PARIS – The French government is planning to stipulate new immigrants to sign a contact recognizing that the face-veil is banned in the western European country.

"Equality between men and women is a fundamental principle of French society,” Families Minister Nadine Morano told French Radio, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“The same applies to the full veil.”

At present, newcomers are stipulated to sign the contract stating that polygamy and forced marriages are not allowed in France.

"I also want to add that female genital mutilation is strictly prohibited," said Morano.

France has been gripped by a heated debate on the face-veil – burqa and niqab - since President Nicolas Sarkozy had declared the outfit “not welcome” in the secular country.

Last month, a parliamentary panel recommended a partial ban on the wear in hospitals, schools, public transport and government offices.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon last week asked the top court to help the government draft a law banning the face-veil.

Earlier this month, the government has decided to deny the nationality to a man over allegations that he has forced his French wife to wear the face-veil.

The French debate has spread across Europe, with many countries are mulling legislation to ban the dress.

France banned hijab, an obligatory code of dress, in 2004, with several European countries following suit.

According to the Interior Ministry, only about 1,900 Muslim women are estimated to being using face-veils.

While hijab is an obligatory code of dress for Muslim women, the majority of Muslim scholars agree that a woman is not obliged to wear the face-veil.

Scholars believe it is up to women to decide whether to take on the veil or burka.

Prominent Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan has said that the French debate on the face-veil reflects growing self-doubts inside the society.

France is home to nearly seven million Muslims, the biggest Muslim minority in Europe.