Gabonese Students in France Face Residence Permit Crisis Ahead of Macron’s Visit
A significant number of Gabonese students in France are reporting a systemic blockage in their residence permit applications, creating a humanitarian and diplomatic challenge just before French President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled state visit to Gabon.
According to communications sent to Gabonactu.com, hundreds of students allege they have been waiting for their residency cards for one to two years, despite having submitted all required documentation. The students describe the situation as “dramatic,” with the delays affecting both state-sponsored scholars and those independently enrolled in French higher education institutions.
Digital Bureaucracy and Human Cost
The students point to the complete digitization of prefecture procedures as a core issue, leaving them with no human point of contact to inquire about their files or resolve administrative impasses. They report that the online system only displays a perpetual “file under review” status.
This administrative limbo has plunged many into profound precarity. The consequences extend beyond paperwork, resulting in the loss of social benefits, an inability to undertake mandatory internships, prohibitions on legal work, and severe difficulties in securing housing and accessing healthcare. Several students have reported being forced to abandon their studies entirely due to a lack of means to cover basic subsistence, a devastating outcome for young scholars, some of whom are minors living abroad alone.
Questioning Bilateral Cooperation
The crisis has led students to publicly question the equity and spirit of the cooperation agreements between France and Gabon. They highlight a perceived imbalance, noting that French citizens enjoy administrative facilities in Gabon while Gabonese nationals in France “hit a bureaucratic wall.”
This situation, they argue, represents a “lopsided” and “unfair” treatment that undermines the friendly relations between the two nations. With nearly 10,000 Gabonese citizens residing in France, the vast majority of whom are students, the issue carries significant weight for the Gabonese diaspora and bilateral ties.
A Diplomatic Appeal
In a direct appeal, the student group has called on Gabon’s President of the Transition, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, to elevate their plight to a priority topic during his upcoming meeting with President Macron. They have urged their leader to intervene and help extract them from what they describe as an administrative trap.
The opaque, fully digital nature of the process makes it impossible to compile a complete list of affected individuals, a problem that also reportedly impacts other Gabonese citizens residing in mainland France beyond the student population. The timing of these revelations, on the eve of a high-level state visit, ensures the matter will be a sensitive backdrop to diplomatic discussions, placing a spotlight on France’s immigration procedures and its treatment of students from a key African partner.
Source: https://gabonactu.com/a-plea-from-gabonese-students-denied-residence-permits-in-france/