Resettlement and humanitarian admission - France | DIP EUAA
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France is bound by the Union Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Framework Regulation (URF)
The Code of the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and of the Right to Asylum | Code de l'entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d'asile (CESEDA).
| Authorities responsible for establishing resettlement and humanitarian admission policy | Ministry of the Interior | Directorate General for Foreign nationals in France | Direction Générale des Étrangers en France (DGEF) |
|---|---|
| Identification and referral of refugees for a) resettlement programmes b) humanitarian admission programmes c) community sponsorship programmes | United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) In the case of community sponsorship (humanitarian corridors), the identification and referral of potential refugees is done by four organisations with which the government has signed specific agreements. These are: |
| Selection of refugees for a) resettlement programmes b) humanitarian admission programmes c) community sponsorship programmes |
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| Pre-departure assistance a) resettlement programmes b) humanitarian admission programmes c) community sponsorship programmes | Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs | Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères, French embassies and consulates abroad International Organization for Migration (IOM) In the case of community sponsorship (humanitarian corridors): |
| Travel arrangements a) resettlement programmes b) humanitarian admission programmes c) community sponsorship programmes | International Organization for Migration (IOM) In the case of community sponsorship (humanitarian corridors): |
| Arrival and reception a) resettlement programmes b) humanitarian admission programmes c) community sponsorship programmes | International Organization for Migration (IOM) In the case of community sponsorship (humanitarian corridors): |
France implements resettlement programs as well as a community sponsorship program.
Since 2008, France resettles refugees under a bilateral framework agreement signed with the UNHCR. The beneficiaries of this program, placed under the protection of the UNHCR, are selected on the basis of their files after examination by the Ministry of the Interior.
In 2014, France started implementing a new resettlement program (Humanitarian Admission Program - HAP), which entails the deployment of selection missions in selected first asylum third countries, based on annual quotas and currently falls under the EU resettlement scheme.
Since 2017, France runs a humanitarian corridor program, which is a community sponsorship scheme, fully funded by the participating organisations. The programme is based on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between competent national authorities, and the sponsoring organisations.
| 2-year Union Plan | National commitment for resettlement | National commitment for humanitarian admissions | Emergency quota |
|---|---|---|---|
| Period 2024-2025 | 6,000 refugees | ||
| Period 2026-2027 | |||
| Period 2028-2029 |
Identification and referral: The identification of refugees is made by UNHCR who refers them to the French authorities by using the Refugee Referral Form (RRF).
Assessment: In the case of the bilateral agreement, following the submission of the file (RRF), the selection of refugees is carried out by the Ministry of the Interior after consultation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and performing security screening by the French security services. Regarding the Humanitarian Admission Resettlement programme: the assessment of the referred refugees is made by OPFRA and the security services of the Ministry of the Interior. OFPRA conducts in-person interviews with individuals identified by UNHCR, then draws up a list of selected persons based on their need for international protection.
Resettled individuals may benefit from a refugee status and consequently are entitled to a 10-year residence permit, or from subsidiary protection, in which case, they are granted a 4-year renewable residence permit.
IOM is commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior to organise pre-departure orientation. The orientation covers 10 topics:
- Plane transfers
- Reception arrangements upon arrival
- Life in France
- Rights and obligations in France
- Social and administrative support provided under the programme
- Secularism and the principles of the French Republic ("les valeurs de la République française")
- The education system
- The healthcare system
- Cultural adaptation and integration basics
- Basic French language skills
The aim of these sessions is to provide basic and accurate information to help beneficiaries adjust to life in France and understand their rights and obligations.
The pre-departure and orientation (PDO) sessions occur a few days before the transfer and last for 3 days. Refugees are invited to take part in these sessions in small groups of 10 to 15 people.
The sessions are accompanied by an information brochure and a short film:
- The brochure is available in 11 languages: Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali, Arabic, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Farsi, Sango, Swahili, French, and English. It is systematically distributed to all beneficiaries of the programme.
- The short film is available in 9 languages: Arabic, Sudanese Arabic, Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Somali, Kinyarwanda, French, and English. The content of the short film was developed by IOM based on information gathered from trainers in the sending countries, associations and institutions in France, and the beneficiaries themselves.
IOM is responsible for organising systematic medical exams ‘fit to fly’ before departure to ensure individuals selected for resettlement can travel safely. If a treatment is needed, IOM will provide and cover the costs.
IOM is also responsible for booking plane tickets.
The formalities to issue travel documents (consular laissez-passer and long-stay visas) are done by the French consular section of the country of first asylum.
Operators responsible for the reception of resettled refugees are contracted by the French authorities. Their mission includes the search of suitable accommodation and the commitment to assist them on their path towards integration during the first year after arrival in France.
Once the accommodation has been found, IOM organises the transfer of families to France.
The operators in charge of reception also provide assistance in the process of getting the residence permit, access to school and social welfare, and with the signature of the Republican Integration Contract (contrat d'intégration républicaine, CIR) with OFII (French Office for Immigration and Integration).
Resettlement programme is based on annual quotas within the framework of the European Resettlement Programme. For the period of 2024-2025, France pledged to resettle 6,000 refugees with the support of AMIF funds.
France does not have a standing pledge regarding humanitarian admissions.
France does not have any community sponsorship programme related to state-led resettlement programme.
The humanitarian corridor program is a private sponsorship scheme, fully funded by the sponsoring organisations. The programme is based on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between competent national authorities, and the participating civil society organisations.
The programme was first set up in France in 2017, benefiting internationals protection applicants from Syria and Iraq, residing in Lebanon, and likely to obtain refugee status or subsidiary protection in France. It was renewed in 2021 for a further three years, via two separate MoUs, with a reception target of 300 beneficiaries for Sant'Egidio and the Semaines sociales de France on one hand, and 300 for the Fédération de l’entraide protestante and the Fédération protestante de France on the other. In 2025, they were prolonged for a further 3 years.
Costs and arrangements for the recipients' travel to France, as well as their accommodation are taken care of by the relevant organisation. They also support the beneficiaries through the process of applying for international protection in France, access to school, social welfare, health services, and on their path to integration and work.
France does not have any community sponsorship programme related to other complementary pathways.