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Law Offices of
Richard S. Goldstein

New York
145 West 57th Street
16th Floor, New York
New York 10019
tel: 212-957-0500
fax: 212-957-2020

London
96A Mount Street
First Floor
Mayfair
London W1K 2TB
tel: 020-7499-8200
fax: 020-7499-8300

paris visa processing

Revised August 2007

General Information:

The general telephone number of the US Embassy in Paris is +33 1 43 12 22 22. The Embassy is located at 4 avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris (Métro Concorde). The US Embassy in Paris website is: http://www.amb-usa.fr. The mailing address for Chronopost, FedEx or DHL is 18, avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris.

Visa Information: 

An Online Visa Appointment Service is now available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. A fee of $14.00 (in Euros) 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. Persons who wish to speak to a live operator may continue to call 0810-26-46-26.  Note that you cannot request an emergency appointment through the online system, and must contact the call center (see below).

Telephone appointments may also be set up by phone, using the call center service. Confirmation of the date and time of the appointment (together with a copy of the bill) are now sent by e-mail.  Appointments are made by the call center on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be changed or delayed without calling the call center.  The call center telephone number is 0810-26-46-26.  From the US and Canada dial 011-33-810-26-46-26.  From all other countries dial +33-810-26-46-26.

Those calling to discuss scheduling appointments are strongly advised to first consult the website or the automated recorded Visa Information Line on 08.92.23.84.72 (fee charged) to be familiar with the information you need when talking with an agent. If you still have unanswered questions or believe that you need to schedule an appointment, then call our Live Service Operators (14,50 Euros per call) at 0-810-26-46-26. Appointments are made by the call center on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be changed or delayed without calling the call center.  The call center telephone number is 0810-26-46-26.  From the US and Canada dial 011-33-810-26-46-26.  From all other countries dial +33-810-26-46-26.

If you have an urgent need to travel, you must advise the call center in order to get a timely appointment. Emergency appointments are not available via the online service.

Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor visa applicants (E visas)
Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor visa applicants (E visa) cannot be scheduled an interview through this number. They must continue to submit their applications by mail at: 18, avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris, by CHRONOPOST, FEDEX or DHL. Furthermore, all E visa applicants, aged 14 to 79 will require a personal interview. Due to the high volume of demand, there may be a delay of up to ten weeks before an interview can be arranged. Please plan your travel accordingly.

For security reasons, no luggage, electronic or photographic equipment can be admitted into the building.

Direct visa processing is no longer available, and Mail-in visa processing is no longer available, with the exception of French nationals or legal permanent residents of France who are 13 years of age or under or over 80 years of age or older. This exception does not apply to individuals who were born in, or hold a passport from, one of the six countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism i.e. North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Libya, Syria and Sudan.

Note that the Consular offices in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Nice, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse are not authorized to provide visa services but do provide assistance to American citizens (passport renewals, registrations, notarial services, etc.) in liaison with the U.S. Embassy's Office of American Services.

Applicants are requested to arrive no more than 15 minutes before the time of their appointment and to carry their e-mail appointment confirmations. For security reasons, no luggage, electronic or photographic equipment can be admitted into the Embassy or Consular section. Your application will be taken and you will be allowed to enter the consular interview waiting room. You may have to wait several hours before being 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 Chronopost envelope. Your passport with visa issued in it will be mailed back to you generally within 24-48 hours.

E-mail Addresses:

General Visa Questions: usvisa@state.gov
E-1 and E-2 Visas: ParisEV@state.gov
IV: ParisConIV@state.gov
ACS: citizeninfo@state.gov

E-mail inquiries dealing with legal issues (cases of first impression and/or disputed interpretation) can be addressed in the first instance to legalnet@state.gov with the name of the post in the subject line.

NONIMMIGRANT VISAS:

BOOKING VISA APPOINTMENTS:

DIRECT VISA PROCESSING IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

All nonimmigrant visa applicants must apply for a visa in person and attend a visa interview, with the exceptions noted below:

Mail-in visa applications are limited to:

• E visa applications (initial submission, to be followed by interview); and

Children under the age of 14 and adults 80 years or older, who are French nationals or legal permanent residents of France, and who were neither born in nor hold a passport from, countries defined as State Sponsors of Terrorism (at this writing, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan or Syria). Visa appointments can now be made through new online appointment system by visiting www.usvisa-france.com  (see below).To better serve the needs of non-immigrant visa applicants, the Embassy has instituted an online visa appointment service. This service is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week; a fee of $14.00 (in Euros) 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. Persons who whish to speak to a live operator may continue to call 0810-26-46-26. 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.

The Call Center telephone number is: 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.

Please note that Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor visa applicants (E visas) CANNOT schedule an interview through this number. They must continue to submit their applications by MAIL to the following address: 18, avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris, by CHRONOPOST, FEDEX or DHL.

Due to the high volume of demand, there may be a delay of 4 to 6 weeks before an interview can be arranged. Please plan your travel accordingly.
APPLICANTS ARE ADVISED TO ARRIVE 15 MINUTES BEFORE THEIR VISA INTERVIEW. FOR SECURITY REASONS, NO LUGGAGE, HEAVY BACKPACKS, LARGE PACKAGES, ELECTRONIC PARAPHERNALIA, FOOD AND DRINK ALL CELL PHONES MUST BE LEFT WITH A GUARD BEFORE ENTERING THE WITING ROOM.

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.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED:

• Each applicant (including each Dependent) will need to bring to the visa interview the following:MRV Fee – mandat compte (Proof of payment of nonrefundable nonimmigrant Visa Application Fee of 80 Euros, which must be obtained at any French post office (La Poste) by requesting a Mandat-Compte, account #2006L. Please attach to the visa application the receipt labelled "RECEPISSE A GARDER PAR L'EXPEDITEUR" The 80 Euro rate is the current Euro to US Dollar exchange rate as of June 20, 2005, which is subject to change.  Must be payable to the Embassy of the United States of America, Account 2006L Paris.  The original receipt, not a photocopy, must be submitted.
• A valid Passport
• One recent photograph (meeting the photo specifications noted below***).
• Documentation (including Original Form I-797 Approval Notice and copy of visa petitions submitted to US Immigration if applicable) meeting the requirements per nonimmigrant visa type.
• DS-156 Form per applicant. To be completed electronically on-line
• DS-157 Form for all male applicants between the ages of 14 to 65, and for all applicants born in or citizens of  Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan or Syria.
• DS-158 Form for all applicants seeking a student or exchange visitor visa (F, J or M visa). Note that a SEVIS fee of USD $100 is also required for these visa types, and should be paid prior to the visa interview.  Must be paid online with the receipt printed out as proof of payment to show at interview.
• A self-addressed traceable Chronopost envelope for the return of your Passport with issued visa, should you receive a visa (one Chronopost envelope per family).

In some cases, you may also have to pay a Reciprocity 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 at:http://travel.state.gov/visa/reciprocity/index.htm  to learn if your application requires a reciprocity fee.

*** Photo Specifications:

• One unsigned photograph taken within the last six months
• Size - about 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm) square, with the image measured from the bottom of your chin to the top of your face, not less than l" or more than 1-3/8" (3,5cm). There should be at least 1-1/2" (4cm) between the top of the head and the photograph's border. Do not crop the photograph.
• The photographs must be clear, front view and full face: and be printed with a white plain background. The backs must not be waxy or have a self-adhesive coating. Photos that are grainy in appearance cannot be accepted.
• Photographs may be in color or in black and white, but they may not be tinted.
• Dark glasses must not be worn unless required for medical reasons
• We recommend a pleasant, relaxed pose in normal street attire, without a hat.

A list of photographers in France are noted on the Embassy website.

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 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 being 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 chronopost envelope. Your passport with visa issued in it will be mailed back to you normally within 24-48 hours. However, visa processing times vary.

Please note that all visas for metropolitan France are issued in Paris. Visas for Martinique and Guadeloupe are issued at Bridgetown; visas for Réunion are issued in Madagascar; visas for French Guyana are issued at Paramaribo, Surinam.

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

FINGERPRINTING:

All visa applicants are subject to two-digit fingerprinting 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
Religious Workers
Sea & Air Crew
Students
Tourists
Transit Visas
Treaty Trader/Investor
Work

Please refer to the Embassy website for further information regarding each type of visa at: http://www.amb-usa.fr.

• Fees for H-1 B and L VISAS:

Starting March 8, 2005, a new $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection fee will be charged. This fee will be collected in the United States from employers filing a petition for H1B and L visas.

A fee in the same amount will be charged to the principal applicant for a Blanket L visa and will be collected by consular services at the time of the application. (payable 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):

Note that E-1 and E-2 visa requirements for visa processing at the US Embassy are highly detailed, and all E visa applicants should review the step by step E visa website consular instructions (Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor section) describing the E visa application procedures carefully in order to properly prepare E visa applications.

E 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; and E Visa Renewals.

E visa applicants must submit ALL E visa applications by MAIL, and must NOT use the Call Center to schedule an interview. Treaty visa submission will continue to be assigned an intake number permitting attorneys to follow the process and to check for missing documents on line. Applicants will be contacted by the E visa office directly to schedule a visa  interview. Applicants should NOT submit their Passport with the E application, only a photocopy of their Passport Biographic Page to the following mailing address: 18, avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris by Chronopost, FedEx or DHL. The Original Visa Application Fee Postal RECEIPT must be included with the application. It currently averaging 6-8  weeks from intake to interview, however, visa processing times vary according to the Consular unit’s workload. It is important to note the applicant’s E-mail address in the visa application, as E visa issues are often addressed by consular officer generated e-mail. All E visa applicants aged 14 to 79 require a personal interview.

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

IMMIGRANT VISAS:

The Immigrant Visa (IV) unit of the U.S. Embassy in Paris is open to the public on the basis of the below schedule:

Entry for new family-based petition filing for U.S. citizens continuously, legally resident in France for the six months prior to filing.

The IV Unit is unable to respond to phone, e-mail, or letter inquiries.

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 the 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. IV 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:

In certain cases, some immediate relative based petitions can be filed at U.S. Embassy Paris.  The U.S. Embassy in Paris will accept immediate relative immigrant visa (or I-130) petitions from American citizens who have been continuously, legally resident in France for at least the six months prior to petition filing.  Proof of legal residence will normally be in the presentation of a Carte de Séjour Temporaire or a Carte de Résident.  Individuals, who are in the country on a temporary status, such as student or tourist, do not meet this residency standard and must file with USCIS in the United States.

All lawful permanent residents (“green card” holders) and U.S. citizens resident 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.)

The Embassy will also exceptionally accept petitions from non-residents in true emergency cases, such as life and death or health and safety, plus instances where minor children who would be unexpectedly left without a caretaker.

To file, you may appear at the entrance to the Embassy’s consular section between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Fridays.  No new admissions will be allowed after 10:00 a.m. The U.S. citizen petitioner and all alien beneficiaries must appear in person on the day of petitioning.

You should bring the following documentation:

• 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
• 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.
• $355 petitioning fee.  Payment may be made in cash or by credit card. No checks are accepted.

For faster service on the day of petitioning, please have your forms downloaded and completed before coming to the Embassy.

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.

The U.S. Embassy in Paris is the only visa issuing post in France.  Immigrant visa petitions cannot be filed at any other U.S. consulate or American Presence Post (APP).

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 applicant must pay any examination costs, and they are in addition to the visa fees. This immigrant visa unit will provide information on the clinics approved by the Health Service of the United States where you must undergo a medical examination.  The applicant is responsible for making arrangements for the medical exam, There are three panel physicians. Medical exams are valid for a one year period.

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
• Influenzae 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.  Results of recent medical examinations and test results (including x-rays) are also helpful. This is particularly important for children to avoid unnecessary vaccinations.

Visa Fees
The cost of each formal immigrant visa application is U S $335 plus a $45 security surcharge for each intending immigrant, regardless of age. Diversity Visa applicants pay the $335 visa application fee, plus the $375 diversity visa fee, and the $45 security surcharge. All fees are non-refundable. All immigrant visa fees may be paid in dollars, or the equivalent in euros. Traveler’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 may 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 immigrate with you to the United States, 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." They will stamp the immigrant’s passport with this number and make a notation 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 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.
Should you wish to leave the U.S. and your stamp has expired and you have not yet received your alien card, you should contact DHS in the U.S. before 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 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) office of the Consular Section provides information and assistance to U.S. citizens in France. This office provides passport and citizenship services as well as birth registrations for U.S. citizen children born abroad.

Notarial and authentication services, guidelines on living and working in France, marriage in France, driving in France and voting by absentee ballot, as well general information for Americans visiting or residing in France are also available.

The ACS office provides information on Federal Benefits (social security numbers.)

For recorded telephone inquires and after hours emergencies please call 01 43 12 22 22. You may also contact the American Citizens Services office by email at citizeninfo@state.gov

For security reasons, do not bring luggage--including large backpacks--laptop computers, or large cameras.   Security guards will hold small tourist cameras and cell phones until your departure, but there is no storage available for luggage, large backpacks, laptop computers, or large cameras—please do not bring them to the Embassy.

Registration with the Embassy and Safety Message for American Citizens

The cornerstone of the Embassy’s efforts to keep the American traveling public aware of problems threatening their safety and security is the Consular Information Program. If you would like to receive important information issued by the U.S. Department of State and the Embassy in Paris, please register your stay in France using this 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 at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may 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. It  is currently open to the general public from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on French and American holidays.

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

Passport applications by mail include: renewals for adults; adding visa pages; change of legal name; replacing emergency passports. See below.

Passport applications requiring a personal appearance include: lost, stolen or mutilated passports; minor under the age of 14; adolescents age 14-17; imminent departure; first passports; reports of birth abroad.

When traveling, please remember to carry a photocopy of your passport separately from your passport. In the event of loss or theft, the copy will facilitate issuance of an emergency passport.

PASSPORT APPLICATIONS BY MAIL:

(1) Passport Renewal by mail in France

* These instructions apply only to American citizens residing in the Paris or Strasbourg Consular districts.

Consular districts are comprised of several different geographic regions or departments in France. If you meet all of the requirements to renew your passport by mail, and you live in the region of Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Rennes or Strasbourg, please follow the instructions below.

If you reside in the region of Marseille, Nice or Toulouse, you must apply for a passport via the Consular Section of the Embassy in Marseille.

You must renew your passport by mail through the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Paris if you are in possession of a full-validity (10-year) passport issued within the past 15 years and issued when you were at least 16 years old that is not mutilated in any way.

Important: If you do not meet this requirement you must apply in person.

Application form - For by-mail applications you must use form DS-82. Downloadable from the Embassy site. Please type or print legibly in black ink when completing all sections of this application. Please print out and submit only one-sided pages of the application.

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 provided below:

Passport renewals by mail cost $67.
Payment methods - Fees may be paid by using the credit card authorization form, You may also purchase a money order called a mandat-cash from the French Post Office which must be made out to the American Embassy and for the exact amount. Please consult the current consular exchange rate for passport renewals by mail.

The Embassy does not accept personal checks.

If you meet ALL the criteria for persons who may renew their passports by mail, please submit the following:

• Your signed and completed DS-82 application form;
• Your most recent passport (which will be cancelled and returned with the new passport);
• Two (2) 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.
• Your signed and completed payment authorization form (downloadable from website -- payment by mail authorization form and instruction leaflet) or;
  send your mandat cash obtainable at all French post offices.

All new passport(s) and, if applicable cancelled old passport(s) will be returned by mail using either a registered letter or Chronopost tracking system.

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

OR

include a self-addressed registered letter (lettre recommandée) envelope with sufficient postage (envelopes approximately 9 “x 6.5“ = 16 cm x 23 cm are recommended). For your records, please note the tracking number on the registered letter form. Do not use “lettre suivie” or Distingo envelopes.

The applicant’s mailing address must be completed on the registered letter form. Please write your mailing address legibly in the block designated “destinataire”. In the block designated “expéditeur” please write the following:

U.S. Embassy
Office of American Services/PPT
4, avenue Gabriel
75382 Paris Cedex 08

See table of postage fees below. The highlighted items are recommended tariffs.

Once the Embassy has received the complete passport application, it takes approximately two weeks for you to receive your new passport depending on the type of mail service you choose.

If you are traveling internationally within the next two weeks and need to renew your passport before your departure, review the "imminent departures” section on the site.
Please send your completed application to:

American Embassy
Office of American Services
Passport Section
4, avenue Gabriel
75008 Paris

When traveling, please remember to carry a photocopy of your passport separately from your passport. In the event of loss or theft, the copy will facilitate issuance of an emergency passport.

Security at the Consular Section
All official facilities are mandated to use access control procedures for all visitors and their handbags and packages. No luggage, electronic or photographic equipment is permitted in our waiting room or on other Embassy premises.

(2) Adding Visa Pages to Passports

This procedure must be done by mail if you live or are traveling through the Paris or Strasbourg Consular Districts. Please make sure that your full-validity passport (10 years for adults and 5 years for children) is in good condition before having pages added to it, and follow the instructions below.

There is no fee for this service.

If you are traveling immediately and 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. For all other cases you must apply by mail.

(3) Change of legal name

This procedure must be done by mail if you live or are traveling through the Paris or Strasbourg Consular Districts.

Effective September 26, 2005, as an additional security enhancement, Passport Services will no longer amend valid passports. Instead, customers requesting name changes will apply for replacement passports.

There are 2 separate types of applications with different specifications.

• A. If you apply to have your name changed within one year of your current passport’s issuance date (i.e. you current passport is less than one year old).
• B. If you apply to have your name changed one year or later after your current passport’s issuance date (i.e. your current passport is more than one year old).
• C. Please refer to website for instructions.

(4) Replacing an emergency passport

If you were issued an emergency limited-validity passport because of an imminent departure, we encourage you to replace it with a full-validity passport immediately upon completion of your travel. All applicants, including children, may apply by mail as long as the emergency passport is still valid. (See general conditions below.)

Please note that two consecutive emergency passports cannot be issued and that 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 required to pay the 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. The fees for a replacement passport are $67 for adults, and $82 for children.

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

PASSPORT APPLICATIONS REQUIRING A PERSONAL APPEARANCE:

(1) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Passports

The Office of American Services can replace lost, stolen or mutilated passports upon verification of your identity, and your citizenship, with a valid passport. An emergency, limited validity passport may be issued for immediate travel (please bring proof of travel: airline ticket or electronic ticket if your departure is imminent), or if you will not be traveling within two weeks you will be issued a full-validity passport (processing period approximately 2 weeks).

(2) Minor under the age of 14

Each minor child shall appear in person and provide appropriate documentation. Both parents’ consent and signatures are mandatory for passport issuance for minors under 14. Either both parents accompany the child, or one parent accompanies the child, and the non-applying parent  submits a notarized statement of consent for passport issuance.

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

(3) All Minors Ages 14-17 and persons over 18 Holding a Five-Year Validity Passport

• Each minor child or person over 18 holding a five-year validity passport shall appear in person.
• For security reasons, parental consent may be requested.
• If your child does not have identification of his/her own, a parent will need to accompany the child and present identification.

(4) Imminent Departure

If you need a new passport for travel within the next two weeks, your application will require a personal appearance. Please bring the following to the Embassy:

• Your old passport.
• Proof of international travel within the next two weeks.
• Two (2) identical, recent color photographs taken full face, with a white background, measuring 5 cm by 5 cm (2 in x 2 in). Please ask the photographer for photos for a U.S. passport, otherwise you may be given the wrong format. Pictures made in French photo booths are not acceptable. There are photographers located close to the Embassy.
• Your social security number.
• Either a DS-82 passport application (if you have a full validity, 10 year passport issued within the past 15 years that is not mutilated in any way), or a DS-11 passport application (all others). If your, or your children’s previous passport(s) were issued for a 5-year validity period, use the DS-11. Please type or print legibly in black ink when completing all sections of this application. Please print out and submit only one-sided pages of the application.

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.

A credit card or cash (dollars or euros) to pay the passport fee.

If eligible, you will be issued a limited validity passport for your imminent travel. You will be required to replace this passport by mail click here when you complete your travel. You may not be issued another emergency passport until this passport is replaced. We therefore encourage you to replace your emergency passport immediately upon your return.

(5) How to Apply for a First Passport

All persons with a claim to U.S. citizenship must apply for a first passport in person. 

All persons must have their own passports, including infants.

For All Minors Under Age 14:

• Each minor child shall appear in person.
• All applications for children under 14 require both parents' or legal guardians' consent.

For All Minors Ages 14 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.
• Follow the instructions provided below:

All Applicants for First U.S. Passports Must Apply in Person and:

Provide Application Form DS-11 and follow specific instructions below:

• Print out and submit only one-sided pages of the application form.
• Form DS-11 is also available in the Consular Section’s waiting room display.
• Please do NOT sign the DS-11 application form until the Consular Officer instructs you to do so.

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:

Present Proof of U.S. Citizenship

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

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

FOR MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 14:

The citizenship evidence submitted for minors under the age of 14 must list both parents' names.

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.  

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.
• Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required.

          NOTE: Vending machine photos are NOT acceptable

Provide a Social Security Number
When applicable, if you do not provide your Social Security Number, the Internal Revenue Service may impose a USD$500 penalty. If you have any questions please call your nearest IRS Office. If you have question concerning social security numbers.

Pay the Applicable Fee of USD $82 for applicants under age 16, or USD$97 for all others.

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

All new passports will be returned by mail using either a registered letter or Chronopost tracking system.

When submitting your application with your current passport and color photos, please include either a self-addressed Chronopost envelope (one Chronopost envelope may contain several passports – maximum 8)
          OR
Include a self-addressed registered letter (lettre recommandée) envelope with sufficient postage (envelopes approximately 9 “x 6.5“ = 16 cm x 23 cm are recommended). For your records, please note the tracking number on the registered letter form. Do not use “lettre suivie” or Distingo envelopes.

The applicant’s mailing address must be completed on the registered letter form. Please write your mailing address legibly in the block designated “destinataire”. In the block designated “expéditeur” please write the following:

U.S. Embassy
Office of American Services/PPT
4, avenue Gabriel
75382 Paris Cedex 08

See table of postage fees below. The highlighted items are recommended tariffs.

Once the Embassy receives the complete passport application, it takes approximately two weeks for you to receive your new passport depending on the type of mail service you choose.

When traveling, please remember to carry a photocopy of your child’s passport in a separate place. In the event of loss or theft, the copy will facilitate issuance of an emergency passport.

For security reasons, do not bring luggage--including large backpacks--laptop computers, or large cameras.  Security guards will hold small tourist cameras and cell phones until your departure, but there is no storage available for luggage, large backpacks, laptop computers, or large cameras—please do not bring them to the Embassy.

U.S. Embassy
Consular Section
Office of American Services
4, avenue Gabriel
75382 Paris Cedex 08

(6) Birth Registration

REPORT OF BIRTHS DESK
By appointment only
Office Hours: 9:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday except on French and American holidays.

To register the birth of your child as an American citizen and to obtain a first passport, please call the passport section at 01 43 12 26 71, preferably between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m., to schedule an appointment.Due to the large number of Americans living in France please allow two weeks for an appointment — those without appointments may be turned away or face lengthy delays. In addition to the documentation listed below, the child must be present at the time of registration. All forms and instructions may be downloaded directly online from the website.

US-VISIT BIOMETRIC ENTRY SYSTEM INSTALLED AT FINAL U.S. LAND BORDER PORTS

US-VISIT (United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology), an automated entry-exit program created by the Department of Homeland Security, has completed installation of biometric entry capabilities at all ports of entry along the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders, per the DHS in a December 30, 2005 press release.

The program compares biometric data such as digital and inkless fingerscans and digital photos, as well as biographical information collected by the Department of State, against U.S. terrorist and criminal watch lists to identify and intercept criminals and violators who try to enter the United States.

VISA WAIVER PROGRAM UPDATE

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Citizens of the following countries must carry a machine readable passport or a biometric passport to participate in the Visa Waiver Program:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

The requirements to travel under the VWP are that the individual must be:

• a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program country;

• Have a valid passport issued by the participating country that is valid for six months beyond your intended visit (with exceptions);
• traveling for business, pleasure or transit only.
• staying in the US for 90 days or less.

Plus, if entering the US by air or sea :

• holding a return or onward ticket: travelers with onward tickets terminating in Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands must be legal permanent residents of these areas;

• entering the US aboard an air or sea carrier that has agreed to participate in the program; and in possession of a completed form I-94W, obtainable from airline and shipping companies;

or, if entering the US by land from Canada or Mexico

• In possession of a completed form I-94W, issued by the immigration authorities at the port of entry, and a USD$6.00 fee, payable only in US dollars.

By law, some travelers are not eligible to enter the US. These include people with criminal records, certain serious communicable illnesses, previous deportations from the US, previous overstays on the visa waiver program and certain other problems. Such travelers may not travel under the VWP and must apply for special restricted visas. If they attempt to travel without a visa, they will be refused entry into the US

Travelers who plan to study, work or remain more than 90 days cannot travel under the VWP and must apply for a visa. If a US immigration officer believes that a traveler without visa is going to study, work or stay more than 90 days, the officer will refuse to admit the traveler.

French Emergency Passports
All Machine-readable French emergency passports can be used for travel under the Visa Waiver Program. This includes emergency French passports issued both inside and outside of metropolitan France either by the Ministry of the Interior or by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All French e-passports will have a gold symbol on the front cover, if it is issued on or after June 16, 2006, with a chip and a digital photo, which are are valid for visa-free travel to or transit through the U.S. under the VWP.   The new French children’s passport – without a chip but with a digital photo – will be valid for VWP travel only if issued before October 26, 2006. Please note that each person, including children, travelling under the VWP needs his or her own machine-readable passport.

Applicants with French passports issued on or after October 26, 2005 (with no electronic chip) will need to apply for a U.S. visa. Holders of valid machine-readable passports issued before October 26, 2005, are not affected and may continue to travel to the United States under the VWP.

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