paris visa processing

The consular posts of Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon, Nice, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse do not handle visa applications. In connection with the Embassy’s American Citizen Services, they assist US citizens with passport renewals, notary services, etc.

To better serve the needs of non-immigrant visa applicants, the Embassy has created an online visa appointment service. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; a fee of $14.00 (Euro equivalent) is charged, which permits up to five family members to schedule their visa appointment together. Please visit www.usvisa-france.com for more information and to begin the appointment process.

Anyone who needs to speak to a live operator can call 0810-26-46-26 (14.50 Euros per call). From the United States and Canada, dial 011-33-810-26-46-26, and from all other countries, dial +33-810-26-46-26. This live operator service is available Monday through Friday from 08:30 am until 5 pm.

Visa appointments are made by calling the Call Center on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be changed or delayed without calling the call center. Please have your passport biographic page handy when calling.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED:

Each applicant (including each Dependent) will need to bring to the visa interview the following:

• A valid Passport
  
  
• Documents to support the application detailing employment, reason for travel and financial status.
  
  
• Documentation (including Original Form I-797 Approval Notice and copy of visa petitions submitted to US Immigration if applicable) meeting the requirements per non-immigrant visa type.
  
  
• DS-160 Form
  
  The U.S. Embassy in Paris no longer accepts hard copies of visa application forms.  Any person who submits a non-immigrant visa application must now complete the new DS-160 interactive online application form, available at: https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ Completed forms will be transmitted electronically to the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Paris.
  
  The DS-160 Form replaces the old DS-156, DS-157, DS-158 and DS-3032 forms except in the following cases:


• If applying for a fiancé(e) visa, (K1) or spouse visa (K2) you still need to submit forms DS-156 and DS-156 K.


• If applying for a treaty-trader or treaty-investor visa (E1, E2), you still need to submit form DS-156E along with form DS-160.

• Photograph:
  

  Do-it-yourself photo system:

  When submitting the DS-160 online, you will need to upload a photo. For specific photo requirements, see:
  http://travel.state.gov/visa/guide/guide_3877.html
  
  Applicants are expected to make every effort to upload a photo that meets the designated requirements. However, if the photo upload is not accepted as suitable by the DS-160 system, applicants will be given the option to continue without a photo.
  
  Whether a photo is successfully uploaded or not, bring a photo meeting the requirements to the interview.

• Confirmation page of the visa interview
  
  
• A self-addressed traceable pre-paid domestic Chronopost envelope for the return of your Passport with issued visa, should you receive a visa (one Chronopost envelope per family).
  
  
• Visa Application Fee (MRV Fee) which must be obtained at any French post office (La Poste) by requesting a Mandat-Compte, account #2006L.
  The fee payable depends on the type of visa applied for.  The current fees are:
  120 Euros – Standard MRV fee (B, C, C1/D, D, F, I, J, and M visas) 
  143 Euros - H, L, O, P, Q, and R visas
  203 Euros – E treaty trader/investor visas
  180 Euros – K fiancé(e) visas

• These Euro rates are the current Euro to US Dollar exchange rate which is subject to change.  The fee must be payable to the Embassy of the United States of America, Account 2006L Paris.  The original receipt, not a photocopy, must be submitted. Please attach to the visa application the receipt labelled "RECEPISSE A GARDER PAR L'EXPEDITEUR".
  

• In some cases, you may also have to pay a visa reciprocity fee, distinct from the visa application fee, once the visa has been authorized, but before the visa can be issued. Reciprocity fees vary by type of visa and the nationality of the applicant. This is based on what your government charges American citizens for an equivalent visa. French citizens are not required to pay a reciprocity fee. Third country nationals may pay by credit card. Third country nationals will need to present credible proof that their minor children are in the consular jurisdiction at the time of the interview. Spouses and children 14 and over are subject to the interview requirement.  Visit the Department of State's Reciprocity Fee Website to confirm whether your application requires a reciprocity fee.
  
  
  • Payment options for reciprocity fees:
    
    During the Interview: If you are present at the Consulate, you may directly pay the reciprocity fee to the cashier by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) or cash following your interview
    
    For Direct Visa Processing and mail-in applications:
    
    Credit Card
    By downloading the credit card payment form from the embassy website which must be included with the application. If the application is denied, no charge will be made against your credit card or
    
    Mandat-Cash
    Payable at the Post Office, to the order of the Embassy of the United States of America. Please note that the Post Office charges a processing fee for mandat-cash.
    
    DO NOT PAY the reciprocity fee by Mandat-Compte as any money paid to this account for reciprocity fees will be lost! Only the application fee is to be paid by Mandat-Compte.
  
  Note that for Dependents, in addition to the above, a Marriage Certificate for spouses, and Birth Certificates for each child – with English translations – will need to be provided.

Please note that children under 14 need not accompany their parents, however, each child will need to provide proper documentation with the principal applicant’s application.

Please note that additional documentation may be required per visa type.

Please also note that all foreign documents need to be translated in English.

VISA INTERVIEW:
Your application will be taken and you will be allowed to enter the consular interview waiting room. Be prepared to wait up to two hours from the time you arrive to be interviewed by the consular officer who will evaluate your application and determine if you qualify for a visa. If you qualify for a visa, the officer will take your passport and pre-paid Chronopost envelope. Your passport with visa issued in it will be mailed back to you in around two to four business days after the visa interview. However, some visas may require additional administrative processing.

FINGERPRINTING:
All visa applicants are subject to finger scanning at the time of the interview.

TYPES OF NONIMMIGRANT VISAS ISSUED:
Athletes, Artists and Entertainers
Au Pair
Business
Diplomats & Officials
Domestic Employees
Internships/Training
Journalists/Media
Sea & Air Crew
Students
Tourists
Transit Visas
Treaty Trader/Investor
Work

Please refer to this page of the Embassy’s website for further information regarding each type of visa.

Fees for H-1B and L visas:

All H-1B and L-1 visa applicants are charged a supplementary Fraud Prevention and Detection fee of US $500. This fee is collected in the United States.

A fee in the same amount will be charged to the L-1 principal applicant for a Blanket L visa and will be collected by consular services at the time of the application. (payment in cash or by credit card at the interview).

Credit cards are the preferred method of payment. The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.

E VISAS (E-1 Treaty Trader and E-2 Treaty Investor Visas):

The Application process for E-1 and E-2 Visas is highly specific. Applicants are advised to review the detailed instructions on the Consular website to ensure their application complies with the E requirements.

Visas are broken down as follows:

• E-1 (Treaty Trader Visas);
• E-2 (Treaty Investor Visas);
• E-1 or E-2 Application for Large Multinational Corporations;
• E Visa Renewals; and
• E Visas for family members

General E Visa Guidelines

• E visa applicants must submit ALL E visa applications by MAIL, and must NOT use the Call Center to schedule an interview (NOTE: All E-Visa Applicants aged 14-79 are required to attend an interview).
• Applicants will be contacted by the E visa office directly to schedule a visa interview.
• The Applicant must provide an email address in the application.
• Applicants should NOT submit their Passport with the E application, only a photocopy of their Passport Biographic Page
• Treaty visa submission is assigned an intake number so applicants can follow the process and check for missing documents on line.
• The Original Visa Application Fee Postal RECEIPT must be included with the application.
• It currently takes about four weeks to process an application but visa processing times vary according to workload.   

All E-Visa Applications must be sent by Chronopost, FedEx or DHL to:

Consular Section
Office of Visa Services
Attention: Treaty Visa Officer
18, Avenue Gabriel
75008 Paris

Any inquiries should be sent to the following e-mail address: ParisEV@state.gov

IMMIGRANT VISAS:

The Immigrant Unit is located at:

U.S. Embassy Consular Section
4 avenue Gabriel
75008 Paris
Metro: Concorde

If you have questions regarding the status of an immigrant visa petition, please fax the Embassy at 01 43 12 22 29 or send an email inquiry to: ParisConIV@state.gov

The IV Unit issues visas in four general categories:

• immediate relatives;
• family based;
• employment based; and
• Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (also known as the "green card" lottery).

In most cases, applicants cannot petition for their own Immigrant Visa. Someone must file a petition on the applicant’s behalf.

Applicants are instructed to arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to the interview. Immigrant visa applicants should expect to spend most of the afternoon at the Consulate. They will have to wait in line before clearing security. No preference is given to families with infants or small children.

Immediate Relative Petitions:

From 15th August 2011, immediate relative based petitions can no longer be filed at the U.S. Embassy in Paris as the Embassy does not have a USCIS public counter.  Please see the Embassy’s announcement below for details. 

Special Announcement

Effective August 15, 2011, petitioners residing overseas will no longer be able to routinely file Forms I-130,Petitions for Alien Relative, with U.S. Embassies and Consulates except in locations where U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a public counter presence within the Embassy or Consulate.  Petitioners residing overseas in countries where USCIS does not have a public counter presence will be required, starting August 15, 2011, to file their Forms I-130 by mail with the USCIS Chicago lockbox.  U.S. Embassies and Consulates that do not have a USCIS presence will only be able to accept and process Forms I-130 in exceptional circumstances, as outlined below.
Forms I-130 that were properly filed at an Embassy or Consulate overseas where USCIS does not have a presence before August 15, 2011, will not be affected by this change.

Filing Instructions beginning August 15, 2011:
Beginning August 15, 2011, petitioners residing overseas who wish to file a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, may do so as follows: 

• If the petitioner resides in a country in which USCIS has a public counter presence, the Form I-130 may be filed directly with the USCIS field office (see instructions below) or through the USCIS Chicago Lockbox at one of the below addresses.
• If the petitioner resides in a country where USCIS does not have a public counter presence, the Form I-130
  must be filed with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox at one of the addresses below, unless the petitioner requests and is granted an exception based on one of the criteria described below:

USCIS Chicago Lockbox addresses for regular mail deliveries:
USCIS
P.O. Box 804625
Chicago, IL 60680-4107

USCIS Chicago Lockbox address for express mail and courier deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: I-130
131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517
For additional information about how to file a Form I-130 with the USCIS Chicago lockbox, please see the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov or contact USCIS by phone at 1-800-375-5283.

Exceptional Filing at U.S. Embassies or Consulates without a USCIS Field Office:
Beginning August 15, 2011, petitioners, who do not reside in a country with a USCIS field office, but who believe that their situation merits an exception, may request an exception to allow the Consular Section at
the Embassy or Consulate to accept the filing.  Each request for an exception will be evaluated individually.

A petitioner seeking to file a Form I-130 at an Embassy or Consulate where USCIS does not have a presence should contact the Consular Section to request consideration of the request for exception and explain the circumstances in detail.  The Consular Section will then relay the request for an exception to the USCIS field office with jurisdiction over the Embassy or Consulate.  The determination of whether the case presents exceptional circumstances that warrant an exception to the general filing process will be made by USCIS.  USCIS will be publishing guidance on the circumstances that may qualify as exceptional on their website at: http://www.uscis.gov

All lawful permanent residents (“green card” holders) and U.S. citizens residing in the United States or with a permanent address in the United States must file immediate relative (or I-130) petitions at the USCIS service center in the United States having jurisdiction over their place of residence.  (A list of service centers is included in the instructions with downloadable form I-130).

You will require the following documentation to apply:

• U.S. citizen petitioner’s and each family member beneficiary’s Passports
• U.S. citizen petitioner’s French titre de sejour as proof of six months of continuous, legal residence in France.  Persons with a titre de sejour etudiant may not file in Paris and must file with USCIS in the United States.  (U.S. citizens who hold a French or other European Union passport must provide other proof that they have been continuously resident in France for the last six months on a status other than student or tourist.)
• Titre de sejour for any family member beneficiary who is not a citizen of a European Union country.
• Two passport-sized photos for the U.S. citizen petitioner and each beneficiary
• Proof of relationship:
•  Petition for spouse:  marriage certificate or copie integrale de l’acte de marriage (Persons previously married must also provide a divorce judgment or death certificate as proof of termination of the previous relationship.)
• Petition for child:  child’s birth certificate or copie integrale de l’acte de naissance, parent’s marriage certificate – livret de famille or equivalent.
• Completed forms I-130 Petition and G-325A for each beneficiary
• Completed form G-325A for U.S. citizen petitioner (1 copy per petition to be filed).
• Completed form DS-230 for each beneficiary.
• $420 immigrant visa application fee.

Processing times:  Apply early!  Processing is completed on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.  Expect the immigrant visa application process to take up to six months or more to complete.    After issuance, an immigrant visa is valid for six months before travel to the United States is required.

Medical Examinations

Before the issuance of an immigrant visa every applicant, regardless of age, must undergo a medical examination. The examination will be conducted by a doctor or clinic designated by the U.S. Embassy. The Immigrant Visa Unit will advise you of the approved clinics in Paris. The applicant must pay any examination costs, and they are in addition to the visa fees.

United States immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations (listed below) prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa. The physicians who conduct medical examinations of immigrant visa applicants are required to verify that you have met the vaccination requirement, or that it is medically inappropriate for you to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations:

• Mumps
• Measles
• Rubella
• Polio
• Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids
• Pertussis
• Influenza type b (Hib)
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella
• Pneumococcal and
• Influenza

In order to assist the physician and avoid delays in the processing of your immigrant visa, you should have the vaccination records of all family members applying for immigration available at the time of the medical examination. Waivers of the vaccination requirements are available only upon recommendation of the examining physician. Only the physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, medical history and current medical condition.

Visa Fees

The cost of each formal immigrant visa application is US $420 regardless of age. Diversity Visa applicants pay the $330 visa application fee. All fees are non-refundable.

All immigrant visa fees may be paid in dollars, or the equivalent in euros. Traveller’s checks may be accepted under certain circumstances. NO personal checks are accepted. You can pay with the following credit cards: Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express. Fees should not be sent to the embassy unless requested specifically. There are separate DHS fees for filing petitions.

Miscellaneous

Since no advance assurances can be given that a visa will be issued, you should not make any final travel arrangements that cannot be changed, dispose of your property, or give up your job until the visa has been approved. An immigrant visa is valid for six months from the issuance date.

Be sure to notify the IV Unit if circumstances that might affect your visa application have changed. For example:

• Change of address
• Change of marital status
• Death of petitioner
• Birth or adoption of additional children

With a few exceptions, a person born in the United States has claim to U.S. citizenship. A person born outside the U.S. may have a claim to U.S. citizenship, under United States law, if either parent was:

• A U.S. citizen at the time of their child's birth, and
• Lived in the United States for a specific period of time prior to the child's birth.

If you believe you have a claim to United States citizenship, you should not apply for a visa until your citizenship status has been determined by a consular officer. Please contact the American Citizens Services unit at the Embassy for adjudication of a claim to U.S. citizenship.
If you have any children who intend to immigrate with you to the United States, please be aware that in order to do so your children must be:

• Unmarried;
• eligible to be listed under your visa classification; and,
• under the age of 21 at the time they enter the United States. (If any of your children will turn 21 within 60 days, please notify this office.)

At the port of entry DHS officials will take the immigrant visa and assign each immigrant an "alien number." The immigrant’s passport will be stamped with this number and a notation will be made to show that you are registered for an I-551 alien registration card ("green card"). It normally takes several months for DHS to process and send you the alien registration card. In the interim, the passport stamp permits the alien to seek and gain employment and travel until the card arrives. You may depart and return to the U.S. before you receive the alien registration card, as long as the DHS stamp in your passport has not expired. If you want to leave the United States after your stamp has expired and you have yet to receive your alien registration card, contact DHS in the U.S. before your departure to ensure you have permission to return to the U.S.

If you plan to remain outside the U.S. for more than 12 months, you must apply for a re-entry permit (Form I-131) in the U.S. BEFORE your departure. This re-entry document is valid for a maximum of two years. Without a re-entry permit, any absence from the U.S. of 12 months or longer, or any residence established outside the U.S., is grounds for loss of your permanent resident status.
If you are permanently relocating outside the U.S., you can formally abandon your permanent resident status at a U.S. Embassy overseas.

AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES

The American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit of the Consular Section provides information and assistance to U.S. citizens in France. This office provides:

• Passport and citizenship services;
• Birth registrations for U.S. citizen children born abroad;
• Notarial and authentication services;
• Guidelines on living and working in France;
• Marriage and driving in France; and
• Voting by absentee ballot;
• General information for Americans visiting or residing in France; and,
• Information regarding Federal Benefits (including information about social security numbers).

If you need to schedule an appointment with the ACS Unit you must use the online appointment system on the website. For recorded telephone inquiries and after hours emergencies you can call 01 43 12 22 22. You can also contact the American Citizens Services office by email at citizeninfo@state.gov.

Registration with the Embassy and Safety Message for American Citizens

The Consular Information Program run by the Embassy notifies Americans who have registered their travel to France on the Embassy’s website about any security or safety issues they should be aware of. To register your stay in France use the online registration service https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs. By indicating your e-mail address at the time of registration, you will receive all Embassy bulletins and warden messages automatically.

As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its consular information program documents, available on the Internet. The Department continually updates the website with any credible information about security threats overseas. To get up to date information go to: http://travel.state.gov.Travelers can also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328. Travel Warnings and other general information are also available on the U.S. Embassy Paris website at http://france.usembassy.gov.

PASSPORT RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT:

The Passport Section is located at 4, avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris, métro Concorde.

Most passports must be renewed by mail, other renewals may require a personal appearance before a Consular Officer.

Passport Services by mail:

• Adult renewals
• Adding visa pages
• Change of legal name
• Replace your emergency passport

Passport Services requiring a personal appearance:

• Lost, stolen or mutilated passport;
• Minors under the age of 16;
• Minors aged 16 or over;
• Emergency passports; and,
• First passports

Appointments for passport renewals for children under 16 are provided Monday through Friday at 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. and Wednesday afternoons (1:30 and 2:00 p.m.).  No other times are available for children’s appointments.  If the applicant deliberately schedules a 9:00 or 9:30 a.m. appointment, which are reserved for adults, the appointment will be cancelled.

Appointment times:  If there are no times designated for children (10:00, 10:30) on the date selected that is because all the children’s appointments for that day are already fully booked.  The applicant will need to choose a new date.

More than one child:  If the applicant has more than one child to schedule, the applicant should try to schedule them together.  Each child must have an individual appointment.  If the applicant must schedule children at separate times or on separate days, the applicant should help the embassy determine his/her first choice (second choice, third choice) by listing his/her children in alphabetical order by first name, with the first child taking the time the applicant would most prefer. 

Applicants aged 16 to 20 may currently schedule appointments during children or adult appointment times.

Fee Schedule for Passport and Citizenship Applications in Paris

• Passport book renewals for adults holding a 10-year validity passport (by mail renewal procedure) – 83 Euros
  
• Passport cards for adults holding a 10-year validity passport (by mail renewal procedure) – 23 Euros
  
• Passports for minors under the age of 16: USD 105 or the euro equivalent.
• Exchange of emergency passport within one year after issuance of passport: NO FEE
• Exchange of emergency passport more than one year after issuance of passport: 83 Euros for adults, and 79 Euros for minor children.
• All other passport applications USD 135 or the euro equivalent,
  except change of legal name and added pages:
• Change of legal name requested within one year after issuance of passport: NO FEE
• Change of legal name requested more than one year after issuance of passport: 83 Euros (for a regular renewal).
• Additional visa pages: 62 Euros
• Consular Reports of Birth Abroad: USD 100 or the euro equivalent.

Payment can be made in U.S. dollars or Euro. When making a payment in person you can use cash or credit cards issued by American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover. No personal checks are accepted.

PASSPORT APPLICATIONS BY MAIL:

Adults holding a 10-Year Validity Passport issued within the last 15 years can renew their passports by mail by submitting the following documents:

• Signed, dated and completed DS-82 Form – this can be downloaded from the Embassy website and can be completed online or by hand using black ink. Note that the online version of the application form includes instructions on the backside written for use in the U.S. only;
• Your most recent passport (neither damaged nor mutilated);
• Two recent passport photos – identical, recent, color photographs taken full face, with a white background, measuring 5 cm by 5 cm (2 in x 2 in). All French photo booth photographs are not acceptable. Please ask the photographer for photos for a U.S. passport, otherwise you may be given the wrong format;
• Fee
• Self-addressed Chronopost envelope for the return of the new and cancelled old passports.

If you live in the Paris Consular District area (Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes or Strasbourg), you must send your application to:

U.S. Embassy
American Citizen Services
Passport Unit
4, avenue Gabriel
75382 Paris Cedex 08

Procedures are subject to change without notice. Please check this link before submitting: http://france.usembassy.gov/passbymail.html

A full range of passport services are also provided at the U.S. Consulate General in Marseille.

If you live in the Marseille Consular district, (Marseille, Nice or Toulouse), you must send your complete application to:

US Consulate General
Passport Unit
Place Varian Fry
13286 Marseille Cedex 6

You can also visit the Consular Agency in Nice or the American Presence Post in Toulouse who will forward your application to Marseille.

Limited passport services are available at the consular offices in Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes, Toulouse and Nice.

Please visit this page for further information on where and how to apply, depending on where you live: http://france.usembassy.gov/consulara.html

If you are in an emergency situation and need a passport, you may apply on a walk-in basis. Visit this page for conditions and procedures.

(2) Adding Visa Pages to Passports

This procedure must be done by mail unless your departure is imminent or you need to affix a resident permit to your current passport.

Visa pages may be added to current, full-validity passports (10 years for adults and 5 years for children) that are in good condition.

If you are travelling immediately you can submit a travel ticket as proof of imminent departure, or you have an appointment with an administrative office in order to affix a residence permit or visa to your current passport, your application may be processed in person at the Consular Section of the Embassy by appointment only. For all other cases you must apply by mail.

In order to apply you must send the following documentation to the Embassy:

• Current valid passport;
• Completed, signed and dated form DS-4085; and,
• A self-addressed Chronopost envelope available at all French Post Offices for the return of your passport.

Processing and receipt times are approximately 3 to 5 business days.

If you reside in the Paris Consular District area: Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes or Strasbourg, you must send your visa pages application to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Send your complete application by registered mail or Chronopost to:

U.S. Embassy
American Citizen Services
Passport Unit
4, avenue Gabriel
75382 Paris Cedex 08

If you reside in the Marseille Consular District area: Marseille, Nice or Toulouse, you must send your visa pages application to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Marseille:

Marseille (U.S. Consulate General, Passport Unit)
Place Varian Fry
13086 Marseille
Tel: 04 91 54 92 00
Fax: 04 91 55 09 47
Email: citizeninfomarseille@state.gov

(3) Change of legal name
There are two types of applications for change of legal name with different specifications. Both types of applications must be submitted by mail.

• A. Your current passport is less than one year old (NO FEE)
• B. Your current passport is more than one year old (83 Euros)

The forms required for each application can be downloaded from the website along with specific instructions about how to complete and send your application in to the Embassy.

(4) Replacing an emergency passport
If you were issued an emergency limited-validity passport because of an imminent departure, you should replace it with a full-validity passport immediately upon completion of your travel. If your application for a replacement is made within 1 year from the date of the issuance of the emergency passport then all applicants, including children, must apply by mail as long as the emergency passport is still valid.

Please note two consecutive emergency passports cannot be issued and an application for a full-validity passport takes approximately two weeks to process.

If you exchange your limited-validity emergency passport before it expires, you will not be charged a fee to have it replaced with a full-validity passport. However, if you wait until after the limited-validity passport has expired, you will be charged the full fee to have it replaced.

All emergency passports, including those for minors under the age of 14, must be replaced by mail.

Instructions and forms required to apply for an emergency passport are all available on the website.

PASSPORT APPLICATIONS REQUIRING A PERSONAL APPEARANCE:

(1) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Passports
If your passport has been lost, stolen, damaged or mutilated and your travel is imminent the U.S. Embassy will accept your application on a walk-in basis. You do not need to make an appointment. Go to the waiting room of the Consular Section of the Embassy between 9 am and 11 am (the earlier the better if you want same day issuance) Monday through Friday.

For identification purposes you should take with you all available items such as a: U.S. birth certificate, driver’s license, photocopy of the missing passport or expired U.S. passport.

A list of all other documents and forms required can be found on the Embassy’s website.

(2) Minor under the age of 16
All children under the age of 16 applying for their first passport or a renewal must attend the Embassy in person with the appropriate documentation and both parents. Parental consent and signatures are mandatory for passport issuances and renewals for minors under 16 years of age.

As of Feb. 1, 2009, the two-parent signature requirement for all passport services was extended to all children under the age of 16.

All children regardless of age (including newborns and infants) must have their own passports for travel to and from the United States.

It is important that you read the step by step guide on the Embassy website to ensure that the minor’s passport is issued efficiently.

(3) Minors aged 16 and over
Each person over the age of 16 that holds a five year validity passport is required to attend the Embassy in person to apply for a renewal of the passport.

Appointments for this service can be made via the Embassy’s website. All other instructions to complete the application can also be found on the Embassy’s website and should be followed stringently.

For security reasons, parental consent may be requested for persons under 18.

Please note that for security reasons if the minor does not have appropriate identification a parent may need to accompany the minor and present their own photo identification.

(4) Emergency Passports
If you need a passport in an emergency situation you may apply on a walk-in basis in the following cases:

1. Your passport was lost, stolen or mutilated;
2. Your request is due to a sudden, unexpected occurrence or relates to an unexpected event, such as a death in the family or a medical problem; or,
3. Your emergency situation does not meet the above criteria but is severe enough to warrant emergency action.

In this situation you must go to the waiting room of the Consular Section of the Embassy between 9 am and 11 am (the earlier the better if you require same day issuance) Monday through Friday.

If you are eligible to apply for an emergency passport please submit all of the following:

• Your current passport if available;
• Proof of international travel within the next two weeks;
• Two recent U.S. passport size photographs;
• Your social security number;
• Appropriate Passport Form:
  a.  DS-82 passport application for holders of full validity, 10 year passports issued within the past 15 years that are not mutilated in any way; or
  b.  DS-11 passport application for all other applicants;
• A credit card or cash (dollars or Euros) to pay the passport fee.

If your application is approved, a limited validity passport for imminent travel will be issued on the day of your appointment. You are required to replace this passport when you complete your travel. You will not be issued another emergency passport until this passport is replaced.

(5) How to Apply for a First Passport
Any individual who believes they have a claim to U.S. citizenship must apply for a first passport in person. 
All applications for children under the age of 16 must have the signature of both parents. It’s important to note that if you are reporting a birth abroad and requesting a first passport for your child you should consult the website for special conditions.

Appointments for first passports can be scheduled online via the Embassy’s website.

Please note: These instructions also apply for all persons, regardless of age, who hold a five or ten year validity passport that was issued over 15 years ago from the current calendar date.

For All Minors under 16:

• Each minor child must appear in person.
• All applications for children under 16 require both parents' or legal guardians' consent.

For All Minors Ages 16 to 17:

• The applicant MUST appear in person.
• For security reasons, parental consent may be requested.
• If your child does not have identification of his/her own, you need to accompany your child and present identification and co-sign the application.

All applicants for a first U.S. Passport must:

1. Apply in Person and provide application form DS-11:

Specific instructions about how to fill out the form can be obtained from the Embassy’s website.

Note that the online version of the application form includes instructions on the backside written for use in the U.S., which do not apply to your application in France. Please follow specific instructions below:

2. Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship

You may prove U.S. Citizenship with any one of the following:

• an original U.S. Birth Certificate; 
• a certified U.S. Birth Certificate (see note below);
• a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad;
• a U.S. Certification of Birth;
• a U.S. Certificate of Citizenship; or
• a U.S. Naturalization Certificate

NOTE: A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multi-colored seal, registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within one year of your birth.  Please note that some short (abstract) versions of birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes. You may order a certified birth certificate online at http://www.vitalchek.com or write to one of the offices of the National Center for Heath Statistics.

A delayed birth certificate filed more than one year after your birth may be acceptable if it:

• lists the documentation used to create it, AND
• is signed by the attending physician or midwife, or, lists an affidavit signed by the parents, or shows early public records.

If you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or any of the documents listed in item 2 above, you will need the following:

A Letter of No Record issued by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you;
AND
As many of the following as possible

• French livret de famille
• Local hospital birth certificate
• Census record
• Early school record
• Doctor's record of post-natal care

NOTE: These documents must be early public records showing the date and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years of your life.

The following are NOT proof of U.S. Citizenship

• voter registration cards
• army discharge papers
• driver’s license
• social security card

If the applicant was born abroad AND does not have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad the applicant must obtain this document before applying for a first U.S. passport.
Identification for minors under the age of 16:
The citizenship evidence submitted for minors under the age of 16 must list both parents' names.

3. Present Proof of Identity

The applicant may prove his/her identity with any one of these, if the applicant is recognizable:

a valid passport of any country; or

a valid driver's license with photograph; or

a national identity card with photograph; or

a valid U.S. or State government ID card; or

a U.S. military ID card; or

If you do not have any personal identification it will be necessary for you to be accompanied by a family member (mother/father/brother/sister) with a valid passport, preferably U.S., who will be required to make a sworn statement identifying you. This family member must be over the age of 18;

Any foreign passport that you may currently hold, have held, or been included in;

Your foreign (non U.S.) naturalization certificate: if you have acquired another nationality through naturalization or registration since the issuance of your proof of citizenship;

Name change documentation: If you have changed your name since your proof of citizenship was issued, you will be required to furnish name change documentation, i.e. your marriage certificate. If you have changed your name by means other than marriage, please contact the Embassy for further information.

NOTE:  Your Social Security Card does NOT prove your identity.

If none of these are available, you will need:
 
Some signature documents (ex: a combination of documents, such as your Social Security card, credit card, bank card, library card, etc.);

AND

A person who can vouch for you. He/she must:

• have known you for at least 2 years,
• be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident,
• have valid ID, and
• fill out a Form DS-71 in the presence of a passport agent.

All documentation submitted as evidence of U.S. Citizenship will be returned with the issued passport.

4. Provide Two Passport Photos

Your photographs must be:

• 2x2 inches in size (5 cm x 5 cm)
• Identical
• Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
• Color
• Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background
• Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head (2.5 cm  and 3.5 cm)
• Taken in normal street attire
• Uniforms should not be worn in photographs.
• Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline unless worn daily for religious purposes.
• If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.

NOTE: Vending machine photos are NOT acceptable

5. Provide a Social Security Number

For infants, parents will complete the application form in order to obtain a social security number. If your child does not have a social security number, and/or never applied for one, please refer to the website of the Federal Benefits Unit in Paris.
If you do not provide your Social Security number, the Internal Revenue Service may impose a $500 penalty.

6. Pay the Applicable Fee

You will pay the applicable fee at the time of application for the passport.

All new passports will be returned by mail using Chronopost tracking system.

When submitting your application with your current passport and color photos, please include a self-addressed Chronopost envelope (one Chronopost envelope may contain several passports – maximum 8)
Submit your application at:

U.S. Embassy
American Citizen Services
Passport Unit
4, avenue Gabriel
75382 Paris Cedex 08

Once the Embassy receives the complete passport application, it takes approximately two weeks for you to receive your new passport.

(6) Birth Registration
You must schedule an appointment in order to register a birth. Appointments can be scheduled at the Paris Embassy Monday through Thursday, except on French and American Holidays.

Schedule an appointment online here.

It is important to remember that the child must be present at the time of the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

All forms and instructions can be downloaded from the Embassy’s website.

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