Marriage of a Frenchman abroad - With a foreigner

Verified 30 octobre 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

Your situation

  • You're getting married to a foreigner
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Marriage is celebrated by a local authorityaccording to the rules of the country concerned.

But the French authorities exercise control before and after the wedding, in particular to check that you are all 2 present at the ceremony.

Please note

in rare cases, your wedding can be celebrated in an embassy or consulate of France. The rules are then the same as for a marriage in France.

Depending on the country where you wish to marry, the marriage can be celebrated by one of the following authorities:

  • Vital status officer local
  • Consul foreigner
  • Religious authority

To check which authorities are responsible, contact the French Embassy or Consulate.

In many countries, the local authority will not be able to marry you to a person of the same sex.

You are future same-sex spouses and you reside in a country that does not allow your marriage.

If at least one of you 2 has French nationality, you can apply to be married by the French consular authorities.

If this is not possible, you can get married in one of the following municipalities:

  • French commune of your birth or last residence
  • French commune in which one of your parents has his home or residence

If no commune meets these criteria, you can marry in the French commune of your choice.

You must meet the same conditions as for a wedding in France.

Two steps are needed: the application for a certificate of capacity to marry and the mandatory publication of bananas.

Warning  

You must also check with the local foreign authority the conditions to be fulfilled for your marriage to be celebrated in this country.

Apply for a certificate of marriage capacity

As a Frenchman, you must apply for marriage certificate at the embassy or consulate of France where you are getting married.

You must provide the following:

  • Information sheet (delivered by the embassy or consulate) completed
  • Proof of French nationality
  • ID (with photo)
  • Entitlement of domicile or residence

Additional proof may be required depending on your situation.

You must also provide a copy of the birth certificate of each of you 2.

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Birth certificate issued in France

You were born in France

You must provide a birth certificate with indication of the parentage of less than 3 months.

You were born abroad

You must provide a birth certificate with an indication of the filiation of less than 3 months.

You must apply for your birth certificate from the Central Civil Registry Service.

You can use the following teleservice:

Application for birth certificate: full copy or extract (birth abroad) - Free service

You are a refugee or stateless person

If you are a refugee or stateless person, you must provide a birth certificate with an indication of the filiation of less than 3 months.

You must request the document from theOfpra: titleContent, who has issued the certificate that is your birth certificate.

You can use the following teleservice:

Refugee/stateless person: application to Ofpra for a copy or extract of a civil status document

Birth certificate issued abroad

You were born in a European Union country

You must provide a birth certificate with an indication of the filiation of Maximum 6 months.

No time limit shall be imposed if the birth certificate was issued in a country which does not provide for the updating of birth certificates. In this case, you must provide a certificate issued by your embassy or consulate (or other authorized authority of your country of origin) stating that this is not updated.

If the document is in a foreign language, you must have a sworn translator translate.

It is possible to provide multilingual birth certificate.

You were born in another country

You must provide a birth certificate with an indication of the filiation of Maximum 6 months.

No time limit shall be imposed if the birth certificate was issued in a country which does not provide for the updating of birth certificates.

In this case, you must provide a certificate issued by your embassy or consulate (or other authorized authority of your country of origin) stating that this is not updated.

If the document is in a foreign language, you must have a sworn translator translate.

It is possible to provide multilingual birth certificate.

Depending on the country of origin, one of the following formalities may also be necessary:

Nationals of certain countries are exempted from these additional formalities (e.g. Switzerland).

The diplomatic or consular officer proceed to your hearing municipality.

It may also hold separate hearings.

If necessary, the French Embassy (or Consulate) may entrust the hearing to one of the following authorities:

  • Registrar of your domicile or your residence in France
  • French Embassy or Consulate on which your domicile or your residence abroad in the absence of residence in France

Skip the 10-day period for publishing bans

Banking publication is required for 10 days (unless waived).

It is done in one of the following locations:

  • Embassy or consulate of France where your wedding is celebrated
  • Town Hall of your domicile or your residence if you have your home or residence in France
  • French Embassy or Consulate on which your domicile or your residence abroad in the absence of residence in France

The embassy (or consulate of France) will give you your marriage certificate if your marriage meets the requirements of French law, after publication of the reports.

The ceremony can only take place after the 10-day period has elapsed.

You must contact the Embassy (or Consulate of France) to obtain the following information:

In the case of a marriage performed by a foreign authority, the rules in each country are very varied.

Some rules may be unfavorable or restrictive.

You can also ask a notary.

Who shall I contact

For your marriage to be fully recognized in France, the marriage certificate must be recorded in the civil registration records of the embassy or consulate from France where you were married.

The transcription consists in recording in the French registers the indications contained in the marriage certificate drawn up by the foreign authority who married you.

Warning  

This transcript is not mandatory, but it is recommended.

In the absence of transcription, in France, your marriage takes effect only in the following situations:

  • Between you 2
  • To your children

Your marriage has no effect on third parties.

In France, you will not be able to benefit from certain rights.

Example :

Your husband will not be able to get residence permit.

You will not be able to take advantage of tax advantages granted to a married couple (for example, a common taxable income).

You have to request the transcript on the civil registration records of the French embassy or consulate where you are married.

The rule depends on country of celebration of your marriage.

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General case

You or your spouse must request the transcript.

The request for transcription is not subject to no time limit.

To obtain it, you must meet the following conditions :

  • Have completed the pre-marriage formalities at the embassy or consulate (certificate of marriage capacity)
  • To have been all 2 present at the time of the celebration
  • Have all 2 freely consented to the marriage

If you have not completed the pre-marriage formalities with the embassy or consulate, the transcript of your marriage must be preceded by your hearing by the diplomatic or consular authority.

Please note

This hearing may be a joint hearing or be the subject of individual interviews. The diplomatic or consular authority may waive this requirement.

You can download the following documents on the website of the consulate general of France responsible in the country concerned:

  • Transcript Request Form
  • List of documents to be provided

In all cases, you must provide a copy of your marriage certificate and one proof of your nationality French.

Request the transcript from the relevant French embassy or consulate, depending on where your wedding is celebrated.

If the French Embassy (or Consulate) finds that the conditions are not met, it can refer the case to the public prosecutor. The latter may object to the transcription within two months.

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

You or your spouse must request the transcript.

The request for transcription shall not be submitted to no time limit.

To obtain it, you must fill in the the following conditions:

  • Have completed the pre-marriage formalities at the embassy or consulate (certificate of marriage capacity)
  • To have been all 2 present at the time of the celebration
  • Have all 2 freely consented to the marriage

If you have not completed the pre-marriage formalities with the embassy or consulate, the transcript of your marriage must be preceded by your hearing by the diplomatic or consular authority.

Please note

This hearing may be a joint hearing or be the subject of individual interviews. The diplomatic or consular authority may waive this requirement.

The following documents can be downloaded from the website of the competent consulate in the country concerned:

  • Transcript Request Form
  • List of documents to be provided

In all cases, you must provide a copy of your marriage certificate and one proof of your nationality French.

You must submit your request, only by postal mail, to the Maghreb Transcription Office (BTM) of the Central Civil Registry Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Who shall I contact

  • Transcription Office for the Maghreb - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    By E-mail

    bta.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr

    By mail

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Central Civil Registry Service

    Office of Transcripts for the Maghreb (BTM)

    11 White House Street

    44941 Nantes Cedex 9

    By fax

    02 51 77 28 05

Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Poland, Switzerland

You or your spouse must request the transcript.

The request for transcription shall not be submitted to no time limit.

To obtain it, you must meet the following conditions:

  • Have completed the pre-marriage formalities at the embassy or consulate (certificate of marriage capacity)
  • To have been all 2 present at the time of the celebration
  • Have all 2 freely consented to the marriage

If you have not completed the pre-marriage formalities with the embassy or consulate, the transcript of your marriage must be preceded by your hearing by the diplomatic or consular authority.

Please note

This hearing may be a joint hearing or be the subject of individual interviews. The diplomatic or consular authority may waive this requirement.

The following documents can be downloaded from the website of the competent consulate in the country concerned:

  • Transcript Request Form
  • List of documents to be provided

In all cases, you must provide a copy of your marriage certificate and one proof of your nationality French.

You must submit your request, only by postal mail, to the Transcription Bureau for Europe (BTE) of the Central Civil Registry Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Who shall I contact

  • Transcription Office for Europe - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    By E-mail

    bte.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr

    By mail

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Central Civil Registry Service

    Transcripts Bureau for Europe (BTE)

    11 White House Street

    44941 Nantes Cedex 9

    By fax

    02 51 77 28 05

Transcription allows you to obtain a french family record book or to complete the booklet you already have.

Transcription also allows mention marriage on your birth certificate.

As a reminder, when the marriage certificate is the subject of a transcript, in France, it takes effect in the following situations:

  • Between you 2
  • To your children
  • Vis-à-vis third parties, for example administrations

You may have certain rights.

Example :

Your spouse can get a residence permit.

You can take advantage of the tax advantages granted to a married couple (for example, a common taxable income).

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