French Court Gives Marseille Prefecture Seven Days to Issue Work Permit to Moroccan Woman
A 29-year-old Moroccan woman married to a Frenchman waited fifteen months after applying to renew her residence permit. The Marseille Administrative Court has given the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture seven days to issue her a temporary permit allowing her to work.
Born in Bir Jdid, Morocco, on January 26, 1997, the young woman married a French national on May 7, 2024. Their marriage was registered in the French records five months later. She then obtained a long-stay visa serving as a residence permit for the “spouse of a French national,” valid from November 21, 2024, to November 20, 2025. On July 23, 2025, nearly four months before it expired, she applied for renewal through the ANEF platform.
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The prefecture remained silent for several months. After four months, its failure to respond legally resulted in an implied rejection. The Moroccan woman, who still lives with her French husband and is looking for work, eventually took her case to the Marseille Administrative Court on October 7, 2026, fifteen months after submitting her application.
The situation recalls the consequences of administrative silence on residence permit applications, which can lead to an implied refusal while an application remains pending without an explicit response.
Seven days to issue a work permit
In its order of October 26, 2026, the judge noted that the marriage had been duly registered in France and that the couple continued to live together. These circumstances meet the conditions set out in the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners for issuing a “private and family life” residence card to the spouses of French nationals.
The judge found serious doubt as to the legality of the prefecture’s refusal and suspended its enforcement. The Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture, which filed no defence brief, must review the application within one month.
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Most importantly, the ruling requires the authorities to issue, within seven days of being notified of the order, a temporary residence permit allowing the Moroccan woman to work. The document must cover the period during which her application is reviewed. The court also awarded 1,000 euros in legal costs, a sum intended for her lawyer under the legal aid terms set out in the order.
