Having to apply for asylum from abroad is not a new idea, but for some time it has been brandished as the big solution in the fight against irregular immigration. Defended by far-right candidates Marine Le Pen and Éric Zemmour as well as right-wing candidate Valérie Pécresse for Les Républicains, the measure is, however, contrary to international law.
Around 42% of refugees settled in France manage to find a job within a year of obtaining official status. But the jobs they find are often far below their skill levels, resulting in a "professional downgrade" that leads to discontent and exhaustion.
Many Bangladeshis in France have complained that since the start of the year their asylum applications have been dismissed by order without a hearing at the National Asylum Court (CNDA). Lawyers say these automatic rejections have become commonplace.
An Afghan recently repatriated to France after the Taliban took power on August 15 has been taken into custody because of his alleged links with the Islamist fighters. Four of his relatives are under surveillance by France's General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI).
A plane carrying 184 Afghan civilians landed at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport, near Paris, on Wednesday. A further 180 Afghans touched down on Thursday evening. Didier Leschi, director general of the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII), explains to InfoMigrants how these emergency evacuations are organized and what will happen to these refugees now.
Many asylum seekers in Europe share similar experiences of spending years on the streets and bouncing between different countries in the European Union, unable to obtain official status and to start rebuilding their lives. InfoMigrants spoke to several migrants who are currently in Paris.
A new app has been launched in southern France to help asylum seekers with their administrative status, accommodation, health or even their everyday needs. It's available in six languages.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced last week that he had stripped 147 'radicalized' migrants of their refugee status. This announcement causes legal issues, particularly regarding its implementation. It also raises questions about the impartiality of Ofpra, the body responsible for granting international protection.
France has entered a new COVID-19 lockdown until December 1. President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to keep the country's public services running, including the asylum services. While authorities have adapted safety measures, there are some things to keep in mind. InfoMigrants took a look.
Following the October 16 beheading of a French schoolteacher by a Chechen refugee in the Parisian suburb of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, several media reports and statements by politicians have featured factually inaccurate or false information concerning the right to asylum in France. InfoMigrants examined and fact-checked these statements.
Due to the nationwide lockdown in France, some administrative services are suspended and some exceptional measures have been put in place. InfoMigrants takes a look at services dealing with the rights of foreigners.
A team of officials from the French office for the protection of refugees and stateless persons was in Niamey, Niger on January 30 to interview migrants evacuated from Libya. For these asylum seekers, their future hangs on this meeting.