How do you renew your passport when it expires, or is lost or stolen? Here’s how to renew your passport!
Valid for ten years, the biometric passport is an identity document issued to citizens by the decentralized services of the State, a precious sesame that enables them to cross borders and travel abroad. You’re about to take off for a foreign country and everything is ready. Then, to your amazement, you discover that your passport has expired, been lost or stolen, or that the dog has got hold of it? Obviously, airlines and customs won’t let you board or cross the border without showing a valid passport.
Don’t panic, it doesn’t take long to renew your passport, as long as you take the necessary steps in good time. Whether you’re renewing your passport or reporting it lost or stolen, the procedure differs. Here’s our advice on how to renew your passport as quickly as possible, so you can leave for the airport with peace of mind.
When should you renew your passport?
Since the end of June 2009, all passports issued in France are biometric. An old passport – obtained before June 2009 – remains valid until its expiry date, so the holder does not need to replace it. However, it should be noted that some countries – Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Peru, Russia, Thailand, etc. – require the passport to be valid for six months. – If your passport expires in January 2019 for a departure in February, for example, be sure to renew it as soon as possible.
Photo credit: Pixabay – jackmac34
Gather the necessary documents
The documents you need to provide depend on whether you are an adult or a minor, whether you are applying for the first time or renewing your passport, and whether you already have a secure identity card. The quicker you can get them together, the quicker you’ll receive your passport. In most cases, these documents are :
- passport application form,
- old passport or identity card,
- a passport-size photograph (25 x 45 mm),
- declaration of loss (or theft), if applicable,
- a tax stamp – at a cost of €86 -,
- proof of address less than three months old (telephone bill, electricity bill, rent receipt, title deed, tax notice, home insurance certificate).
The documents to be provided also differ according to whether the passport is valid or expired, whether you have an identity card or not, whether you are of age or underage, etc. The best way to find out what you need to bring with you, depending on your personal situation, is to consult theFrench administration‘s website.
Where can I go to renew my passport?
Anywhere in France, you can apply for a passport renewal (or a new one) at the Préfecture or at a town hall equipped with a registration station, which will ask for fingerprints to be taken. Once you’ve filled in a cardboard pre-application form, local officials will check the supporting documents provided. Please note that, on average, it takes longer to process an application at the Mairie than at the Préfecture.
How much does a passport renewal cost?
To renew your passport, you need to buy a tax stamp, the price of which varies according to your age:
- Adult: €86,
- Minors over 15: €42,
- Persons under 15: €17.
Tax stamps can be purchased from tobacconists (note that some tobacconists are not authorized to issue them) or from a local business tax office. It is also possible to pay for an electronic tax stamp online, on the Finances Publiques website.
Photo credit: Pixabay – jackmac34
What are the lead times?
Passports cannot be reissued on site: the documents are manufactured by the Imprimerie Nationale Group, in Flers-en-Escrebieux (59). An interactive voice server (34 00) can be used to find out how long it will take to produce your passport.
Beware of delays in obtaining a passport: they generally vary from 2 weeks to more than 12 weeks, depending on the number of applicants and the size of the Préfecture. This is the official time limit, but in reality, in major cities, a week is sometimes enough. Requested just before a trip to Canada, we obtained it in extremis in seven days, having received it the day before departure…
Passport collection
To collect your passport, you’ll need to go to your local post office. No public institution takes the risk of sending this document by post, and quite rightly so: what would happen if the passport got lost en route and never arrived at your home address? Generally speaking, the town hall where the passport renewal application was made can send a text message to let you know that the document is available. From then on, all you have to do is go there to collect it. Passports must be collected within three months, after which time they will be destroyed by the administration. Don’t let the days slip by – it would be a shame to have to pay €86 again…
Have you redone your passport lately? Tell us your tips in the comments!
Main photo credit: Pixabay – jackmac34