French Code governing the entry and residence of foreign nationals and the right of asylum
In forceAdministrative detention centres meet the following standards:
1° A minimum usable surface area of ten square metres per detainee, including rooms and areas freely accessible during working hours;
2° Non-mixed collective rooms, containing a maximum of six people;
3° Sanitary facilities, including washbasins, showers and toilets, freely accessible and in sufficient number, i.e. one sanitary block for every ten detainees ;
4° A freely accessible telephone for every fifty detainees;
5° Premises and equipment required for catering that comply with the standards laid down by a joint order of the Minister for Agriculture, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Consumer Affairs;
6° For more than forty detainees, a recreation and relaxation room separate from the refectory, with a surface area of at least fifty square metres, increased by ten square metres for every fifteen additional detainees;
7° One or more rooms with medical equipment, reserved for the medical service;
8° A room for receiving visits from families and consular authorities;
9° The room mentioned in article L. 744-5, reserved for lawyers;
10° A room allocated to the body mentioned in articles R. 744-19 and R. 751-8;
11° A room, furnished and equipped with a telephone, allocated to the legal entity mentioned in article R. 744-20;
12° An open-air walking area;
13° Luggage storage.
Administrative holding centres likely to accommodate families also have specially equipped rooms, and in particular suitable childcare equipment.
Article R744-6
French Code governing the entry and residence of foreign nationals and the right of asylumIn force
Updated 7 Nov 2023
