Embassy of the United States

Consulates and APPs

View of Marseille

Consulate General Marseille

The Consulate General is headed by a Consul General who is responsible for all operations in Marseille and the Consular Agency Nice.

The Consul General is assisted by a deputy, who runs consular and administrative services on day-to-day basis. The Consulate General and the Consular Agency together represent two United States Government agencies: the Department of State and the Navy's Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). The U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet liaison officer with the French Mediterranean Navy, and his staff assistant in nearby Toulon (where the French navy's Mediterranean fleet is anchored) work closely with the Consulate General.

Mission

The Consulate General has five main tasks:

1. Assisting American citizens via the provision of Consular Services.
2. Promoting U.S. businesses and greater trade between the U.S. and the south of France and Monaco.
3. Articulating and advancing official United States Government positions and American values
4. Supporting the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet in connection with ship visits to Mediterranean ports in France and Monaco
5. Conducting diplomatic relations with the Principality of Monaco
   
   

Below is a brief description of the Consulate's main activities in each area:

• American Citizen Services
  

  Some 26,000 Americans are believed to live in the consular district. There are also more than 1,000,000 visitors each year to the south of France. Robberies targeting tourists are frequent and during the period May – August 2007, Marseille issued more than 700 passports, over 200 of which were to persons who had been robbed along the Riviera. Persons needing immediate services may come to the consulate; those who are near to Nice or Toulouse and can wait for a new passport or other document can go to the Consular Agency in Nice or the American Presence Post in Toulouse, which accept applications and payments for services. Those two offices send, via overnight mail, the applications to Marseille for processing. Marseille also handles regular prison visits, child custody cases and helps Americans to work with French authorities. In addition it works with the families in the U.S. of Americans who die in the district, to repatriate bodily remains and dispose of property.

  
  
• Promoting business and trade
  

  The south of France is of great interest to U.S. manufacturers and investors. As France's "sunbelt" it has already attracted a large concentration of U.S. firms in France, especially in high-tech fields. The U.S. Commercial Service and the Consul General constantly explore new opportunities for American firms and support the Mediterranean American Business Network, which promotes dialogue and networking amongst U.S. business in the region. 

  
  
• Advancing U.S. Government positions and American values
  

  The Consul General and deputy Consul General make frequent speaking appearances throughout the consular district to influence public opinion on issues of interest to the American Government and to push for greater understanding of American values. Forums include civic organizations, university gatherings, talk shows on radio and television, schools, ceremonies commemorating the two World Wars, and other kinds of official events. They also work with the Embassy in Paris to bring expert speakers to the consular district from the embassy or other entities.

  
  
• Supporting the U.S. Navy
  

  The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) has an office in Marseille which is staffed by one special agent. This office handles security arrangements for all U.S. Navy ship visits to France and for all of French-speaking Africa. The Consulate General also handles protocol and morale aspects of ship visits, including liaison with officials.

Consular District 

The Marseille Consular District includes three French regions (Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur - "PACA" - and Corsica), which together make up 13 departments with a total population of more than 7 million people, some of 14% of France's total population.

The territory covered by the consular district constitutes one of France's most dynamic areas and is often dubbed the "French sun belt" because of its pleasant climate. Economic activity and population are increasing on a yearly basis as many new companies, both French and foreign (including many U.S. businesses) seek to locate there. Major cities are Marseille, Nice, Montpellier, Cannes, Aix-en-Provence, Toulon, Avignon, Perpignan, Ajaccio, Bastia and Monte Carlo. Principal economic activities are agro-industry, information technology, bio-technology, aviation, maritime transportation, petrochemicals, and tourism.