Family reunification in France: Interior Minister eyes to tighten conditions, listing three possible avenues for restrictions
By: Hana Saada
ALGIERS– As part of the new immigration law, several debates have been held in France. Indeed, many are in favor of the regularization of undocumented migrants to frame the labor crisis, while others call for a tougher application of the obligations to leave French territory.
In this wake, on Tuesday February 28, during a parliamentary hearing, the French Minister of the Interior, in this case Gérald Darmanin, returned once again to the subject of his new immigration law, presented on February 1 at the Council of Ministers.
Family reunification in France: three avenues of possible restrictions according to Darmanin
Although this new immigration law does not provide for any amendment to limit family reunification, the French Minister of the Interior says “he is in favor of restrictions on this subject, as suggested by several senators in France”. Especially since in 2022, France issued 33,735 residence permits for reasons of family reunification or reunification of refugees.
Indeed, during this hearing, he listed three possible avenues for restrictions on family reunification. The first concerns, according to him, the reception conditions required of foreigners to bring their families, namely; the size of the accommodation, the duration of the presence in France, the income…
In addition, the second track relates to the family reunification of refugees. For Darmanin, this reunification should be limited to the strict family while putting precise terms on the definition of the Family in France. Regarding the other track, Darmanin says “he is in favor of imposing language tests, but also the values of the republic on family members, who apply for a family reunification visa”. For the French Minister of the Interior, these measures will make it possible to limit for the first time the right to family reunification in France.
As a reminder, this new immigration law will be defended, on March 27, by Gérald Darmanin and Olivier Dussopt before the Senate, then in the National Assembly.
