Residence permit for exceptional or humanitarian reasons (régularisation humanitaire)

If you are a non-European foreigner in an irregular situation in France, you can ask to be allowed to stay for humanitarian reasons or exceptional grounds. You may be given a temporary residence card (carte de séjour temporaire) of the private and family life or temporary worker/salaried type. The card lets you work, but the préfecture is not obliged to grant it: the préfet decides case by case. You file your application at the préfecture or sous-préfecture of your home.

Steps

1. File your residence permit application at the préfecture or sous-préfecture of your home.
2. You are given a list of documents to provide. It depends on your personal situation.
3. Sign the commitment to respect the principles of the Republic. Without this signed commitment, your application is incomplete and declared inadmissible.

Key facts

• If you are allowed to stay, you are given a card valid for 1 year.
• The card lets you work.
• The préfet has discretionary power and decides case by case whether to let you stay.
• Except in exceptional cases, your presence in France must be at least 7 years.
• If you have lived in France for more than 10 years, the préfet must ask the residence permit commission for its opinion before refusing you the permit.