Moroccan Mechanic Wins Right to Stay in France After Phone Bill Dispute
A Moroccan head mechanic with a permanent contract was facing expulsion from France over a phone bill the prefecture deemed falsified. After an initial setback in court, he won the cancellation of his expulsion and a ruling requiring the authorities to issue him a residence permit.
Everything changed on February 24, 2026. The Jura prefecture refused his residence permit, gave him thirty days to leave France and barred him from returning for a year. His destination was set: Morocco.
Yet the man has been working at a garage since 2023. He arrived legally in France in September of that year on a temporary worker visa, works as a head mechanic and secured a permanent contract in June 2024. His salary is above the minimum wage.
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The problem stemmed from a mobile phone bill attached to his application as proof of address. The prefecture claims that the account holder’s name and the address were falsified. The employee disputes this, saying the bill is still available to download from his online customer account.
In April, he suffered an initial setback. The interim relief judge refused to suspend the prefectural decision, according to the April 3 order. His main appeal nevertheless proceeded.
The judge dismantles the prefecture’s case
On October 8, the Besançon Administrative Court ruled in his favor. In its ruling, it found that the prefect had offered no evidence contradicting the Moroccan man’s explanation of the bill. It also noted the absence of information about what had followed the judicial report.
The judges also took his employment into account. His employer had applied for a work permit, supported his regularization and praised his commitment as a workshop manager. The Moroccan man has declared his income to the tax authorities since 2023 and works in a sector facing recruitment difficulties.
On Bladi.net : Four Years on a Permanent Contract and Dozens of Payslips: This Moroccan Man Remains Under an OQTF
As a result, the refusal of his residence permit, the obligation to leave France and the ban on returning were annulled. The prefect must issue him a “salaried employee” residence permit within two months of the ruling’s notification. The state must also pay him 1,200 euros in legal costs.
