French ID card (CNI) in the UK
The carte nationale d'identité (CNI) is applied for at the same counters as the passport, in London or Edinburgh, and in person, because fingerprints are taken. Today's card is the size of a bank card and is valid 10 years, for adults and children alike. It can also carry a high-level digital identity through the France Identité app, according to the consulate's ID card page.
Cost, timing and booking
A first card, or a renewal on presentation of the old card, costs nothing. A renewal without the old card, notably after a loss or theft, costs £20.90 (€25), payable in advance with an electronic stamp in euros or at the appointment. In London the counter takes cards, except American Express; in Edinburgh, cash only.
The card is not made at the consulate. Count on several weeks, longer as the summer holidays approach, and follow its progress on France Titres. A pre-application online is advised, and one appointment can cover a passport and an ID card for the same person.
| Situation | Fee |
|---|---|
| First card | free |
| Renewal with the old card | free |
| Renewal without it (loss, theft) | £20.90 (€25) |
| Handover by an honorary consul | £8.36 (€10) |
| Validity | 10 years, adults and children |
| Collection deadline | 3 months, then the card is destroyed |
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Collecting the card
You are told by text message or email when the card is ready. The ID card page says you must come to the consulate to collect it within 3 months, or ask, when you apply, to collect it from an authorised honorary consul.
The card, the passport and the app
The electronic card can be paired with the France Identité app, which gives you a high-level digital identity for French online services, according to the consulate's ID card page. For travel, the card works in the countries that accept it as a travel document; the passport covers the rest.
Applying for both at once saves a second trip: one appointment covers a passport and an ID card for the same person, and each document, if collected from an honorary consul, costs £8.36 (€10).
- Your pre-application number, if you made one
- The documents Service-Public.fr lists for your case
- The old card, for a free renewal
- For a minor: the presence of the child and of a parent
If you have lost your card abroad, start with the loss or theft declaration: the consulate records it before a new card is issued.
Bring the old card: with it, the renewal is free; without it, it costs £20.90 (€25).Official sources: Carte d'identité; Tarifs et paiement des droits de chancellerie.
Details checked against the official pages on 10 November 2026.
This site is an independent directory. frenchconsulates.co.uk is not the Embassy of France or one of its consulates, and it handles no applications.
We gather what uk.diplomatie.gouv.fr publishes and flag it when its own pages disagree. Confirm with the consulate before you travel.