What recourse if an identity card or passport file is refused?

Verified 10 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister), Ministry of the Interior, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

When applying for an identity card or passport, you may encounter difficulties that you consider unjustified. Your means of redress depend on the administration that rejected your file: town hall, center of expertise and resources titles (Cert), consulate.

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By the town hall

The town hall is responsible for welcoming users, registering applications and transmitting them to the Center d'expertise et de ressources titres (Cert). It is not up to the services of the City Council to accept or reject a file.

If you encounter difficulties with the town hall, you can enter the prefect by post the department in which you are applying for an identity document.

Who shall I contact

By Cert

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Burgundy-Franche-Comté
Bretagne
Center-Val de Loire
Grand-Est
Who shall I contact
Hauts de France
Who shall I contact
Île-de-France
Paris (75)
Who shall I contact

  • Mailing address:

    Prefecture of Police

    DPG – 2nd office

    9 boulevard du Palais

    75195 Paris cedex 04

Seine-et-Marne (77)
Yvelines (78)
Paris (91)
Paris (92)
Close to Seine-Saint-Denis (93)
Close up, Val-de-Marne (94)
Val-d'Oise (95)
Normandy
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Who shall I contact
Occitania
Who shall I contact
Who shall I contact
Pays de la Loire
Who shall I contact
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Paca)
Overseas
Guadeloupe (971)
Guyana (973)
La Réunion (974)
Martinique (972)
Mayotte (976)

By the consulate (or embassy)

If your application is refused at the consulate or embassy counter, you can send a ex gratia to the consul general or the ambassador.

You can also send a hierarchical redress the French foreigner Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If your efforts remain ineffective, it is possible to contact the Defender of Rights.

Enter the Defender of Rights online