Family reunification - Algerian family

Verified 01 janvier 2024 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

Your situation

  • You're Algerian
  • You have another residence permit
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Step-by-step approach

To determine your right to family reunification, you can use a simulator:

Check if you can benefit from family reunification

Regular stay

To apply for family reunification, you must have a residence certificate of a period of validity of at least one year and reside in France for at least 1 year.

If you have a residence certificate of 1 year mention "scientist", your family can join you without going through the family reunification process if you entered France on a visa.

If you are a foreigner polygamous residing in France with a 1re wife, you can't apply for family reunification to bring your 2e wife.

Conditions of resources

You must have sufficient and stable resources equal to or greater than Smic: titleContent.

Your resources can come from income from paid or self-employed work, from wealth management, retirement pensions, etc.

Your spouse's resources are also taken into account, provided he or she receives income that will continue to be paid to him or her when he or she leaves his or her country.

Family benefits are excluded from your couple's resources (family or housing allowances, family supplement, back-to-school allowance for example).

Housing conditions

You must benefit (or justify that you benefit on the date of your family's arrival in France) from accommodation considered normal for a comparable family living in the same geographical region.

The accommodation must satisfy certain health and safety conditions.

Depending on the geographical area in which the dwelling is situated, it must have a total living space of at least:

  • Areas A bis and A: 22 m² for a couple without children or 2 people. You must add 10 m² for each additional person up to 8 people in total and 5 m² for each additional person over 8 people.
  • Areas B1 and B2: 24 m² for a couple without children or 2 people. You must add 10 m² for each additional person up to 8 people in total and 5 m² for each additional person over 8 people.
  • Area C: 28 m² for a couple without children or 2 people. You must add 10 m² for each additional person up to 8 people in total and 5 m² for each additional person over 8 people.

A simulator lets you know the area you depend on:

Know the area of his commune: A, Abis, B1, B2 or C

Condition of respect for the essential principles of family life in France

You must comply with the essential principles governing family life in France.

Your family must reside abroad. However, your family already present in France may exceptionally benefit an on-the-spot grouping.

Your spouse or children may be excluded from family reunification if their presence in France constitutes a threat to public order.

The family reunification procedure collectively concerns:

  • Your spouse of age (at least 18 years old) legally married to you
  • Your minor children (under 18 years)

Children may be

  • From your couple, provided that they have a legally established filiation or are adopted by virtue of a judicial decision
  • From your previous union or from a previous union of your spouse in the following cases:
    • Other parent has died or lost parental rights
    • Parental authority exercised by one or other of the parents by virtue of a decision of a foreign court

The age of your spouse and children is considered on the date of your application for family reunification.

As a general rule, partial family reunification is not allowed, meaning that all your family members must arrive together in France. However, a request for partial family reunification may be exceptionally authorized in the interests of children.

You must make such a request by a reasoned letter at the time of filing your file. Reasons that can be accepted include the child's education, health or housing too small to accommodate all members of your family.

A child taken in by kafala in Algeria may benefit from family reunification in consideration of the best interests of the child.

The family reunification procedure does not apply to your ascendants. They may eventually come to live in France under the visitor status if they have sufficient resources.

The age of your spouse and children is considered on the date of your application for family reunification.

To see the list of documents for your family reunification file, you can use a simulator:

Knowing the list of documents for a family reunification case

You must complete a cerfa form:

Application for family reunification

The applicant must send his file (completed form and documents to be provided) by mail to the territorial directorate of theOfii: titleContent competent. Registered delivery with acknowledgement of receipt is recommended.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

You must attach to your application a copy of the supporting documents corresponding to your situation.

The documents to be attached are:

Residence permit

  • Photocopy of your residence permit (front/back) valid:
    • Certificate of residence of 1 year or 10 years

    • Certificate of application for renewal of residence permit
  • If you apply for family reunification for the benefit of your spouse who resides in France: residence permit of your spouse
  • If you are applying for family reunification for your spouse residing in a country other than his or her country of origin: your spouse's residence permit issued by the country of residence

Civil status documents

  • Full copy of marriage certificate with marginal mentions (with supplementary judgment if mentioned in the act)
  • Full copy of your birth certificate with marginal mentions (+ additional judgment if mentioned in the birth certificate)
  • Full copy of your beneficiary spouse's birth certificate with marginal notes (+ additional judgment if mentioned in the certificate)
  • Full copy of the birth certificate of each of your children and/or your spouse with marginal notes. This also applies to children already residing in the dwelling in France (+ additional judgment if mentioned in the act).

If you are a national of a country whose laws allow polygamy:

  • Divorce judgment(s) concerning you and/or your spouse (irrevocable or final judgment if divorce abroad)
  • Declaration on Honor certifying that family reunification will not create a situation of polygamy on French territory

If family reunification is requested for one or more children, depending on your situation:

  • Divorce judgment(s) concerning you and/or your spouse (irrevocable or final judgment if divorce abroad)
  • Judgment conferring parental authority (unless otherwise specified in the divorce judgment)
  • Judgment conferring custody of the children (unless otherwise specified in the divorce judgment)
  • Letter from the other parent authorizing the child to come to France (whose signature is authenticated in the form provided for by the legislation of the country of residence or by the competent French consulate)
  • Adoption judgment
  • Kafala Algerian judicial system
  • Death certificate of your spouse, first spouse or other relative
  • Judicial decision to withdraw parental authority of the other parent
  • Declaration of abandonment of the child by the other parent, disappearance or absence of the other parent in court
  • Family booklet
  • Certificate from your spouse authorizing the residence of the beneficiary child in the home
  • Movement document for minor foreigners (DCEM) and/or school certificate for children present in France

Warning  

Documents must be accompanied by a translation into French prepared by a certified translator or certified by a French consular or diplomatic authority.

Letter of explanation for family reunification 

If family reunification is not requested for your whole family, you must justify your request in the interests of the child(ren).

Proof of resources (to be submitted for the last 12 months)

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You're a salaried employee

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Employment contract or employment certificate of the employer under 3 months duly signed and stamped by the company (for temporary work assignments: provide only the employment certificate of the employer)
  • Work certificate (if more than one employer: produce the certificates for each)
  • Salary slips (for temporary assignments: provide only the employer's employment certificate)
  • If you are a construction worker: proof of payment of paid leave by the Construction Paid Leave Fund
  • Proof of payment of daily social security benefits in the event of sickness, maternity leave, parental leave or an accident at work

You're a merchant

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Extract of less than 3 months of registration in the National Register of companies (RNE)
  • Last balance sheet of accounting activity and profit and loss account for the financial year or statement of income drawn up by the tax department

You're a craftsman

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Extract of less than 3 months of registration in the National Register of companies (RNE)
  • Last balance sheet of accounting activity and profit and loss account for the financial year or statement of income drawn up by the tax department

You are a professional

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Extract of less than 3 months of registration in the National Register of companies (RNE)
  • Last balance sheet of accounting activity and profit and loss account for the financial year or statement of income drawn up by the tax department

You're self-employed

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Extract of less than 3 months of registration in the National Register of companies (RNE)
  • Revenue Book, Purchase Register and Income Tax Certificate

You're a job seeker

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Status report summarizing entitlements and compensation payments by Pôle emploi

You are retired or disabled

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Decision to award an old-age or invalidity pension drawn up by the paying agency and supplementary pensions
  • Notice of payment by the paying agency or certificate of payment (specifying the title of each pension)

You receive the Disabled Adult Allowance (DHA) or the Disability Supplementary Allowance (DHA)

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Allocation decision
  • Last payment certificate of the paying agency

Other situations

  • Last tax notice (or non-tax notice) or, if not, the previous year's tax notice or last tax return filed with tax services
  • Bank certificate and statements of account proving the origin of the income and its periodicity
  • Maintenance paid or received pursuant to a court decision
  • If you live in a couple: proof of resources from your spouse, partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent or common-law partner or common-law partner

Proof of accommodation

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You're a tenant

  • Proof of residence of less than 3 months (last electricity, gas, water or fixed telephone bill) or proof of home insurance (if recent entry into the dwelling)
  • Lease
  • Last rent receipt

You're a subtenant

  • Proof of residence of less than 3 months (last electricity, gas, water or fixed telephone bill) or proof of home insurance (if recent entry into the dwelling)
  • Sublease Commitment
  • Justification that this sublease is authorized by a lease for you and your family

You own it

  • Proof of residence of less than 3 months (last electricity, gas, landline, water bill) or proof of home insurance (if recent entry into the dwelling)
  • Deed of ownership or notarial certificate

You are hosted for free

  • Proof of residence of less than 3 months (last electricity, gas, water or fixed telephone bill) or proof of home insurance (if recent entry into the dwelling)
  • Title of ownership in the name of the host
  • Proof of domicile issued by the host granting you and your future family accommodation and specifying the duration of the authorized accommodation
  • If the accommodation is made available by the company: attestation from the employer granting you and your future family accommodation, and specifying the length of the accommodation permitted
  • Proof of the host's identity (copy on the front/back of the valid residence permit or French national identity card)

Other

  • Proof of residence of less than 3 months (last electricity, gas, water or fixed telephone bill) or proof of home insurance (if recent entry into the dwelling)
  • Promise to rent a home
  • Proof of future acquisition of a dwelling
  • Proof of availability of accommodation for family reunification (cerfa 11437), if you do not yet benefit from the accommodation provided for your family

Proof of the provision of accommodation in the framework of family reunification

Checking the file

You must send your application for family reunification (completed form and attached documents), by mail (registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt) to theOfii: titleContent.

Ofii's checking your file.

If the file is complete, you will receive by mail a certificate of deposit specifying the date of deposit. The prefect of the department of residence is informed by the Ofii.

If the file is incomplete, it is returned to you by Ofii to complete it.

Study of the demand

Ofii confides, in a 1er time, the instruction of your file to the mayor of the commune of your home (or to the mayor of the commune where you plan to settle).

The mayor checks whether the conditions of resources and housing are fulfilled. Specially authorized agents can visit your home to verify that it meets the minimum comfort and habitability requirements.

If you do not already have the accommodation at the time of your request, the verification is carried out in the light of the information provided in the cerfa form n°11437:

Proof of the provision of accommodation in the framework of family reunification

You and the owner or seller of the unit must include the following information:

  • Availability Date
  • Area
  • Set of housing characteristics

The mayor can also check, at the request of the prefect, that you meet the conditions of legal stay and respect for the essential principles of family life in France.

The mayor must give his opinion on all these conditions, within 2 months of receiving your file or the request of the prefect. If no reply is received within this period, the opinion of the Mayor shall be considered favorable.

The mayor then forwards your file with his justified opinion on the conditions of resources and housing to the relevant Ofii territorial delegation. The latter completes, if necessary, the investigation and sends the file to the prefect for decision.

Decision of the Prefect

It is the prefect of the department of your residence (in Paris, the police prefect) who accepts or refuses your request for family reunification.

His decision must be yours notified within 6 months of the submission of your complete file to Ofii. In the event of a refusal, the decision must be substantiated.

The decision is then communicated to the FOI, which must immediately forward it to the mayor and consulate of France of your family’s residence abroad.

If the prefect has not replied within 6 months, your request is refused (implicit refusal).

You can challenge the decision by filing a administrative appeal before the prefect and/or the interior minister.

You can also file, within certain deadlines, a litigation before the administrative court with territorial jurisdiction.

Visa application

From the issue of the certificate of depositHowever, you must send this document and the civil status documents to your family abroad.

Your spouse must then apply for long-stay visa at the French consulate in Algeria.

Warning  

Your family must enter France within 3 months of the issue of the visa (travel expenses are paid by your family).

Medical visit

Your family goes for a medical check-up once they arrive in France.

The medical certificate issued by Ofii at the end of the visit is essential to be able to obtain a residence permit.

Residence permit

Your family members who settle in France are given a certificate of residence. It is valid for the same period as yours and is marked "private and family life".

The application for a residence certificate must be made on the Internet:

Apply online for a residence permit, a change of situation, a travel document, an application for naturalization

Inquire about tax stamp

The 1re The issuance of a 1-year or 10-year Algerian Residence Certificate (CRA) is free of charge.

For a 1-year CRA renewal, or for a duplicate request, you must pay €225 (stamp duty of €25 and €200) by tax stamps.

The renewal of a 10-year CRA is free of charge. For a duplicate request, you must pay €25

If you entered without a long-stay visa, you must pay extra €200 of the right to an adjustment visa by tax stamps (of which €50 to be paid upon submission of the application and non-refundable in the event of refusal to issue the certificate).

You will need to provide proof of payment when you hand over the card.

You can buy the tax stamp on the internet or at a tobacco office.

On the Internet

You can buy your tax stamp using an online service:

Online Tax Stamp Purchase - foreigner Title

Payment is possible with the following bank cards:

  • Blue Card (CB) and e-Blue Card
  • Endorsement
  • Mastercard

However, payment by Paypal or American Express card is not accepted.

The electronic stamp can be issued on 2 media:

  • PDF document with a 2D code that can also be scanned directly from a phone or tablet by the service responsible for receiving your request
  • SMS containing the 16-digit stamp identifier that will be accepted by the agent in charge of processing your file

Request a refund of a tax stamp

In a tobacco office

You can buy a tax stamp from a tobacco office, if the store is equipped to edit them.

Warning  

do not buy a fine stamp by mistake.

Integrating your family

Your spouse and your children over the age of 16 who are eligible for family reunification must sign a republican integration contract.

Check if you can benefit from family reunification

Knowing the list of documents for a family reunification case

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • To obtain information about your residence permit 

    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
      • Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
      • Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
      • Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15

    Request a call

  • For information on family reunification

    French Office for Immigration and Integration (Ofii)

FAQ