Section 3: Protection granted to a minor

When unaccompanied minors are granted asylum protection, measures are taken as soon as possible to ensure their legal representation. In all decisions concerning him or her, particularly with regard to placement and tracing of family members, account shall be taken of his or her best interests, special needs and opinion, in accordance with his or her age and maturity.

If the search for the members of the unaccompanied minor’s family has not begun when protection is granted to him or her under asylum, it will be carried out as soon as possible. In cases where the life or physical integrity of the minor or his or her close relatives remaining in the country of origin would be threatened, this search is carried out confidentially.

When asylum protection has been granted to a minor who alleges a risk of sexual mutilation, the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons will ask her, for as long as the risk exists and she is a minor, to undergo a medical examination to establish that no mutilation has occurred. The Office will forward any refusal to undergo this examination or any finding of mutilation to…