Marseille residency permit appointments targeted by automated resale trafficking

In Marseille, a parallel market has emerged involving the illegal resale of administrative appointments for residency permit renewals. At the Prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône, foreign nationals seeking to regularize their status report significant difficulty in securing appointments through official digital platforms.

Investigations indicate that automated computer programs, or bots, are being used to intercept available time slots as soon as they are posted online. These bots instantly reserve the slots, which are then sold by intermediaries to individuals facing urgent deadlines, such as those whose current residency documents are nearing expiration. This practice exploits the administrative pressure and the vulnerability of applicants who struggle to access public services through standard channels.