Marriage in France - You are single or divorced or widowed

Verified 08 juin 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

Your situation

  • You're single or divorced
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Two people, of different or same sex , must meet certain conditions to get married.

Age

You must be of age to marry, i.e. at least 18 years of age.

If you are a minor, you may exceptionally be allowed to marry.

You must have the following permissions:

  • Age exemption granted by the public prosecutor for serious reasons
  • At least one of your parents agreed

Unrelated

The marriage is forbidden when a very close link exists.

Consent

Each of you 2 must give his free and informed consent at the wedding.

The wedding is celebrated in a commune with which at least one of you 2 has a lasting bond.

The link can be with one of the following municipalities:

  • That of the domicile or the residence from one of you two
  • That of the home or residence of a parent of one of you 2

The registrar ensure that at least one of the persons concerned has lasting links with the municipality.

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Municipality of the home

The wedding can be celebrated in the commune where one of you 2 has domicile.

Municipality of residence

The wedding can be celebrated in the commune where one of you 2 has his residence.

This residence may be a primary or secondary residence.

Residence must be established by at least 1 month of continuous housing on the date of publication of the reports.

Common of a parent

The wedding can be celebrated in one of the following municipalities:

  • Municipality of the home of one of the parents (father or mother) of one of you 2
  • Municipality of the main residence of one of your parents
  • Municipality of the secondary residence of one of your parents

Other situation

If you are all 2 foreigners and you do not live in France, know that the marriage in France of a foreigners couple is only possible in the following locations:

  • Consulate of your country of origin
  • Municipality of overseas collectivity (Com) or New Caledonia

Documents to be provided by the future spouses

Check which documents you need to provide to build your marriage record.

For this, you must use the simulator next:

Review documents to be provided

Indeed, each of you 2 shall provide the following documents:

  • ID valid (original and photocopy). Depending on your situation, this may be an identity card, passport, driving license, resident card, residence card or any other document with a photograph issued by a public authority
  • Proof of domicile or residence (water, electricity or gas bill, tax notice, proof of property tax, attestation from the person hosting you, etc.)

You don't have to provide informationbirth certificate if your marriage municipality can access your civil status data directly from your birth municipality.

Depending on your situation, you must provide additional documents :

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You or your future husband are a foreigner

The City Hall may ask you to provide documents specific to your nationality.

These documents are as follows:

  • Certificate of custom
  • Certificate of celibacy (or marital capacity)

The certificate of custom is usually provided by your embassy or consulate. It shall specify the following:

  • Foreign rules applicable to marriage
  • Document proving your marital status
  • A document that proves you are not already married

If your country of origin does not issue a certificate of custom, you must provide a certificate from the competent authorities of the foreigner country specifying this. You must also provide a certificate issued by a lawyer or a lawyer specifying the rules applicable to marriage in your country of origin.

If this is not possible, you must provide an attestation on the honor indicating that you are an adult, unmarried and legally capable.

Certificate of celibacy (or marital capacity) is asked when your country cannot provide you with up-to-date documents. It is usually provided by your embassy or consulate. He proves you're not already married.

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

You can inquire at the city hall and the consulate.

Who shall I contact

Please note

If you cannot provide the necessary information, the registrar must inform you that your marriage may not be recognized in your country of origin.

You're signing a marriage contract

If a marriage contract is concluded, you must provide the notary's certificate.

Who shall I contact

You or your future husband are divorced

You must provide additional parts, such as the divorce decree.

If the judgment was given abroad, you must attach your translation by a sworn translator.

You or your future spouse are widowed

You need to provide additional parts, for example, the death certificate or the birth certificate of the deceased spouse.

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

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

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

You or your future spouse are subject to a legal protection measure (guardianship, guardianship, safeguarding of justice, family entitlement)

If you or your future spouse are the subject of a legal protection measure (guardianship, trusteeship, safeguard of justice or family entitlement), you must, before marriage, inform the person in charge of the protection measure (e.g. your guardian if you are a guardian or your curator if you are a guardian).

You must provide proof of this information.

FYI  

No authorization from the judge or the person in charge of the protection measure is necessary to marry you.

Neither you nor your future spouse are residents of your marriage commune

Your marriage can be celebrated in the commune of the home or residence (main or secondary) of a parent of one of you 2.

You must provide proof of this residence (water, electricity or gas bill, tax notice, property tax proof, etc.).

Documents to be provided by witnesses

For each of your witnesses, you must provide the following information:

  • Name
  • First Name
  • Date and place of birth
  • Occupation
  • Home
  • Copy of identity document

You must submit the file to the municipality of the municipality chosen for the ceremony.

Check with the city hall if you need to make an appointment.

Who shall I contact

The registrar auditions you two together.

If he considers it necessary, he may also ask for individual interviews with both.

This hearing is mandatory. But it does not occur in the following cases:

  • Not possible (for example, due to illness)
  • The registrar does not consider it necessary

The officer may request the presence of a translator or interpreter (at your expense if paid) if you or your future spouse are in any of the following situations:

  • Deaf, dumb
  • Does not understand French

If you or your future spouse resides abroad, the hearing can be conducted by the competent diplomatic or consular authority.

Before and after the hearing, the city hall cannot refuse a marriage file.

But she can ask the public prosecutor prohibit the solemnization of the desired marriage (for example, in the case of suspicion of a white marriage).

The announcement of the marriage is made by the publication of the bans.

These are notices posted by the registrar at the door of the town hall.

They shall contain the following information:

  • Given names, surname, occupation, domicile or residence of each of you 2
  • Place where the wedding is to be celebrated

They are displayed for 10 days at the gate of the following town halls:

  • Mayor of the wedding
  • Town hall where you or your future spouse have your home

Please note

You can request a publication waiver from the public prosecutor in the case of serious grounds.

Marriage cannot be celebrated until the 10the the day following the publication of the reports.

Example :

If the bans are published on June 4, 2023, the wedding can be celebrated from June 14, 2023.

The day of the celebration of the marriage is fixed in agreement with the mayor and the future spouses, provided that the marriage file is complete and up to date.

The marriage must be celebrated within one year of the expiration of the 10-day period.

FYI  

It is forbidden to celebrate a religious marriage before civil marriage.

Location

The wedding is to be celebrated in the town hall, in a room open to the public.

The mayor may celebrate the marriage in any communal building (e.g. a party room), provided that the building is located in the territory of the commune. But the public prosecutor may object to it.

In case ofserious impediment of you or of your future spouse, the registrar may, at the request of the public prosecutor, travel to one of the following places:

  • Your home or residence
  • A hospital or health care facility

He can move without this request in case of life-threatening risk.

Marriage can also be celebrated in a penal institution.

Process

The celebration must be made by the mayor or a deputy, in the presence of you 2 and your witnesses.

During the celebration, each of you 2 confirms his commitment to respect the obligations of marriage.

A translator-interpreter may be present.

One family record book is delivered to you.

In the days that follow, you can ask the city hall for a extract or a full copy of the marriage certificate.

Please note

if you and your future spouse had children before your marriage and already have a family record, this booklet will be updated with the marriage certificate.

Once married, you can use the name of your spouse or partner as your last name.

Review documents to be provided

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