Getting a French passport

Key takeaways

• You can only apply for a French passport once you’re a French citizen (it’s not issued automatically after naturalization).
• A French passport unlocks extensive visa-free travel worldwide and is required for most destinations outside the EU/EFTA (where an ID card may be enough).
• Passports are issued by France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and standard passports are biometric.
• You can apply in France at an authorized town hall (often by appointment) or abroad via a French embassy/consulate.
• Expect to provide ID/proof of nationality, a compliant photo, proof of address, and biometric data (plus the pre-application details if applicable).
• Fees vary by age (adult vs. child) and by where you apply (France vs. abroad), and payment methods differ accordingly.
• Typical validity is 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors; renewals broadly follow the same steps as a first application.
• If your passport is lost or stolen, report it promptly (locally, or to local police abroad) and apply for a replacement; emergency passports may be available in urgent cases.
• France generally allows dual nationality, so you may be able to keep your original citizenship (subject to your home country’s rules).
• You can track your application and must collect the passport in person within the required timeframe once it’s ready.

Passports in France

A French passport is one of two forms of ID you can get after becoming a French citizen. The other is the French national ID card (carte nationale d’identité).

With the ID card, you can travel freely around the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). If you want to travel outside that region, for example to Japan, you can only do so with a passport.

In France, passport applications are filed at authorized town halls (mairies) and passports are produced/managed through France Titres (ANTS). Abroad, applications are handled by French embassies and consulates. You don’t automatically get a passport when you become a French citizen. Instead, you’ll have to apply for one and pay a fee.

Like all EU member states, the country issues biometric passports. The standard French passport is a small Bordeaux-red 32-paged booklet with a microchip containing your biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial features. It also includes key personal information, such as photo, height, eye color, place of birth, signature, and unique passport number.

Aside from the standard document, you can also apply for a temporary (emergency) passport in exceptional urgent cases (medical, humanitarian, or professional), in France or abroad; it’s typically valid for 1 year.

The benefits of getting a passport in France

A French passport will give you several advantages in addition to those of your new citizenship, such as:

• Unlimited travel in and out of France while the passport is valid
• Freedom of movement across the EU/EFTA area
• Visa-free access to 185 countries around the world (although you might need to get a visa on arrival)

Freedom-wise, France ranks 4^th best on the 2026 Henley Passport Index, a global ranking index that measures the travel freedom of passports.

Who can get a French passport?

You are only eligible to apply for a passport once you are a French citizen. In most cases, you must have lived in France for five consecutive years before applying for citizenship. You’ll also have to demonstrate that you have integrated into society with sufficient knowledge of the French language, culture, and values.

In some cases, you can apply for a passport before those five years have passed. For example, if you are married to a French citizen, you can apply after four years of marriage if you have lived in France for at least three years. If you have a French parent, serve in the French army, or have refugee status, you can apply for French citizenship immediately.

How to apply for a French passport

You can apply for a passport in France and abroad. If you are in France, you can go to any town hall (mairie) with a check-in station. Many town halls require you to make an appointment first, so be sure to check the town hall website beforehand. If the applicant is a minor child under the age of 18, they must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Before or during the appointment, you must fill out a pre-application form. Then, in order to get your passport, you’ll need to provide:

• Your ID card (or, if you don’t have a French ID card, an extract of your birth certificate and proof of French nationality, no more than three months old)
• A recent photograph that conforms with the passport guidelines (not older than six months)
• Your biometric data, such as fingerprints
• Pre-application number if you filled in the online form
• Proof of residence (e.g., a utility bill)
• Passport fee or proof of payment

If you’re applying from abroad or you’ve recently moved, it can also help to get your admin and finances in order early — for example, having easy access to money in euros, being able to pay international fees, and keeping clear records of your payments and address details. Many expats use Wise to hold and convert EUR (and other currencies) and to pay securely from abroad.

If you provide documents issued in a foreign language, you may need a certified translation into French. Some EU public documents can be used with a multilingual standard form, but the authority can still request a translation if necessary.

Processing times vary by location and season and can take from a few days to several weeks. The exact time depends on your location and the time of the application (e.g., it takes longer to issue a passport during the summer holidays). Fortunately, you can track your application online.

When the passport is ready, you’ll receive a text message with the details for collection. You need to pick up the passport in person as it requires your signature. It will be destroyed if you do not collect it within three months.

Applying for a French passport abroad

If you live overseas, you can apply for your passport at the French embassy or consulate. The process is similar to applying in France, except that it costs more, and you can complete an online pre-application (optional) to save time, depending on your situation/where you apply.

In some countries, you can receive your passport by post. If you go for this option, you will receive an e-mail with a secret code after it’s dispatched. After delivery, you must declare receipt online using your passport number, the secret code, and the signed delivery certificate (scan).

If collection via post is not possible — or you’d prefer to collect it yourself — you can pick up your new passport from the embassy, consulate, or an authorized honorary consul in your country.

The cost of a French passport

Passport fees depend on the type of document and where you apply. For example, passports for children are cheaper than those for adults.

In 2026, the price of a passport is:

• Standard passport – €86
• Passport purchased abroad – €96
• Replacement or renewal – €86
• Replacement or renewal abroad – €96
• Emergency temporary passport – €30 in France; €90 abroad
• Passport for a child (up to 14) – €17
• Passport for a child (up to 14 abroad) – €27
• Passport for a child aged between 15 and 17 – €42
• Passport for a child aged between 15 and 17 – €52
• Emergency temporary passport for a child – €30 in France; €90 abroad

In France, passports will need to be paid with tax stamps. A tax stamp proves that you paid the tax (e.g., the ones you see on a bottle of wine).

If you apply abroad, the fee is generally €96 and payment methods depend on the consulate (often online ‘timbre électronique Français de l’étranger’, and/or cash; some consulates also accept card, check, or bank transfer). You’ll have to check this on their website beforehand.

Dual nationality and second passports

One of the benefits of French citizenship is that it allows dual nationality. That means you can be a French national (with a passport) without renouncing your existing citizenship.

The exception to this rule is when your home country doesn’t allow dual nationality (e.g., the Netherlands). In that case, you will have to choose between keeping your nationality or giving it up to become French.

Renewing or replacing a French passport

The standard French passport for adults is valid for 10 years and five years for children under 18. You can renew your passport either before or after the expiration date. If your passport is damaged, you must also replace it.

The procedure for passport renewal is similar to applying for a first passport, except that you will need to bring your existing passport instead of another form of ID. If your French passport has expired for more than five years, you will need to bring either your French national ID or a birth certificate, together with proof of French citizenship.

You can also renew your passport at a town hall (if in France) or a French embassy or consulate (if abroad).

What to do when your passport is lost or stolen

If your passport is lost or stolen, you should report it to the municipal police, (gendarmerie brigade) or at the police station (commissariat de police). You need to report the theft to the local police if it occurred abroad.

After you have reported it, you can request a replacement passport at a town hall, a French embassy, or a consulate. The process is similar to applying for (or renewing) a standard passport.

In some cases, you can apply for an emergency temporary passport (e.g., if you are displaced for humanitarian, medical, or professional reasons). If approved, an emergency passport may be issued immediately or within a few days and are valid for 12 months. You can apply for one at your local préfecture or French embassy or consulate.

Useful resources

• Service-Public – Government public services portal with information and useful links about applying for or renewing a French passport.
• MEAE – Government ministry responsible for issuing passports