French Court Orders Visa Re-examination for Algerian Citizen

An Algerian citizen, married to a French national, has successfully challenged the refusal of his long-stay visa application by the French consulate in Algiers. The initial visa D application, intended for installation as the spouse of a French national, was denied in March 2026. Following an implicit rejection of their appeal by the Commission de recours contre les décisions de refus de visa (CRRV), the couple pursued legal action before the administrative court of Nantes.

Through their lawyer, the Algerian citizen requested the suspension of the CRRV's implicit decision. The legal argument presented was that the decision suffered from a serious doubt regarding its legality, citing an error of law and an error of appreciation, specifically in its assertion of fraud. In response, the French Ministry of Interior had argued that the husband's proposed installation in France was fraudulent and did not genuinely align with the purpose of the requested visa, suggesting the marriage or installation project lacked a true intent for shared life in France.

The administrative court of Nantes delivered a ruling stating that the administration had not sufficiently demonstrated the alleged fraudulent nature of the installation project. Furthermore, the court acknowledged that the CRRV's decision to reject the appeal had the effect of prolonging the separation between the couple. Consequently, the court ordered the suspension of the contested decision and mandated the Minister of Interior to undertake a new examination of the visa application within one month. This decision represents a positive development, underscoring the protection of the Algerian citizen's rights and ensuring a further review of his application.