IMPACT – MEDIUM

The French government has implemented an emergency plan to reduce appointment wait times for passports and national identity cards.

Key Points:

  • French authorities currently estimate delays for up to three times the normal wait times for appointments for new passports and national identity cards.
  • In January, wait times averaged 27 days; now they an estimated 65 days.
  • French authorities are allocating more resources to collect applications; however, employers and employees should continue to expect longer wait times for now.

Additional Information: French authorities are currently prioritizing the most urgent appointment requests, including appointments for those traveling for business purposes. More information regarding the immigration delays is available here.

BAL Analysis: French authorities cited the lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions and an influx of French nationals applying to renew their identity documents as reasons for the delays. Employers may need to adjust employee start dates. French nationals who are in need of new identity documents are encouraged to file as early as possible to limit the impact of the delays.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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