France suspends visas for students from Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali

A lecture classroom at the University of Paris Nanterre. Students from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger hoping to study in France will see their visas suspended because of degraded security situations in those countries. © Inès Edel-Garcia/RFI

After suspending visas for artists, France is now doing the same for students from Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, citing the closure of French consular services in the countries as making their delivery impossible.

New visas for students coming from the three countries will not be issued, the foreign ministry told AFP on Saturday, adding that those students, researchers and artists already in France “are welcome”, and will be able to continue their activities and keep their funding.