Embassy of the United States

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 Paris consular district: Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes or Strasbourg, you must renew your passport by mail in Paris.

If you reside in the Marseille consular district: Marseille, Nice or Toulouse, and you meet all of the requirements to renew your passport by mail, you must renew your passport by mail via the Consular Section of the Embassy in Marseille.

See the list of Consular Districts in France.

You must renew your passport by mail through the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Paris or Marseille 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.

Regular passport renewals by mail cost $75.

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

1. Your signed and completed DS-82 application form
   For by-mail applications you must use the DS-82 application form.
2. 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 on this page.
3. Your most recent passport (which will be cancelled and returned with the new passport); 
4. 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. See list of photographers
5. Payment Methods - Passport renewals by mail cost $75.
   Fees may be paid by using the credit card authorization form which must be completed, dated and signed ( see payment by mail authorization form and instruction leaflet).  You may download Acrobat to view these forms.
   
   OR
   
   you may send a French money order mandat cash obtainable at all French post offices made out to the order of “Ambassade des Etat-Unis” : see exchange rate for euro equivalent of U.S. dollar passport fees. 
   
   The Embassy does not accept personal checks.

   All new passport(s) and, if applicable, cancelled old passport(s) will be returned by mail using the Chronopost envelope tracking system.
   
   When submitting your application with your current U.S. passport, color photos, payment and, if applicable, other required documents, please include a self-addressed Chronopost envelope available at all French post offices (one Chronopost envelope may contain several passports – maximum 8).

   The Chronopost envelope tracking system guarantees a faster and more secure service for the return of your passport(s).  
   Once we have received the complete passport application, it takes approximately two weeks for you to receive your new passport.
   Please send your completed signed application form, photos, payment, Chronopost envelope and current passport to the following address:

   U.S. Embassy
   American Citizen Services
   Passport Unit
   4, avenue Gabriel
   75382 Paris Cedex 08
   
   If you are traveling internationally within the next two weeks and need to renew your passport before your departure, information on "imminent departures."
   For minors under age 16 please click here.
   For persons age 16 and over who are in possession of a five-year validity passport please click here.

   If you live outside of the Paris Consular District you may apply for this service at the American Consulate General in Marseille. Please contact their office for further information.

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

   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 Embassy
   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.