left France for more than 3 years in a row.

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.

	Subsidiary protection	Work visa	Exceptional regularisation
Visa term	A temporary residence permit for 1 year, renewable (1-4 years)	For the term of the contract; renewed on new grounds	Usually a temporary card for 1 year, renewed while the criteria are still met
Grounds	Threat to life	Employment	Work / family ties
Money	There are no financial requirements; the same material support	The salary under the contract (the minimum depends on the position)	There are no direct thresholds; for AES par le travail — stable income (from the SMIC)
Work	A full right to work once the titre de séjour is issued	Yes, within the approved grounds, sometimes with a specific employer	Depends on the card: with salarié or VPF, usually a full right
Residence	Permanent residence in France	Genuine residence while the employment grounds still hold	You have to live in France more or less continuously

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

After 5 years of residence — a carte de résident

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation under the general term of 5 years

Frequently asked questions about Subsidiary protection

How long does Ofpra take to consider a Protection Subsidiaire application?

Processing times vary with the complexity of the case, but usually run from several months to a year. If Ofpra refuses, the applicant may appeal to the National Court of Asylum (CNDA), which can take further time. The dematerialised filing certificate is issued immediately after the online filing.

Can I work in France with a Protection Subsidiaire card?

Yes, the residence card for beneficiaries of Protection Subsidiaire automatically permits both employment and self-employed activity. The employer does not have to request a separate work permit (autorisation de travail). This right applies from the moment the card is issued.

What does the travel document (TIV) cost?

The biometric travel document (Titre d'Identité et de Voyage) costs €40 for holders of the pluriannuelle card (valid for 4 years) and €45 for holders of the 10-year carte de résident (valid for 5 years). The document usually names the countries you may not enter, as a rule the country of origin.

What is the republican integration contract (CIR), and why does it matter?

The republican integration contract is an agreement for 1 year (with a possible extension) signed when the first residence document is issued. It includes 24 hours of compulsory civics training and an offer of language tuition. From January 2026, obtaining the pluriannuelle card or the carte de résident requires passing the civics exam (40 questions, at least 80% correct answers). Failing to sign the contract or to meet its obligations leads to it being terminated and may prevent you from obtaining the multi-year card.

How can my family members come to France?

Family members have to be included in the initial Protection Subsidiaire application to Ofpra. Once a positive decision has been made, they have to request a long-stay visa at the French consulate in their country. Visas are issued on the basis of the certificate recognising Protection Subsidiaire and documents on the family relationship. Family members receive a residence card for 4 years with the same rights to work and to live in the country.

How do I obtain French citizenship after Protection Subsidiaire?

Naturalisation normally requires 5 years of lawful residence in France. After 4 years of residence on Protection Subsidiaire status you can apply for the carte de résident (10 years). After a further year of residence on that card, naturalisation and the acquisition of French citizenship become possible. Naturalisation also requires passing an exam in French and a knowledge of French history and culture.

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.