You can challenge the Ofpra's rejection decision by filing an appeal with the National Court of Asylum Law (CNDA). Three types of Ofpra decisions can be contested and appealed against:
- The rejection of an asylum request;
- A decision to grant subsidiary protection if you consider that your fears in the event of return are linked to one of the grounds of the Geneva Convention and that you should therefore benefit from refugee status;
- Decisions to withdraw protection and certain decisions to terminate protection.
The time limit for lodging an appeal is one month under the standard procedure, or 10 days under the accelerated procedure and the asylum procedure at the border.
For more information on the functioning of the CNDA or on the procedure, you can consult the Court's website: www.cnda.fr.
If you live in mainland France or French Guiana, you have one month under the standard procedure and 10 days under the fast-track procedure for border cases, following notification of the OFPRA’s decision, to lodge your appeal with the CNDA.
For more information on the functioning of the CNDA or on the procedure, you can consult the Court's website: www.cnda.fr.
There are several options available to you:
- You may send your appeal by fax to the following number: 01 48 18 44 20, provided that you sign, no later than the day of the hearing, either the document sent by fax or a rectification form made available by the Court;
- You may also send it to the CNDA by post, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the following address:
Until 24 August 2026:
Greffe de la CNDA
35, rue Cuvier
93558 Montreuil
From 24 August 2026:
Cour nationale du droit d'asile
13, Place du Général de Gaulle
93100 Montreuil
- Finally, you may submit it directly at the premises of the National Court of Asylum. Through your solicitor via the Télérecours application (Article R. 414-1 of the Code of Administrative Justice), this method being the preferred option in border proceedings;
- Or via your solicitor using the CNDém@t application (Art. R. 532-17 of the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreign Nationals and the Right of Asylum). For further information on how the CNDA operates or on the procedure, please visit the Court’s website: www.cnda.fr.
A subsequent application is an application for international protection submitted after a final decision (regardless of the outcome) has been made on a previous application in France or in another Member State of the European Union. To submit the application, you must collect a new form from the prefecture in your place of residence. The prefecture will issue you with a temporary residence permit. The form must be returned by post to OFPRA within 21 days. If it is incomplete, you will be granted an additional 4 days to complete it.
The examination of a subsequent asylum application begins with a preliminary review of the facts and evidence presented by the applicant, relating to events that occurred after the final decision on a previous application, or of any other evidence that would significantly increase the likelihood that the applicant may be granted protection. During this preliminary review, the Office may choose not to conduct an interview.