Prohibition of return to French territory (IRTF)
Verified 21 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
If you are subject to an obligation to leave the territory (OQTF), the prefect can also prohibit you from returning to French territory. This is a prohibition of return to French territory (IRTF). If you do not comply with this prohibition, you risk criminal sanctions. We're taking stock of the regulations.
Please note
You are not concerned if you are a foreigner national European. Your family members who live in France with you are not concerned either.
FTIR is pronounced after a obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) if you have stayed in France beyond the 30-day period for voluntary departure.
It is pronounced automatically when no time is granted to you to leave French territory.
The prefect may also decide to pronounce it if he has taken against you an OQTF with a period of voluntary departure.
Deadline granted
If a OQTF has been pronounced and you have not left France within the 30-day period, the prefect pronounces an FTIR.
This decision must be argued.
However, humanitarian circumstances may justify the prefect not issuing an FTIR.
The prefect may also issue an FTIR at the same time as an OQTF with a voluntary departure period.
The FTIR lasts for a maximum of 5 years from the moment you have actually left the territory.
If you have remained or returned to French territory despite the OQTF, it can be extended by a maximum of 2 years, without the total duration exceeding 5 years.
The FTIR prohibits you from returning not only to France, but also to any EU countrySchengen area.
Indeed, an FTIR pronounced in France leads to an alert for the purpose of refusing admission to the Schengen Information System (SIS).
You must be informed of your registration in this file at the notification of the FTIR. This registration will prevent you from obtaining a visa to enter and stay in the Schengen area.
The alert shall be deleted in the following cases:
- End of the period for prohibition
- Cancelation by the judge
- Repeal of the measure by the prefect.
Subject matter of the action
You can challenge the FTIR at the same time as the OQTF taken in the main decision.
In addition, you can challenge all of the following ancillary measures:
- Refusal of residence permit (because you feel you can be regularized)
- Decision setting the country of return (for example, if you feel you are at risk in that country).
Time limit for lodging the appeal and time limit for the court to hear the case
Deadlines vary depending on who you are under house arrest or in administrative retention or not:
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General case
If you are not the subject of a house arrest or detention order, the time limit for filing an appeal is 1 month.
One ex gratia appeal to the prefect or a hierarchical appeal to the minister of the interior shall not extend that period.
The Administrative Tribunal has a 6 months delay to rule on your appeal.
In case of house arrest
You must file your appeal in the 7 days which follow the notification of the FTIR.
The appeal shall be tried in special accelerated procedure by a single judge within a period of 15 days from the date on which the action was brought.
In the event of administrative detention
You must file your appeal in the 48 hours which follow the notification of the FTIR.
The appeal shall be considered as a priority procedure by a single judge, in a period of 96 hours from the end of the period for bringing an action.
Competent court
The appeal must be filed with the administrative court with territorial jurisdiction for the prefecture that took the decision.
If you are detained or placed under house arrest, the appeal must be lodged with the administrative court to which the place of detention or detention depends. There are 2 exceptions:
- If you are placed in the detention center in Metz, the appeal must be filed with the administrative court of Nancy.
- If you are placed in the detention center n°3 of Mesnil-Amelot, the appeal must be filed with the administrative court of Montreuil.
Repeal the FTIR can be automatic, on your request or decided by the prefect.
Automatic Repeal
The FTIR taken by the prefect in addition to an OQTF with a voluntary departure period is repealed if the following 2 conditions are met:
- You left France within the time limit
- You prove your release within 2 months of the end of this period.
You can prove your exit by any means:
- You can show a stamp on your passport by the border police
- You can also go to the French embassy or consulate in the country of return.
Please note
The prefect may refuse this repeal depending on specific circumstances related to your situation and behavior.
Request for Repeal
You can ask the repeal the measure provided you reside abroad (unless you are incarcerated or under house arrest). The written request must be addressed to the prefect who took the measure.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
Repeal by the Prefect
The prefect may at any time repeal the FTIR.
If you return to France for the duration of the FTIR, you may be sentenced by the criminal judge to up to 3 years in prison.
You may also be subject to a prohibition of French territory (ITF).
Without delay
If an OQTF has been issued without delay, a ban on return to French territory is issued automatically.
If you are subject to an OQTF without a voluntary departure period, you are automatically subject to an FTIR.
This decision must be argued.
FYI
However, humanitarian circumstances may justify the prefect not issuing an FTIR.
FTIR is automatic and hard 5 years maximum from the moment you have actually left the territory.
This period may be 10 years in the event of serious threat to public order when the FTIR is pronounced at the same time as an OQTF without delay.
FYI
If you have stayed in France despite the OQTF, the FTIR can be extended for a maximum of 2 years up to a maximum of 5 years.
The FTIR prohibits you from returning not only to France, but also to any EU countrySchengen area.
Indeed, an FTIR pronounced in France leads to an alert for the purpose of refusing admission to the Schengen Information System (SIS).
You must be informed of your registration in this file at the notification of the FTIR. This registration will prevent you from obtaining a visa to enter and stay in the Schengen area.
The alert shall be deleted in the following cases:
- End of the period for prohibition
- Cancelation by the judge
- Repeal of the measure by the prefect.
Subject matter of the action
You can challenge the FTIR at the same time as the OQTF taken in the main decision.
In addition, you can challenge all of the following ancillary measures:
- Refusal of residence permit (because you feel you can be regularized)
- Decision setting the country of return (for example, if you feel you are at risk in that country).
Time limit for lodging the appeal and time limit for the court to hear the case
Deadlines vary depending on who you are under house arrest or in administrative retention or not:
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
General case
If you are not the subject of a house arrest or detention order, the time limit for filing an appeal is 1 month.
One ex gratia appeal to the prefect or a hierarchical appeal to the minister of the interior shall not extend that period.
The Administrative Tribunal has a 6 months delay to rule on your appeal.
In case of house arrest
You must file your appeal in the 7 days which follow the notification of the FTIR.
The appeal shall be tried in special accelerated procedure by a single judge within a period of 15 days from the date on which the action was brought.
In the event of administrative detention
You must file your appeal in the 48 hours which follow the notification of the FTIR.
The appeal shall be considered as a priority procedure by a single judge, in a period of 96 hours from the end of the period for bringing an action.
Competent court
The appeal must be filed with the administrative court with territorial jurisdiction for the prefecture that took the decision.
If you are detained or placed under house arrest, the appeal must be lodged with the administrative court to which the place of detention or detention depends. There are 2 exceptions:
- If you are placed in the detention center in Metz, the appeal must be filed with the administrative court of Nancy.
- If you are placed in the detention center n°3 of Mesnil-Amelot, the appeal must be filed with the administrative court of Montreuil.
You can ask the repeal of the FTIR. The prefect may also decide to repeal it.
Request to the Prefect
You can ask for therepeal the measure provided you reside outside France (unless you are incarcerated or under house arrest). The written request must be addressed to the prefect who took the measure.
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
Repeal by the Prefect
The prefect may at any time repeal the FTIR.
Where the duration exceeds 5 years, the FTIR shall be subject to a review every 5 years with a view to pronouncing therepeal of the decision. Account shall be taken of developments in the threat to public order what constitutes your presence in France, changes in your personal and family situation and guarantees of professional or social reintegration?
If you return to France for the duration of the FTIR, you may be sentenced by the criminal judge to up to 3 years in prison.
You may also be subject to a prohibition of French territory (ITF).
Cases in which a foreigner may be prohibited from returning to France
Appeal against a ban on return to French territory
Failure to comply with removal or house arrest measures
Contentious proceedings before the administrative judge (Legislative part of CESEDA)
FTIR notification and deletion of the alert in SIS: Article R613-7
Contentious proceedings before the administrative judge (CESEDA regulatory part)
Instruction of 6 February 2024 following the publication of Law 2024-42 of 26 January 2024 to control immigration and improve integration