Migration: France significantly increases aid for voluntary return of undocumented migrants

Under pressure from the UK to reduce illegal Channel crossings, the French government is significantly increasing voluntary return assistance. The amount can now reach up to €3,500 for certain nationalities, according to a decree published this Thursday.

France has decided to significantly increase the voluntary return assistance (ARV) program for undocumented migrants wishing to return to their country of origin. According to a decree published in the Official Journal on Thursday, December 4, 2025, the maximum lump-sum allowance is raised to €2,200 , up from €1,200 previously, with a further maximum of €3,500 , compared to €2,500 previously.

This increase specifically targets the nationalities most represented among migrants who manage to reach the United Kingdom after crossing the Channel illegally. It is part of the agreement reached this summer between Paris and London, which calls on France to strengthen its efforts to curb these departures.

The decree also specifies that this aid may be granted to foreign nationals readmitted to France under the so-called "one-for-one" mechanism. This system stipulates that the United Kingdom returns to France migrants who arrived illegally by boat, in exchange for London accepting an equivalent number of migrants already in France. This agreement is contested by both NGOs and some British politicians, who doubt its effectiveness.

According to the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII), responsible for managing these returns, 6,908 aid packages were granted in 2024 , representing a 2.36% increase compared to the previous year. The main beneficiaries were Georgian and Albanian nationals (approximately 1,800 people), followed by migrants from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, who alone accounted for nearly a thousand aid packages. In total, 23 nationalities benefited from the program last year.

This increase in ARVs comes at a time when the number of Channel crossings remains high. According to the Journal du Dimanche, since January 1st, more than 39,000 people have already reached the English coast, exceeding the total recorded for 2024.