A Moroccan national who married a French citizen on September 10, 2024, had her long-stay visa as a spouse of a French national annulled after she was issued an Obligation to Leave French Territory (OQTF). The visa, valid from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026, was obtained to join her husband in France, which she did on June 7, 2025.
According to court documents, the woman's visa was revoked by the prefecture on grounds of fraud, leading to an OQTF. Her subsequent legal challenge to cancel the OQTF was rejected by the administrative court, which upheld the prefecture's decision.
The court found that the marriage was not genuine, citing evidence that the couple had not cohabited continuously and that the marriage was contracted for the purpose of obtaining residence rights. The woman's appeal was dismissed, and the marriage was annulled.
This case highlights the strict enforcement of French immigration laws regarding marriages of convenience. The French authorities have been increasingly vigilant in detecting and penalizing such arrangements, which can lead to visa revocation, OQTF, and annulment of the marriage.
Legal experts note that spouses of French nationals must demonstrate a genuine marital relationship, including cohabitation and shared life, to maintain their residence rights. Failure to do so can result in severe consequences, including deportation and a ban on re-entering France.
