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.
![Marseille Prefecture Reopens Immigration Counters After Week-Long Closure]()
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.
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.
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.
Source: Préfecture des Bouches-du-Rhône
