France Passes New Law Restricting Birthright Citizenship in Mayotte
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French Parliament has passed a bill limiting access to birthright citizenship in Mayotte.
The new bill requires parents to legally reside in Mayotte for at least one year for their children to be eligible for citizenship.
This move comes amid the rising irregular migration figures in Mayotte.
The Parliament of France has adopted a bill to limit access to French citizenship for children born in its overseas territory of Mayotte. While through this measure the French authorities aim to curb irregular migration to Mayotte, the move has sparked criticism due to concerns it could lead to similar restrictions across France, Schengen.News reports.
Under current French law, any child born in the country, including Mayotte and other overseas territories, is eligible for nationality from the age of 13, provided at least one parent has lived in the French territory for a minimum of three months at the time of birth.
The new bill, approved by both the Senate and the National Assembly, now mandates that both parents must prove they have legally resided in Mayotte for at least one year for their child to qualify for citizenship.
In cases involving single parents, only the single parent must meet the one-year legal residency requirement.
Authorities have confirmed that the birthright citizenship rules will remain unchanged for mainland France and other overseas territories.
Move Comes Amid Rising Irregular Migration in Mayotte
The decision to restrict birthright citizenship in Mayotte follows growing concerns about irregular migration to the island.
Though Mayotte is a French overseas territory and thus part of the EU, it remains one of the poorest regions. As reported by InfoMigrants, the island is estimated to have more immigrants than native inhabitants.
Most foreigners arrive using irregular means, with hopes of eventually securing French residency and later, citizenship—raising alarm among officials.
Despite data indicating increased irregular migration, some critics fear that the new law could open the door to nationwide restrictions on birthright citizenship.
Green Party MP Dominique Voynet warned that the bill threatens the principle of birthright citizenship in France, describing Mayotte as “a laboratory for far-right ideas.”
Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, claimed the law would have little impact on immigration overall and advocated for expanding the measure to “ban the right of territory across all national land.”
Source: Schengen.News
