France Tightens Visa Restrictions for North African Countries, Citing Migrant Return Issues

"We see that the returns (of expelled migrants) are facilitated," the French president told reporters on the sidelines of the Francophonie summit in Tunisia. France had decided at the end of September 2021 to reduce by 50% the issuance of visas for Moroccans and Algerians and by 30% for Tunisians on the grounds that these three countries refuse to issue consular laissez-passer necessary for the return of their nationals expelled from France.

The refusal to take back expelled nationals "is not acceptable," insisted Emmanuel Macron. "It is not acceptable that we do not take back irregular foreigners who were identified as dangerous and disturbing public order." "The susceptibility is on both sides. France also has the right to be susceptible," he added, specifying that the people in an irregular situation were the result of "organized trafficking."

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Furthermore, the French president says he continues to attach importance to "the mobility of students, economic, academic, political mobility."