I am undocumented, can I get legal aid?

Asserting one's rights in court entails costs, but for people who cannot advance these costs, the state offers assistance in paying the costs of the proceedings.?These costs may correspond to the remuneration of lawyers or the payment of acts ordered by a judge.

To qualify for assistance, you must complete the application form and provide proof of your income and assets. The application must be sent or filed with the legal aid office responsible for your domicile, the filing procedures vary from one procedure to another. The aid you receive may be total or partial.

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Who can apply for legal aid?

Any person of French nationality, or being a national of the Member States of the European Community, is eligible for legal aid under the sole condition of their resources, as well as any person of foreign nationality who resides habitually and regularly in France.

For illegal immigrants, the procedures eligible for legal aid are specified in such a way that any procedure outside these frameworks does not allow the granting of legal aid.

??L'aide juridictionnelle est accordée sans condition de résidence aux étrangers lorsqu'ils sont mineurs, témoins assistés, mis en examen, prévenus, accusés, condamnés ou parties civiles, lorsqu'ils bénéficient d'une ordonnance de protection en vertu de l'article 515-9 du code civil ou lorsqu'ils font l'objet de la procédure de comparution sur reconnaissance préalable de culpabilité, ainsi qu'aux personnes faisant l'objet de l'une des procédures prévues aux articles L. 222-1 à L. 222-6, L. 312-2, L. 511-1, L. 511-3-1, L. 511-3-2, L. 512-1 à L. 512-4, L. 522-1, L. 522-2, L. 552-1 à L. 552-10 et L. 742-4 du code de l'entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d'asile, ou lorsqu'il est fait appel des décisions mentionnées aux articles L. 512-1 à L. 512-4 du même code.?? -Article 3 of Law No. 91-647 of 10 July 1991 on legal aid.

In what situations can I apply for legal aid?

?The situations in which legal aid is available (always means-tested) are specified on the application form:

-?????????Criminal Proceedings / Civil Proceedings

• ?Minor foreigner
• Foreigner victim of domestic violence and under a protection order
• ?Criminal proceedings (as a convicted person or as a civil party)

-?????????Procedures concerning the right of residence of aliens

• ??Prolongation of detention in the transit zone
• ??OQTF or IRTF
• ? Convocation to appear before the Residence Permit Committee
• ?Appeal to the administrative courts against a decision to transfer to the State responsible for the asylum application (DUBLIN procedure)
• ?Extension of the period in the administrative detention zone
• ?Convocation before the deportation commission

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What are the conditions for obtaining this aid?

The Ministry of Justice annually publishes an official bulletin declaring the ceilings of resources for the allocation of legal aid, the ceilings are of

-?????????€1000 for total legal aid

-?????????between €1000 and €1500 for partial legal aid

In the case of partial aid, the rest of the costs are payable by the person who applied for aid.

In the case of dependants, the ceiling is increased according to the number of dependants. A simulation is available online:

For more information on the procedure for applying for legal aid, you can go directly to the website of the public service:?Cerfa application form.

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