Citizen Guides for Foreign residents of France

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Citizen Guides for Foreign residents of France

Click on Consulates & Embassies for contact information on Consulates and Embassies from Mainland Europe, the North American countries, anglophone countries of the Southern Hemisphere, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

• Consulates & Embassies

Citizens of the USA, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia living in France are particularly well catered to by their Consular sections of the Embassies and other organisations. If you are from one of those four countries, you will find a wealth of up-to-date and officially published information from the links below.

US Citizens

The Embassy of the United States in Paris has a website with up-to-date news on matters of relevance to American citizens in France.

The Consular section of the Embassy can provide detailed information on issues pertaining to US citizens living in France such as: passport renewals; registration of intended residence; registration of births, marriages, deaths; employment issues for the employer and employee; housing, vehicle buying, selling and registering; how to vote in American elections and so on.

• US Consular Services, Marseille
  At: Place Varian Fry, 13006 Marseille 
  Open: 09:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00
  Tel: 04 91 54 92 00 
  Fax: 04 91 55 09 47 
  e-mail
• US Consular Services, Paris
  At: 2, rue Saint-Florentin, 75001 Paris
  Open: 09:00-12:30, 13:00-15:00

The Embassy of France in the United States is a rich resource of relevant information for Americans planning a visit or move to France. It includes information and guidelines on living, working and driving in France, the metric system, marriage in France and more:

• Embassy of France in the United States

US citizens living overseas in France are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in the General Presidential Elections. 

• See INFOrmation page: Voting in the US Presidential Elections

UK Citizens

The British Embassy of France has up-to-date news on matters relating to French-British relations, as well as issues of politics, health and safety and immigration. The website of the British Embassy and British Consulate has a "Living in France" section with articles catering specifically to UK residents in France.

The British Consulate provides services for Britons in France while the British Consulate-General in Marseille represents its citizens in the PACA, Languedoc Roussillon, Corsica and Monaco regions. They provide commercial and personal advice and aid to UK citizens in southern France

The office will provide e-mail updates on information of potential interest to a UK resident in France. Send your e-mail address to to be added to the mailing list: MarseilleConsular.marseille@fco.gov.uk

• UK Consulate Marseilles
  At: 24 avenue du Prado, 13006 Marseilles
  Open: 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00
  Tel: 04 91 15 72 10
  Fax: 04 91 37 47 06
  e-Mail:
• UK Consular Services, Paris
  At: 18bis rue d’Anjou, 75008 Paris
  Postal: British Embassy
  BP111-08
  75363 Paris Cedex 08 
  Open to the public: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 09:30-12:30 and 14:30-17:00. 
  On Tuesday the consulate is open from 09:30-16:30. 
  Tel : 01 44 51 31 00 
  Fax: 01 44 51 31 27
  e-mail
• The British Embassy
  At: 35, rue du Faubourg St Honoré, 75383 Paris Cedex 08
  Tel: 01 44 51 31 00
  Fax: 01 44 51 41 27
  Open: 09:30-13:00 and 14:30-18:00

What Exactly Do We Do?

©  Extract from the British Consulate-General of Marseille Residence Brochure 

Commercial

• Market research for British SMEs wanting to export or set up in France
• Encourage local companies looking for new markets to set up in UK
• Promote collaboration on technologies of tomorrow to create commercial opportunities of tomorrow (through e.g. technology missions)
• Invite French buyers to UK Trade Fairs; help British companies at Trade Fairs in South of France (especially Cannes) to meet French counterparts
• With a focus on the following sectors: recreation and leisure (especially marine); creative industries (interactive content); electronics (photonics); telecoms; healthcare; oil & gas

Consular

• Emergency assistance (inc emergency passports) to British visitors during and out of office hours (500+ passports stolen/lost in 2001)
• Notarial services and help with French administration for British residents; advice for new arrivals (through our residents’ pack); advice and forms for passport applications (handled by Embassy in Paris)
• Prison visits & assisting detainees’ families

Political and Economic

• Observe local scene, talk to elus and academics. Provide the Embassy with a regional perspective on national political and economic issues

Public Diplomacy

• Present an accurate picture to a local French audience of British policy on key issues. Current priorities: Britain and the EU; British economic model; privatisation/public services
• Press interviews, speeches, sponsored visits (e.g. journalists), distribution of written information. Distribution of information packs to local schools.

Education and Tourism

• Limited advice on where to visit, where to study, where to find a placement. A signpost to the experts. UK visa advice and forms (applications handled in Paris)

Canadian Citizens

The Canadian Embassy in France website has some very useful checklists and notes for Canadian citizens planning a move to, or living in France. The information includes notes, checklists and tips on all aspects of the move, from planning the departure, the time spent in France and the return. 

• Canadian Embassy Consular Services 
  Consular Services, Paris
  At: 35, avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris (Metro: Franklin Roosevelt or Alma Marceau)
  Tel: 01 44 43 29 02
  Fax: 01 44 43 29 86
  Open to the public: Monday to Friday 9:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:30 
• Consular Services, Nice
  At: 10 rue Lamartine, 06000 Nice
  Tel: 04.93.92.93.22
  Fax: 04.93.92.55.51
  Open: Monday to Friday: 9:00-11:30
  e-mail

Australian Citizens

The Southern Cross Group is a global organisation that exists to "Promote mobility in the Global Community", and communicate with expatriated Australians throughout the world. Their work includes lobbying for changes in laws that improve or simplify the life of Australians abroad. The website has detailed information on the legal and practical aspects of: citizenship, voting, visas, health insurance, taxation and more.

• The Southern Cross Group
• The Southern Cross Group in France