France may ask new immigrants to prove their family ties with DNA evidence. The tests would be paid for by the applicant, not the French government. The proposal comes from Thierry Mariani, a minister of parliament who is close to France’s new president, Nicolas Sarkozy.
France’s ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Co-Development says the tests would be voluntary and only requested when officials have expressed serious doubts about the authenticity of documents like marriage and birth certificates.
The proposal is part of a large set of new immigration laws to be debated in French parliament on September 18. If passed, it would need an exemption from France’s strict controls on DNA testing, which is currently allowed only for medical or scientific research or when ordered by a magistrate in court.
France’s League of Human Rights says that DNA testing, costing several hundred Euros, would be financially out of reach for many immigrants, effectively filtering them out.
The proposal does not mention how the results of such tests would be stored or further used by the government.
- International Herald Tribune: France considers asking visa applicants to submit DNA tests to counter fraud
- The Guardian: Immigrant DNA tests plan raises storm for Sarkozy
- Libération: Immigrés : avant le visa, l’ADN ?
Roundup 
Canada and USA do DNA testing too
That the way the French Government (left wing) chose to “sort out” immigrants.
What a shame!
Bluebeetle(one).