Can the foreigner husband of a Frenchman stay in France?

Verified 09 August 2023 - 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.

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

You will get a residence permit “private and family life”. This residence permit allows you to work in France and allows you to travel in Europe and abroad. The issue of the residence permit is subject to compliance with the conditions requested (they are cumulative):

  • The community of life with your spouse should not have ceased since the marriage
  • Your husband or wife has retained French nationality
  • The marriage certificate has been transcribed if your marriage was performed abroad
  • You must not be in a situation of polygamy

Before applying for a residence card, to enter and stay legally in the French territory, you must obtain a  long-stay visa as residence permit (VLS-TS). You do not need to apply for a residence card for your first year of residence in France.

General case

You must enter France with a long-stay visa (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 ask to have a residence card "private and family life", during the 1re year of your stay if the following 3 conditions are met:

  • You have entered France regularly on a short-stay visa (or are 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, you can then, if you wish, apply for french naturalization.

If you have lived in France less than 3 years and your French spouse has not been registered on the consular registers during your stay abroad, you must show proof of 5 years of marriage.

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, you can then, if you wish, apply for french naturalization.

If you have lived in France less than 3 years and your French spouse has not been registered on the consular registers during your stay abroad, you must show proof of 5 years of marriage.

Tunisian husband

You must enter France with a long-stay visa (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, you can then, if you wish, apply for french naturalization.

If you have lived in France less than 3 years and your French spouse has not been registered on the consular registers during your stay abroad, you must show proof of 5 years of marriage.

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