Passport and ID Card

Passport

Where for?

Except for the European Union (and a few other European countries such as Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway) and Turkey, French citizens need a passport to travel. However, note that on organised trips (only), some countries like Morocco or Tunisia accept (in principle) an ID card for entry into their territory.

For whom?

For everyone, including babies. Indeed, since 2007, it has no longer been possible to list children under 15 on their parents' passports. All family members must now have their own passport, including babies.

For pets

Since 2004, any animal travelling within the European Union with its owner must have a "passport" issued by a vet for identification, which includes its vaccinations.

Obtaining a passport

Since 2009, all French passports are biometric, replacing electronic passports. They are valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors.

Steps

The application must be made at the town hall of your place of residence or at the Prefecture for Paris. All applications, as well as the subsequent collection of the passport, must be made by the applicant in person.

The processing time varies depending on the location, often between 1 and 2 weeks. However, as major holidays approach, this can extend due to the usual increase in applications. In short, it is best not to leave it to the last minute, even though there are also "urgent procedures" that can significantly reduce delays.

Documents to provide

For an adult

Two identical recent ID photos, full face and bareheaded, in 35 x 45 mm format.

A recent proof of address (rent receipt, electricity bill, etc.).

Proof of civil status (full copy of birth or marriage certificate). Note that for many French municipalities (of birth), the applicant no longer needs to worry about this document, as there is now an "internal administrative database" that handles obtaining birth certificates for individuals.

Proof of identity and nationality (valid ID card or passport that has not expired for more than two years). If necessary, the administration may request additional documents proving nationality.

The old passport in case of renewal. Indeed, it is generally impossible to retrieve the old passport (the only solution for those who want to keep it as a "souvenir" is to make a prior declaration of loss).

For a minor

The application can be made by any person with parental authority. In addition to the previous documents, the family record book must be provided, and in case of divorce or separation, a copy of the court decision proving parental authority.

Fees (2017)

Under 15 years: 17 € (valid for 5 years).

Ages 15/18: 42 € (valid for 5 years).

Adult: 86 € (valid for 10 years).

An additional 3 € is to be expected if the photographs are taken on site.

Replacement, renewal of passport

Urgency

In case of urgency, a provisional passport valid for one year can be issued for 30 €. To the list of documents to provide, a document justifying this urgency must be added (mainly for professional reasons). Note that the issuance of the passport is not automatic and is handled on a case-by-case basis by the administration.

Replacement

This involves replacing a still valid passport with a new one, whose validity will correspond to the expiry date of the first. This process is only possible when:

The holder has changed civil status or address.

The passport no longer has available pages for visas and stamps.

There was an administrative error in the issuance of the document.

Renewal

Same steps and documents to provide as for a first application. However, it is important to know that most countries require visitors to have a passport that is still valid for 6 months after the planned date of entry (or sometimes exit). This means that in practice, it is better to renew your passport 8 or 9 months before its expiry.

Loss abroad

In case of theft or loss of your passport (or ID card) abroad, you must first file a report with the police. They will issue an official document that can be used later, particularly to show that you cannot present a passport to the authorities.

Next, you must obtain a new passport by going to the consular service of your country's embassy or a consulate (or even a European Union consulate if your country is not represented). If you have a copy of the lost passport or know the number, date (even approximate), and the prefecture where it was issued, it is easier for the consulate to carry out the necessary checks to verify and cancel the previous passport.

To obtain a new one, valid for 1 year, as in France, you need 2 ID photos and the equivalent of 89 € in local currency to pay the fiscal stamps. The application for the new document is then sent by fax or email to your sub-prefecture. The response can take several days, and once received, the consulate can issue the passport.

Note that in case of urgency, the request can be expedited, and you can then obtain a provisional passport generally valid for 3 months, to be renewed once back in France (the fiscal stamps are paid for 10 years and do not need to be paid again).

"Frequent traveller" passport

Since April 2013, French citizens who travel very often abroad can apply for a "frequent traveller" passport with 48 pages instead of 32. Its characteristics and the application process are the same as for a standard passport, except that the request must be justified.

ID Card

As mentioned earlier, the ID card is used to travel within the European Union and a few other countries. Its validity is 15 years for adults since 1 January 2014 (previously 10 years), and 10 years for minors. It is issued free of charge for a first application or renewal if the old one is provided (otherwise, it costs 25 €; the same applies in case of theft or loss).

Obtaining

The procedure is the same as for a passport, with similarly variable processing times depending on the location (allow around 2 weeks). Note: an in-person application at the town hall of your place of residence (or Prefecture for Paris) and the same documents to provide.