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The ax fell nearly a month ago, but Nadia still can’t get over it. For the third time in the space of a year, this 66-year-old retired from public education left empty-handed the Algiers offices of the VFS Global Center, the service provider which subcontracts visa applications for France in Algeria. With, in his passport, a form signifying him a refusal of delivery. “It borders on humiliation”launches the one who had hitherto encountered no difficulty in obtaining a residence permit.
“I traveled a lot, I visited several countries, none had refused me the right to enter. What are they afraid of? That I settle in France illegally? If I had wanted to do that, I would have done it before, but it never interested me”confides the former French teacher, confronted each time with the same reason: her income would not be sufficient to obtain the precious sesame.
However, “I had brought documents that are not requested, such as the tax notice for my son who lives in the Paris region to prove that his professional situation is comfortable and that he can welcome me in good conditionslaments the retiree. I have earned my living with dignity, I complete their file in good and due form, what more do they need? »
Amir was also surprised to see his visa renewal application rejected. This executive at the Ministry of Defense, who used to spend holidays in France, had planned to go there to buy a new vehicle. But, in mid-October, his file was rejected without explanation for the second time this year.
“I have been renewing my visa without problems since the 1990s, I even managed to obtain long-term visas. But, there, they don’t even bother to justify their refusal. It’s contempt”loose the fifties, who regrets a collective punishment. “The problem is political. We pay for the broken pots »he believes.
Retaliatory measure
Civil servants, retirees, businessmen, parents of dual nationals… For more than a year, no one has been spared by the substantial reduction in the number of visas granted by the French authorities. In September 2021, Paris announced that it would halve the number of visas issued to Algerian and Moroccan citizens and a 30% drop for Tunisians, based on the previous year. A retaliatory measure aimed at forcing the Maghreb countries to issue more consular passes, necessary for the expulsion of their nationals in an irregular situation on French territory. Algiers had denounced a unilateral decision “without prior consultation”.
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