Specific procedures

Classified as an accelerated procedure

Your asylum application will be assigned to the accelerated procedure in the following cases (Article 42 of Regulation 2024/1348)

• Where you are a national of or habitually resident in a safe country of origin, whether listed on the national or European list ;

• if you are a national of or habitually resident in a country for which the average annual protection rate at European Union level is 20 % or less, according to the latest Eurostat data (link to the 20 per cent list) ;

• where you have lodged an initial asylum application and a final decision has been made on it, whatever the outcome, in France or in another EU Member State, and you lodge a new application which is deemed admissible ;

• If you try to mislead the authorities by presenting false documents, providing false indications or hiding certain information ;

• if you have delayed applying for asylum since your arrival in France (more than 90 days) ;

• If you were slow to apply for asylum after you arrived in France (more than 90 days) ;

• if you are applying for asylum solely to prevent a removal order ;

• If your presence represents a serious threat to public order, public safety or the safety of the Government.

Ofpra can reclassify your application as a normal procedure during its examination if it believes it necessary in light of your application or your specific situation. If your application is classified as an accelerated procedure, this has no effect on the examination of your application by Ofpra.

Ofpra’s processing timeframes

Ofpra tries to make a decision as soon as possible.

If the six-month time limit is exceeded due to an "uncertain situation in the country of origin that is deemed to be temporary" (Article 35(7) of Regulation 2024/1438), you will be sent a letter and your situation will be reassessed every four months.

Appealing the decision

Whether your application was processed under the standard or accelerated procedure, you have the right to challenge an OFPRA decision rejecting your application for refugee status (a decision to reject your application or to grant subsidiary protection) by lodging an appeal with the National Court of Asylum (CNDA).

The time limit for lodging an appeal depends on the procedure under which your application was examined:

• One month from the date of notification of the contested decision under the standard procedure.
• Ten days from the date of notification of the contested decision under the accelerated procedure and/or the border asylum procedure.

Where applicable, the appeal must explicitly state the identity of each child covered by the decision for whom annulment is also sought.

If you wish to apply for legal aid under the standard procedure, you have a period of fifteen days from the date of notification of the contested decision either to lodge your appeal together with an application for legal aid, or to ask the CNDA’s legal aid office to appoint a solicitor to lodge your appeal on your behalf. In this case, the one-month time limit for lodging an appeal is suspended until the date of notification of the decision on legal aid and recommences from that date for the remaining period. 

By way of exception, in accelerated proceedings and/or asylum proceedings at the border, if you wish to claim legal aid, the application must be made within the appeal itself. An appeal form allowing you to apply for legal aid is available to download from the CNDA website (www.cnda.fr/vos-demarches/...).

In border asylum procedure, the appeal, as well as the envelope containing it or the title of the document submitted via the Télérecours application, must state "Border asylum proceedings" or "PRAF", failing which it will be deemed inadmissible.

You will find the conditions for lodging an appeal in Articles R. 532-6 et seq. of the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreign Nationals and the Right of Asylum; please note, in particular, that the appeal must be accompanied by a copy of the contested decision.

This appeal may be sent:

• By fax, to the following number: 01 48 18 44 20. Receipt of this fax constitutes registration of the appeal, which must be formalised no later than the day of the hearing;
• or by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt, to the following address: Until 24 August 2026:
  • National Court of Asylum 
    35, rue Cuvier 
    93558 MONTREUIL CEDEX
  • From 24 August 2026:
    National Court of Asylum 
    13, Place du Général de Gaulle
    93100 MONTREUIL
• Through your solicitor via the Télérecours app (Article R. 414-1 of the code de justice administrative), this method being the preferred option in border proceedings;
• Or through your solicitor via the CNDém@t app (Article R. 532-17 of the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreign Nationals and the Right of Asylum).

You may request access from OFPRA to the audio recording of your interview, solely for the purposes of lodging an appeal against this decision, until such time as the appeal is lodged, by sending your request by email to acces.audio@ofpra.gouv.fr. OFPRA will then inform you of the procedures for accessing the recording. 
Once you have lodged your appeal, you may access this recording from the CNDA.

If your case is being dealt with under the standard procedure, you have the right to remain in France until the CNDA’s decision is announced (the date of the hearing). However, if your application has been placed under the fast-track procedure, your appeal does not automatically have suspensive effect and you must apply to the administrative court for permission to remain in France whilst the appeal is being considered.