French Minister Floats Three-Year Freeze on Family-Reunification Visas
Airlines Urge Travellers to Arrive Three Hours Early as France Cited Among EES ‘Hotspots’
French Consulate Targets ‘Visa Appointment Mafia’ in Tunisia to Restore Fair Access
Latest News
Independent Warns of ‘Border Roulette’ as France Partially Suspends EES Checks
The Independent reports that France is among the countries partially suspending EES biometric checks to avert long queues, prompting warnings that border processing could become ‘roulette’ during peak season. Companies should factor extra time and monitor sudden changes in French border procedures.
PARAFE e-gates reopened to UK and US residents as France struggles with EES rollout
The French government has reinstated access to PARAFE e-gates for Britons, Americans and other select non-EU nationals just six weeks after suspending the privilege during the shaky rollout of the EU Entry/Exit System. With EES kiosks still offline, PARAFE gates now transmit passport details to the database but skip biometric capture, helping airports reduce queues before the summer rush. Businesses should welcome the faster processing time but remain alert to inconsistent procedures at other Schengen borders.
EU ministers to review EES and ETIAS next week as France pushes for summer fixes
A 29 May Council press release confirms that EU home-affairs ministers will examine France’s proposal for emergency tweaks to the new Entry/Exit System when they meet on 4 June. Paris wants a harmonised definition of ‘partial suspension’ of biometrics and a derogation for small airports to avoid summer chaos. The debate will also look at knock-on effects for ETIAS, due later this year, with major implications for business travel planning.
Canada invites record 4,500 French-speaking candidates in new Express Entry draw
In an Express Entry draw on 28 May, Canada invited 4,500 French-speaking economic-class candidates – the largest francophone selection to date – with results published on 29 May. The move enhances opportunities for French nationals seeking permanent residence and gives employers in Canada another channel to retain bilingual talent. Applicants have 60 days to submit full files, so corporate mobility teams in France should review expiring documents now.