Moroccan Student Granted French Visa After Initial Controversy

"The French consulate in Rabat called her this week asking her to show up that same day at 2 p.m. and she immediately obtained her visa," Philippe Ghiles, relieved that Fatna Assahal, 43, had prevailed, told L’Est républicain. Otherwise, the deputy mayor of Gray was considering filing an appeal with the deputy director of visas in Nantes or referring the matter to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. A tedious appeal procedure that would have required "months or even years of investigation before hoping to prevail." "I think the article that came out and explained her iniquitous and absurd situation stimulated the consulate," adds the elected official from Gray.

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The Moroccan entrepreneur Fatna Assahal, manager of a retirement home company, will now be able to go to France and realize her wish, that of training at the National Institute of Training and Application (INFA) in Dole. This training should allow her to better value and manage the retirement homes she markets in Morocco for Moroccan or European Moroccans who wish to end their days in their country of origin.

Assahal should join the hexagon next week. Once there, however, she could face a difficulty. "The whole problem now is to see how she will be able to be enrolled at the INFA in Dole" "and catch up on the training program that started two months ago and ends in January. Knowing that her visa expires on February 2," notes Philippe Ghiles.