The Gisti?

Welcome

There was once—and still is—an organisation specialised in immigration law—the GISTI. In order to make its expertise available to those in need of it, the organisation provides free legal assistance, publishes brochures and books and organises training programmes. For each area of expertise, there is a particular contact. Despite its wide range of activities, the GISTI is a small, fragile structure, whose services are in great demand from persons often without significant means. Hence, it is in need of help from those who are conscious of how useful a role it plays. The GISTI naturally works together with other organisations sharing the same concerns.

Legal Assistance

• By phone
• By sending a letter to the GISTI describing the situation

How to order publications

Very simple: write to the GISTI (3 villa Marcès, 75011 Paris, France) and enclose with your order a cheque made out to GISTI for the total amount of the publications ordered. Remember to add the cost of postage.

If you only know the title(s) of the works you wish to order, go to the heading "Publications" to find their price, the cost of postage and an order form.

Remember that the survival and independence of the GISTI depend on its capacity to support itself financially. Sale of its publications is vital in that respect. You can also support the GISTI by subscribing to its quarterly journal called "Plein Droit" and to its other publications, as well as by encouraging others to do so.

If possible, please do not order by phone, by fax or by e-mail, in order to avoid complicating the work of the GISTI, which, as said above, is a small organisation which is already extremely busy.

Please also avoid depriving the GISTI of an essential source of revenue by making illicit photocopies of its publications.

What training is available?

Ever since it has been in existence, the GISTI has organised training sessions for those who for professional reasons or by personal conviction (the two are not incompatible) want to learn more about the legislation applicable to immigrants. The GISTI is accredited to provide professional training and registered at the Prefecture for that purpose (N° 117 510 42 475). Training provided in that context costs about 1 100 F per person per day.

Those interested in taking part in training sessions on an individual basis should contact the organisation ahead of time for information on cost (GISTI, Service Formation,3 villa Marcès, 75011 Paris, France– Tel. +33 1 43 14 84 82 – e-mail:formation.gisti@ras.eu.org).

The GISTI offers a programme of 5-day sessions (general training on applicable statutes and regulations) or 2-day sessions (on particular subjects). We can also study the possibility of providing training based on individual requests from organisations or groups which wish to acquire specific expertise adapted to their particular needs.

To find the programme, more information, or how to sign up, go to the page devoted to "Formations".

Please remember that, just as for the sale of its publications, the training sessions are also one of the main ways for the GISTI to support itself financially, that is, one of the keys to its survival and to its ability to preserve its independence.

How can you help the GISTI?

The GISTI is a small organisation with limited means, both as far as staff is concerned and financially. The difficult position in which a growing number of immigrants find themselves, weighs heavily on the organisation in a number of ways: through the workload of volunteers and staff due to the large number of questions relating to individual situations, the many requests for speakers and training sessions, the necessity to publish more and more documents adapted to the needs of different categories of readers, who do not always have the means to pay.

This means that the GISTI is not always as "available" as it would like to be and that it is constantly "walking a tightrope" as far as its capacity to respond to immigrants' needs and also as far as finances are concerned. The organisation's annual activities report and balance sheet speak for themselves in this respect.

The fact that the services provided by the GISTI are in such demand, seems to clearly indicate they are indeed of use to immigrants and support groups. The survival of the organisation would therefore in itself appear to be a legitimate aim, as long as the desire to see the GISTI continue does not jeopardise its independence. If the GISTI does not strictly limit the share of state subsidies in its budget, it runs the risk of "losing its soul".

The realisation that the GISTI serves a useful purpose and yet is vulnerable demonstrates to what extent the organisation is in need of help : help from volunteers who give their time and competence; financial help through subscriptions to and sale of its publications, donations and participation in its training programmes.