ARDHIS

What ARDHIS does

ARDHIS (Association pour la défense des droits des personnes LGBTQI+ à l'immigration et au séjour) is a French nonprofit association founded in March 1998 under the loi 1901 and headquartered at La Bulle, 22 rue Malher, Paris 4e. Its mission is to secure residence and asylum rights for LGBTQI+ foreigners in France, whether through couple-based immigration procedures or refugee protection based on persecution linked to sexual orientation or gender identity. The organization operates three service poles: Pô- Couples (assisting ~100 binational or foreign same-sex couples annually with marriage, PACS, visa, and residence permit procedures), Pô- Asile (supporting 500-1,000 LGBTQI+ asylum seekers per year through Ofpra and CNDA proceedings, with verbalization coaching and social integration activities), and Pô-Formations (training asylum professionals, lawyers, and social workers on LGBTQI+-specific issues). Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries through weekly Saturday walk-in hours in Paris, remote phone support for non-Île-de-France residents, and community activities such as French classes, football, picnics, and museum visits.

The organization is entirely volunteer-led with no permanent salaried staff and is governed by a board of directors elected annually at the general assembly; the board comprised 14 members as of April 2026. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and is sourced from membership fees, donations, and occasional grants and partnerships with allied organizations such as the Coordination française pour le droit d'asile (CFDA) and the Exils LGBTI European network. ARDHIS produces research and policy outputs, including the 2019 report 'Des Amours, Cent frontières' and legislative recommendations, and participates in cross-border advocacy on the situation of LGBTQI+ persons in countries such as Senegal.

Name

ARDHIS

Legal name

Ardhis - Association pour la défense des droits des personnes LGBTQI+ à l'immigration et au séjour

Website

https://ardhis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ARDHIS is a volunteer-run French nonprofit founded in 1998 that provides free legal, administrative, and social support to LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and binational couples navigating immigration and asylum procedures in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Advocacy and Migrant Support Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI)

Keywords

• LGBTQI+ asylum support
• Migrant rights advocacy
• Binational couple assistance
• Asylum legal accompaniment
• Professional training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions and donations: ARDHIS operates primarily through volunteer labor and relies on membership fees, donations, and public support to fund its activities. The association also receives occasional grants and partnerships with allied organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ARDHIS is a French nonprofit association (loi 1901) that provides free administrative accompaniment, legal support, and social integration services to LGBTQI+ migrants and asylum seekers in France. Through its three service sections (Pôle Asile, Pôle Couples, Pôle Formations), the organization assists 500-1,000 asylum seekers annually with Ofpra and CNDA procedures, helps approximately 100 binational or foreign same-sex couples per year with marriage, PACS, and residence permit procedures, and trains asylum professionals on LGBTQI+ sensitivity. The organization is funded entirely through volunteer labor, donations, and membership contributions.

Product overview

ARDHIS is a non-profit association (Association pour la reconnaissance des droits des personnes homosexuelles et trans à l'immigration et au séjour) that provides support services to LGBTQI+ foreigners in France. The organization operates three main service sections: the Pôle Couples (Couples Section), which assists approximately 100 binational or foreign LGBTI couples annually with marriage and PACS procedures; the Pôle Asile (Asylum Section), which helps 500-1,000 LGBTI asylum seekers annually obtain refugee status through Ofpra and CNDA procedures; and the Pôle Formations (Training Section), which trains asylum field professionals on LGBTI-specific issues. ARDHIS also produces research publications and policy advocacy documents to support its mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pôle Asile (Asylum Section) Assists between 500 and 1,000 LGBTQI+ asylum seekers per year in obtaining refugee status, helping them with Ofpra and CNDA procedures, providing verbalization coaching for interviews, and offering emotional support through activities to combat isolation.
• Pôle Couples (Couples Section) Provides assistance to approximately 100 binational or foreign LGBTQI+ couples per year in navigating administrative procedures for marriage, PACS (civil solidarity pact), and associated residence permit procedures in France.
• Pôle Formations (Training Section) Provides training for asylum system professionals (Ofpra officers, CNDA judges, lawyers, social workers) on LGBTQI+ sensitivity and asylum claims related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 580 asylum seekers supported in 2020, 768 in 2019, approximately 900 in 2018
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Institut Convergences MigrationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2024Partnership for a multidisciplinary study day on 'Exils LGBTI+' held May 13, 2024 at Campus Condorcet, Aubervilliers, examining LGBTQI+ migration and asylum issues.
• Coalition of 35+ LGBTQI+ and human rights organizationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2021Coalition including Agir ensemble pour les droits humains, Cœur Arc En Ciel, Health and Human Rights Cameroon (H2RC), and others calling on France to increase support for LGBTQI+ rights in Africa.
• Coordination française pour le droit d'asile (CFDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARDHIS is a member of the CFDA, which brings together approximately twenty associations committed to welcoming and defending the rights of asylum seekers. CFDA coordinates advocacy efforts and publishes joint reports on asylum conditions in France.
• Exils LGBTI (European Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARDHIS is a member of the Exils LGBTI network, which brings together LGBTQI+ organizations working with asylum seekers across France and Europe.
• European Network of Families and Couples (ENB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network focused on the rights of binational and same-sex couples, providing cross-border collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Collectif Free SénégalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARDHIS actively supports the Collectif Free Sénégal, a grassroots organization helping endangered LGBTQI+ youth in Senegal. ARDHIS relays their fundraising appeals and coordinates advocacy on the situation in Senegal.
• AdheosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench LGBTQI+ rights organization that has supported Collectif Free Sénégal's shelter operations and programs for endangered LGBTQI+ persons.
• Solidarité Internationale LGBTQI (SIL)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational LGBTQI+ solidarity organization providing funding and support to LGBTQI+ rights initiatives in West Africa.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• UKLGIG / Rainbow Migration: UK-based charity providing direct support to LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and advocating for SOGI-based asylum rights. Closest international functional peer to ARDHIS — operates the same model (accompaniment + policy advocacy) in a parallel UK legal framework.
• Rainbow Railroad: Canadian nonprofit helping LGBTQI+ individuals escape persecution in countries where they face danger, including support for resettlement in safer countries. Comparable mission to ARDHIS for the cross-border protection dimension, though with a stronger focus on emergency relocation.
• ORAM (Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration): US-based organization supporting LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers globally, with research and policy work on SOGI asylum claims. Comparable to ARDHIS in combining direct legal support with cross-border research and advocacy, though operating primarily in the US framework.

Broad incumbents

• Aides: France's largest LGBTQI+ organization with dedicated migrant and asylum support programs. Mentioned alongside ARDHIS in 2021 parliamentary testimony; comparable as it serves the same client population but at significantly broader scale and with a wider mandate including HIV/AIDS.
• HIAS: Major US-based refugee resettlement agency with a dedicated LGBTQI+ refugee program providing case management and resettlement support. Broader incumbent operating at much larger scale with overlapping service model for LGBTQI+ refugees.
• ILGA-Europe: European umbrella LGBTQI+ rights organization that ARDHIS partners with through the Exils LGBTI network. Provides policy advocacy, research, and convening across Europe, complementing ARDHIS's national-level direct service work with supranational advocacy and research.

Direct peers

• Le Refuge: French association providing emergency shelter and support to LGBTQI+ young people rejected by their families, including some fleeing persecution. Directly comparable mission overlap with ARDHIS for LGBTQI+ individuals facing housing instability and discrimination in France.
• Acceptess-T: Paris-based nonprofit providing direct support to transgender asylum seekers and migrants in France. Closest functional peer to ARDHIS, addressing the same intersection of SOGI identity and migration status within the same French regulatory framework.
• BAAM (Bus des Femmes): French nonprofit supporting asylum seekers and migrants with administrative accompaniment. Referenced alongside ARDHIS in the September 2021 parliamentary hearing; comparable in service scope (asylum support, administrative procedures) though with broader migrant focus beyond LGBTQI+ specifically.

Emerging players

• Le MAG Jeunes LGBT: French association supporting LGBTQI+ youth (under 30), including those experiencing family rejection or housing insecurity. Adjacent peer sharing the French LGBTQI+ advocacy space and a partial overlap in client demographics, though with a youth rather than asylum-specific focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-ardhis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ARDHIS