The Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture announced that its séjour, asylum and naturalisation desks reopened to the public on Monday, 16 February, following urgent security works that forced a one-week shutdown. Hundreds of appointments scheduled between 6-13 February were cancelled; affected applicants have now received new dates by SMS or email.
Only clients holding a confirmed slot are being admitted to prevent overcrowding, and officials warn that doors may close early if queues exceed capacity. The prefecture handles one of France’s highest volumes of residence-permit renewals and naturalisation files – over 160,000 in 2025 – so any interruption quickly creates a backlog.
Employers sponsoring foreign staff under Talent-Passport or ICT permits should verify that employees reschedule missed biometrics appointments promptly, as delays can jeopardise work-authorisation validity. The prefecture says it will prioritise card pickups and long-stay visa validations to reduce downstream impact on payroll and health-insurance enrolment.
![Marseille Prefecture Reopens Immigration Counters After Week-Long Closure]()
For individuals or companies looking to navigate these French immigration procedures more smoothly, VisaHQ provides streamlined online tools, document checklists, and expert assistance for everything from Talent-Passport applications to long-stay visa validations. Their dedicated France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) consolidates requirements and offers live support, helping applicants secure appointments and monitor progress even when prefectural services face disruptions.
The incident highlights the fragility of France’s digital-first ANEF system, which still requires in-person steps for fingerprints and card issuance. Legal advisers recommend building contingency time into assignment plans and enrolling workers in the online “expiry-alert” service to avoid lapses when physical counters close unexpectedly.
While services have resumed, officials caution that processing times will remain extended for several weeks as staff clear the backlog.
Only clients holding a confirmed slot are being admitted to prevent overcrowding, and officials warn that doors may close early if queues exceed capacity. The prefecture handles one of France’s highest volumes of residence-permit renewals and naturalisation files – over 160,000 in 2025 – so any interruption quickly creates a backlog.
Employers sponsoring foreign staff under Talent-Passport or ICT permits should verify that employees reschedule missed biometrics appointments promptly, as delays can jeopardise work-authorisation validity. The prefecture says it will prioritise card pickups and long-stay visa validations to reduce downstream impact on payroll and health-insurance enrolment.
For individuals or companies looking to navigate these French immigration procedures more smoothly, VisaHQ provides streamlined online tools, document checklists, and expert assistance for everything from Talent-Passport applications to long-stay visa validations. Their dedicated France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) consolidates requirements and offers live support, helping applicants secure appointments and monitor progress even when prefectural services face disruptions.
The incident highlights the fragility of France’s digital-first ANEF system, which still requires in-person steps for fingerprints and card issuance. Legal advisers recommend building contingency time into assignment plans and enrolling workers in the online “expiry-alert” service to avoid lapses when physical counters close unexpectedly.
While services have resumed, officials caution that processing times will remain extended for several weeks as staff clear the backlog.
