The new visa procedure was adopted by the French parliament 15 months ago, but due to numerous protests it was not approved by the relevant ministry. Appointed in January, the new Minister of Immigration Eric Besson stated that he would sign the necessary documents, since DNA tests will be able to determine with a high degree of probability whether the candidate for entry actually has relatives living in France.
The minister noted that up to 80% of candidates for entry into France from countries such as Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Togo provide inaccurate information and present fake birth and marriage certificates.
Human rights organizations traditionally oppose such innovations. In their view, refusing a voluntary DNA test significantly reduces the candidate's chances of obtaining a visa. Moreover, the high cost of the test (about €350) significantly raises the financial barrier to visiting the country.
According to The Daily Mail, immigration authorities of other European countries facing similar problems are watching the French experiment with interest.
As Lenta.ru notes, tightening immigration legislation was one of the main points of the election campaign of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. According to observers, the appointment of a new minister ready to overcome the resistance of opponents is another step in this direction. Last year, about 30 thousand illegal migrants were deported from France.