France Consulate General Bilbao

Before your visit

Address for visitors: Calle San Vicente, 8, Edificio Albia II, 10ª planta, 48001 Bilbao.

• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 09:30–13:00, according to the consulate’s official website (checked October 2026).
• Appointment: required – see the consulate’s website.
• Good to know: Visits by appointment; lost or stolen identity documents are handled without appointment between 09:30 and 13:00. Consular agencies in Gijón, Pamplona, Santiago de Compostela and Vigo. The area is a low-emission zone.
• Documents: take originals and photocopies, and a valid passport or identity card.

Who does the French consulate general in Bilbao serve?

France runs this consulate general for its citizens in this part of Spain. The office is headed by Consul General Typhaine Biard Hamon (in office since July 2026). With this office, France has 4 career consular posts across Spain. Bilbao is in the province of Biscay (the Basque Country). Distance to the French Embassy in Madrid: about 325 km. Its consular district covers Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia, Navarre, La Rioja and the Basque Country.

Consular services

The office deals with matters such as:

• French passports and emergency travel documents
• Certification of documents and signatures
• Certificates for pensions abroad
• Help for citizens in difficulty

Documents checklist

Prepare these documents before your appointment. The lists are taken from official French sources:

Passport for adults (application abroad)

• Apply in person at the embassy or consulate – most posts require an appointment
• Optional online pre-application (pré-demande) – bring the number or QR code
• Your identity card, if you have one (valid or expired less than 5 years ago)
• Identity photo less than 6 months old that meets the official standards
• Proof of address less than 1 year old
• Without an ID card: a birth certificate less than 3 months old (unless your birthplace’s civil registry is digitised) and, if needed, proof of French nationality

Sources: Service-Public.fr (French government) – passport for adults, application abroad (checked October 2026). Requirements and fees can change and individual posts may ask for more – confirm the current list with the consulate before your visit.

Do I need an appointment?

Yes. According to the consulate’s official website, visits are by appointment only; the website explains how to book.

Travelling from Spain to France

Spanish citizens can travel to France without a visa; a valid passport or national identity card (DNI) is enough. Details: Spanish travel advice (Recomendaciones de viaje).

Closing days

Expect the consulate general to be closed on Spanish national holidays and on France’s national day (14 July). Local holidays of the municipality can bring further closures.

Emergency assistance

Urgent consular cases: phone +34 912 159 101. Consular staff can replace lost travel documents and inform relatives; they cannot pay bills or act as a lawyer. In Spain, the general emergency number is 112. Spanish citizens who need help in France contact the Spanish Embassy in Paris.

Embassy and consulates of France in Spain

France in Spain

• Madrid – Embassy of France
• Barcelona – Consulate General
• Bilbao – Consulate General (this page)
• Madrid – Consulate General
• Seville – Consulate General
• Alicante – Honorary Consulate
• Gijón – Honorary Consulate
• Girona – Honorary Consulate
• Granada – Honorary Consulate
• Ibiza – Honorary Consulate
• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Honorary Consulate
• Lleida – Honorary Consulate
• Murcia – Honorary Consulate
• Málaga – Honorary Consulate
• Palma de Mallorca – Honorary Consulate
• Pamplona – Honorary Consulate
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife – Honorary Consulate
• Santiago de Compostela – Honorary Consulate
• Valencia – Honorary Consulate
• Valladolid – Honorary Consulate
• Vigo – Honorary Consulate
• Zaragoza – Honorary Consulate