Mayotte: what is the territorialized visa that the government wants to abolish?

The French government plans to abolish the specific territorialized visa for the island of Mayottelocated in the Indian Ocean. This measure should ease the constraints associated with travel to mainland France and reduce the attractiveness of neighboring Comoros as a place to settle in the Mahoran archipelago.

What is the Mayotte territorialized visa?

Territorialized visas are a special feature of the island of Mayottewith around 48% of immigrants. Set up some thirty years ago, it stipulates, in accordance with thearticle 832 of the Code on the Entry of Foreigners and the Right of AsylumIn addition to the above, the French government has announced that residence permits issued in Mayotte are only valid in that territory.

This regulation provides tighter control over migratory flows and aims to better regulate the entry of foreigners to the island. The only exceptions are when the residence permit is issued to a person who has applied for asylum, or if the holder is summoned to mainland France by the French Office for Refugees and Stateless Persons for an interview.

Holders of this territorialized visa are not allowed to travel to another French department in mainland France without first obtaining a temporary residence permit (carte de séjour temporaire) or a residence permit (carte de résident) valid for ten years.

Why are we considering abolishing this visa?

The French government wants to abolish the territorialized visa to enable immigrants to Mayotte with a legal residence permit to travel freely to all French departments, including mainland France.

• Reducing the attractiveness of Mayotte : By putting an end to "droit du sol" and family reunification, the government hopes to literally cut off the Mauritanian archipelago's attractiveness to large-scale immigration from neighboring Comoros, and thus reduce the number of regular residence permits granted. According to INSEE – probably much more according to the Chambre régionale des Comptes - 48% are immigrants from the Comoros and other African countries.
• Encouraging travel to the metropolis : At present, holders of territorialized visas find it difficult to travel to mainland France. Removing this constraint would facilitate their administrative procedures, enabling them to travel to mainland France with fewer obstacles.

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