Moroccan Woman, 59, Ordered to Leave France Despite Four Children Living There
A 59-year-old Moroccan woman with a neurological condition that makes walking difficult had asked to remain in France for treatment. Her four children and grandchildren live there. But Toulouse’s administrative court has upheld the order requiring her to leave the country.
After undergoing surgery in Morocco in 2021 for a serious spinal cord condition, the woman was left with significant motor impairments. She has progressive tetraparesis, accompanied by persistent pain and difficulty walking. Her condition requires physiotherapy sessions and several medications.
She arrived in France in July 2023 and applied for a residence permit on medical grounds on 8 April 2025. Five months later, the prefect of Haute-Garonne rejected her application and ordered her to leave the country within 30 days.
The medical file nonetheless contains an important finding. In their opinion dated 11 August 2025, doctors from the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) said that a lack of treatment could have exceptionally serious consequences. They nevertheless considered that she could receive appropriate treatment in Morocco.
It is this second conclusion that the Moroccan woman challenged in court. She argued in particular that the cost of care could prevent her from receiving the treatment she needs in her country of origin.
In its ruling of 22 October 2026, Toulouse’s administrative court noted that the medical documents confirmed her difficulty walking and her pain. But they did not establish that treatment in Morocco would be unsuitable or financially inaccessible, or that her condition would make travel dangerous.
Four children and grandchildren in France
The mother also cited her family ties. Her three daughters, son and grandchildren live in France, she said. One of her daughters provides her with accommodation.
The judges acknowledged that she was staying with her daughter, but found that the documents in the case did not demonstrate sufficiently close ties with her other family members. They also noted that she had lived in Morocco until the age of 56 and had not shown that she had no ties there.
The court therefore found that these circumstances were not enough to make her removal disproportionate in light of her right to respect for her private and family life.
On 22 October, the court dismissed her appeal and upheld the refusal of a residence permit and the order to leave France issued on 25 September 2025. It also rejected her request for a residence permit for medical treatment or a fresh review of her case.
