Can the foreigner husband of a Frenchman stay in France?

Verified 28 April 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Yes, if you are a non-European foreigner and married to a Frenchman, you can obtain a residence permit, under certain conditions, to live with your husband in France.

Warning  

this procedure does not concern a foreigner who is a national of European countrynor the members of his family living in France with him.

Please note

to be recognized in France, your marriage must have been celebrated by a French registrar. If it was celebrated abroad, it must have been transcribed imperatively on the French registers of the central civil registration service of Nantes.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

General case

You must enter France with a long-stay visa as residence permit (VLS-TS). This visa is a mandatory prerequisite. It allows you to stay legally in France during its duration, generally less than or equal to 1 year.

After 1 year of stay, you can ask, as the spouse of French, for a multiannual residence permit private and family life. It is valid for 2 years.

After 3 years of stay, you have the option to request a 10-year resident card.

These residence permits are issued on condition that your community of life has not stopped.

In case you entered without a long-stay visa, you can benefit from an exceptional admission to stay in France during the 1re year of your stay.

You can ask for a card private and family life if all 3 conditions are met:

  • You have entered France regularly on a short-stay visa (or one of a nationality exempt from tourist visas)
  • You are married in France to a Frenchman
  • You have been living in France for more than 6 months with your spouse

FYI  

after 4 years of marriage (exceptionally 5), you can then, if you wish, apply for french naturalization.

Algerian husband

You must enter France with a visa.

The 1re year of your stay, you can get a 1-year residence certificate marked "private and family life".

At 1er renewal, you can get a 10-year certificate of residence provided that your community of life has not stopped.

FYI  

after 4 years of marriage (exceptionally 5), you can apply for french naturalization.

Tunisian husband

You must enter France with a long-stay visa as residence permit (VLS-TS). This visa allows you to stay in France for 1 year.

If at the time of renewal you can justify 1 year of marriage, you will be able to get a 10-year resident card provided that your community of life has not stopped.

FYI  

after 4 years of marriage (exceptionally 5), you can apply for french naturalization.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service

    For more information on this topic, you can contact Allô Service Public.

    Cost: free service

    The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.

    Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their status.

    The service is available at the following times:

    • Monday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Tuesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Wednesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Thursday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Friday: 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m
      • Lundi : de 08h30 à 17h30
      • Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
      • Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
      • Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15

    Request a call