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The American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit of the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan provides services to U.S. citizens living in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as to many tourist and business visitors each year. Among other things, the unit provides passport services, registers the birth of U.S. citizen children born abroad, offers notarial services, gives information on voting, and provides information to U.S. citizens visiting and residing in Côte d’Ivoire.
All these services are available at the Consular Section by appointment. Please click here to make an appointment and see available times for passport and citizenship services. Appointments are mandatory and required for all public services except emergencies and limited renewals of passports. Please see our passport page here for additional information.
Please schedule your appointment only after you have completely read the information on our website related to the service you need. To reduce your wait time, please fill out all required application forms and paperwork online in advance and bring them with you to your appointment.
There is no visa information available in the American Citizen Services Section, and consular staff cannot give visa advice, including for immigrant or nonimmigrant visas.
The Department of State assists U.S. citizens imprisoned overseas and works to ensure their fair and humane treatment.
The Department of State helps the family and friends of U.S. citizens who die abroad. We inform the U.S. citizen’s next-of-kin of the death and we provide information on arrangements for local burial or the return of remains to the United States and on disposition of estates and personal effects. We also issue a Consular Report of Death Abroad, an official record of death.
International Parental Child Abduction
The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues works to resolve and prevent cases of international parental child abduction and to help children and families involved in abduction cases. For more information, see our international parental child abduction page on travel.state.gov.
The Department of State helps U.S. citizens who are victims of crime overseas. We connect crime victims with police and other services and provide information and resources to assist with physical, emotional, and/or financial injuries from crime.
U.S. citizens in need of emergency financial assistance while abroad should first attempt to contact their family, friends, banking institution, or employer. Our American Citizen Services unit can assist in this effort, if necessary.
Use a commercial money transfer service, such as Western Union or MoneyGram., to wire money overseas. Money transfer cost comparison tools online can help you identify the best option. The person receiving the money will need to present proof of identity such as a passport.
Sending Money through the U.S. Department of State
When the commercial options listed above are not available or feasible, family or friends may send funds via the U.S. Department of State for delivery to a destitute U.S. citizen abroad at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The U.S. Department of State assesses a $30 fee to establish an account and transfer funds.
Destitute U.S. citizens may be eligible for a loan from the U.S. government to travel to the United States. Repatriation loans must eventually be paid back to the U.S. government. Your U.S. passports will be limited at the time the loan is issued and in most cases you will not be issued a new passport until the loan is paid in full. Contact us for more information.
Consular Affairs (CA) is the public face of the Department of State for millions of people around the world. We provide many services, and the most common are listed below.
U.S. Citizens overseas can renew passports, replace passports, or apply for new passports.
If you are a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (green card holder), you are responsible for filing U.S. federal income tax returns while abroad. You will find useful information on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website, such as Frequently Asked Questions about taxes or how to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
If you are a U.S. dual citizen or U.S. citizen living outside of the United States, you can register with the Selective Service System.
If you live in Côte d’Ivoire and have questions about Social Security Administration (SSA) services, contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) in France.
U.S. service members, veterans, and their beneficiaries can apply for benefits on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website. The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) may also be able to help veterans and beneficiaries with questions about benefits and services. The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) may also be able to help veterans and beneficiaries with questions about benefits and services. The Federal Benefits Unit in Paris, France covers Côte d’Ivoire. For more information, please visit their webpage at: https://fr.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security-administration/.
Depending on where you are eligible to vote, you may get your ballot by email, fax, or internet download. To start, complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) here. Print, sign, and return the FPCA to your local U.S. election office. Include your email address so election officials can reach you if there is a problem. If your state delivers ballots electronically by fax only, include your fax number. If you request electronic delivery and include your email address or fax number, you will receive your blank ballot 45 days before general and mid-term elections and generally 30 days before special, primary, and run-off elections for federal offices. We recommend completing a new FPCA each January, or when you move.
The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following lists. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information.
Legal Assistance Medical Assistance Additional Resources for U.S. CitizensThe rules of the Ivoirian Bar Association prohibit advertising on the part of its members. As the publication of names of Ivoirian attorneys together with any data concerning their experience and qualifications may be considered a violation of this rule, the Embassy maintains a private that it is not to be published. A list of all attorneys practicing in Côte d’Ivoire may be viewed from the website of the Ivoirian Bar Association.
There is no shortage of physicians, dentists, clinics, and hospitals both small and large. One of the biggest barriers to accessing local care is language, as few clinicians may speak English. Please click the link for a list of doctors and resources, currently in practice at the time of publication of this list.
Additional Resources for U.S. Citizens
Traveling abroad doesn’t have to be confusing if you know the right things before you go. In this section, we aim to provide you with the essentials if you are planning on traveling abroad. However, in order to consult the most recent and updated information, we advise you to have a look at http://travel.state.gov/, the website the U.S. Department of State has designed especially to make American travelers aware of the requirements to be fulfilled and the cautions to be heeded when undertaking a trip abroad.
This section provides an overview of the intercountry adoption process. The process varies greatly, as it is governed by the laws of the countries where the adoptive parents and the child reside (which in the case of the United States means both federal and state law), and also in which of these locations the legal adoption is finalized. Additionally, if the child’s home country is a party to the Hague Adoption Convention, the Hague processes of both countries must be followed. Prospective adoptive parents should consider all these factors when evaluating what to expect. Côte d’Ivoire joined the Hague Adoption Convention on October 1, 2016, but has not yet started undertaking international adoptions under the Convention.
If you have a child outside the United States the child may have acquired U.S. citizenship at birth if the requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act have been met as of the time of your child’s birth. To determine whether your child acquired U.S. citizenship at birth and to document that, you can apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for your child. You may also choose to just apply for a U.S. passport for your child, although one benefit of a CRBA is that, unlike the U.S. passport, it does not expire and may be used as proof of acquisition of U.S. citizenship at birth. A full validity, unexpired U.S. passport is also proof of U.S. citizenship.
U.S. embassy and consulate personnel cannot perform marriages. Depending on the local law, civil or religious officials generally perform marriages. If your marriage overseas was performed in accordance with local law, it is valid in the country where it took place. Whether your marriage is recognized elsewhere depends on the laws of that place. To obtain information on what you need to get married in Côte d’Ivoire, you should confirm all requirements with the office of the respective city hall (le mairie) where the marriage will take place. Many require a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry (Capacité Matrimoniale). To obtain this, and any other notarial services, please find more information on our notarials page.
Please call: (+225) 27 22 49 4000
Outside of Côte d'Ivoire: (+225) 27 22 49 4000
Enroll in STEP International Parental Child Abduction Arrest of a U.S. Citizen Death of a U.S. Citizen Victims of Crime Emergency Financial Assistance
