Declaration of birth

Verified 20 October 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

You just had a child? The birth declaration is mandatory for any child born in France. It must be done by someone who attended the birth. It is used to establish the birth certificate. In the case of the birth of a French child abroad, the declaration must be made in accordance with specific formalities.

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Title: The 7 steps to be taken following a birth

1/ Civil status (mandatory)

Declare birth

· Within 5 days

· At the hospital, at the town hall

· Who does it? The father or another person

· Documents to be provided: Doctor's or midwife's certificate, parents' identity cards

2/ Social security

Ask for the child to be attached to the Vital card of one or two parents

· Upon discharge from maternity

· On the Ameli.fr website or by mail (to your primary health insurance fund)

· Who does it? Parents

· Documents to be provided: Birth certificate (full copy or extract with filiation), Form S3705 of Application for the attachment of minor children to one or both insured parents

3/ Cif

Declare birth

· From birth

· On the website Caf.fr. If no Cif account, sending by mail the change of situation form (available on cf.fr)

· Who does it? One of the two parents

· Documents to be provided: Nothing

If you are under the agricultural regime, the procedure is to be done with the MSA.

4/ Complementary health

Report birth

· From birth

· With the Mutual Society

· Who does it? Each parent if the mutuals are different

· Documents to be provided: Variable according to the mutual

5/ Birth leave

Request birth leave. It is a minimum of 3 days (except Sundays and public holidays). Those days are paid.

· On a date close to birth

· With the employer of the 2nd parent

· Who does it? The 2nd parent

· Documents to be provided: Copy of the child's birth certificate

6/ Paternity leave

Apply for paternity and foster leave.

· 25 calendar days to be taken in 1 or more times within 6 months of birth. Minimum of 4 days following birth leave.

· Apply 1 month before the date of delivery or 1 month before the start of the leave, depending on the date of departure

· With the employer of the second parent, and, for leave compensation, with Social Security

· Who does it? The 2nd parent

· Documents to be provided: For mail to Social Security: copy of the child's birth certificate (or family record) + document justifying the relationship with the mother (if leave is not requested by the father)

7/ Taxes

Report birth, to adjust the withholding tax rate to the number of dependants

· After birth (within 60 days)

· On the Impots.gouv.fr website

· Who does it? One parent or both, depending on the situation

· Documents to be provided: None

In France

Declaration of birth is compulsory within the time limit set by law. It enables the registrar to draw up the child's birth certificate.

General case

The declaration must be made within 5 days that follow the day of delivery.

The day of delivery shall not be counted in the time limit for the declaration of birth.

If the last reporting day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, holiday or non-working day, this period is extended to 1er working day next.

Example :

Your child is born on Monday, June 5, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Monday, June 12.

Your child is born on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Monday, June 12.

Your child is born on Friday, June 9, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Wednesday, June 14.

In Guyana

General case

The declaration must be made within 5 days that follow the day of delivery.

The day of delivery shall not be counted in the time limit for the declaration of birth.

If the last reporting day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, holiday or non-working day, this period is extended to 1er working day next.

Example :

Your child is born on Monday, June 5, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Monday, June 12.

Your child is born on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Monday, June 12.

Your child is born on Friday, June 9, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Wednesday, June 14.

In Apatou, Awala-Yalimapo, Camopi, Grand Santi, Iracoubo, Mana, Maripasoula, Ouanary, Papaïchton, Régina, Saint-Elie, Saint-Georges, Saint-Laurent du Maroni, Saul, Sinnamary

The declaration must be made within 8 days that follow the day of delivery.

The day of delivery shall not be counted in the time limit for the declaration of birth.

If the last reporting day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, holiday or non-working day, this period is extended to 1er working day next.

Example :

Your child is born on Monday, June 5, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Tuesday, June 13.

Your child is born on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Wednesday, June 14.

Your child is born on Friday, June 9, 2023. You must register his birth no later than Monday, June 19.

Birth is declared by one of the following:

  • Father
  • 2e mother in a couple of women
  • Doctor
  • Midwife
  • Other person who attended the delivery

The birth declaration is made at the town hall of the place of birth.

Birth certificate shall be drawn up immediately by a registrar.

In some public hospitals, a registrar maintains a shift within the maternity ward to register birth declarations.

Who shall I contact

Please note

Special rules apply when the birth occurred during a journey (e.g. by boat or plane).

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General case

  • Parent (or parent) IDs
  • Certificate medical delivery date (usually certified by the doctor or midwife)
  • Declaration of choice of name if the parents take this step
  • Act of recognition if it was established before birth
  • Proof of domicile (or residence) less than 3 months if the child has not yet been recognized
  • Family booklet to register the child, if the parents already have a booklet

FYI  

If you want to choose your child's last name, you must file a joint declaration of choice.

Birth of a child in a female couple

  • Maternal identification documents
  • Certificate medical delivery date (usually certified by the doctor or midwife)
  • Early joint recognition established notary
  • Declaration of choice of name if the mothers make that move
  • Family booklet to register the child, if the mothers already have a booklet

FYI  

If you want to choose your child's last name, you must file a joint declaration of choice.

If the birth declaration is not made within the prescribed time limits, a judicial declaration Birth is required.

The registrar cannot regularize the situation himself.

Regularization before the judge

You have to call a lawyer to get a birth declaration.

Who shall I contact

You have to go to the court.

The competent court is the court of the child's place of birth. If this location is unknown, the court of jurisdiction is your home.

Who shall I contact

The public prosecutor, informed by the registrar, may also request the birth declaration.

The declaratory judgment shall establish the birth and order the transcription on the registers of the municipality of birth.

Penalties incurred

If you do not file your birth declaration within the required time, you may be sentenced to imprisonment for 6 months and a fine of €3,750.

You also hire your civil liability with regard to the child (damages for injury caused by non-reporting).

Abroad

What is the deadline for registering a birth?

In many countries, local law requires foreigner nationals to register births with the local civil registrar.

You should inquire with the foreign authorities of the place of birth about the deadlines and methods of declaration

Also check the consequences if the deadline is exceeded.

What is the procedure for registering a birth?

When the declaration of birth before the foreign authorities is mandatory, you must declare the birth to the local registrar.

The documents you must provide are those required by the local authorities.

Please note

If you are a female couple, check if the local authorities request a early joint recognition.

How do I request the transcript of the local birth certificate?

Registration of birth by the French consular authorities is not mandatory.

However, it is essential to obtain a French birth certificate.

There is no time limit.

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General case

In countries where the declaration to the local registrar is mandatory, you can request the transcription of the local birth certificate by the registrar of the embassy or consulate.

Your application must be accompanied by the following supporting documents:

  • Copy of the foreigners birth certificate
  • Proof of French nationality (for at least one of the parents)
  • Family booklet (for update)
  • Copy of the act concerning the recognition signed by the French father for children born out of wedlock

If written in a foreign language, the birth certificate must be translated by a sworn translator.

Depending on the country concerned, it must also be legalized or apostilled.

The embassy or consulate may request additional documents.

Please note

If you are a female couple, you must provide the birth certificate or proof of the use of a MPA: titleContent.

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

The request for transcription and the list of documents to be provided comply with special rules.

You must ask for the list of supporting documents from the competent French Consulate General in the country concerned.

You must submit your transcription request only by post to:

Who shall I contact

  • Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)

    Civil status (birth, marriage or death) of a Frenchman abroad

     Only by mail to:

    Central Civil Registry Service

    11 White House Street

    44941 Nantes Cedex 09

    The service is not open to the public.

    You can apply for a civil status certificate through a online service.

    For more information, you can:

    • Go to diplomatie.gouv.fr
    • Call the+33 1 41 86 42 47 Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm
      Free access to video interpretation or instant speech transcription for the deaf or hard of hearing
    • Email courrier.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Poland, Switzerland

The request for transcription and the list of documents to be provided comply with special rules.

You must ask for the list of supporting documents from the competent French Consulate General in the country concerned.

Transcription requests should be sent only by post to:

Who shall I contact

  • Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)

    Civil status (birth, marriage or death) of a Frenchman abroad

     Only by mail to:

    Central Civil Registry Service

    11 White House Street

    44941 Nantes Cedex 09

    The service is not open to the public.

    You can apply for a civil status certificate through a online service.

    For more information, you can:

    • Go to diplomatie.gouv.fr
    • Call the+33 1 41 86 42 47 Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm
      Free access to video interpretation or instant speech transcription for the deaf or hard of hearing
    • Email courrier.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr

What is the deadline for registering a birth?

The declaration must be made within 15 days of childbirth.

The time limit shall be extended to 30 days in the following cases:

  • In Europe for Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
  • In any country outside Europe

Please note

the child recognition by the unmarried father may be made at the time of the declaration of birth.

What is the procedure for registering a birth?

The birth declaration is made to the agents of the French diplomatic or consular authorities.

Registration of birth by the French consular authorities is not mandatory. But it does, for example, provide for a French birth certificate.

You can opt for the declaration with the civil registration services of the country of residence.

FYI  

In the event of birth at sea on a French ship, the certificate is drawn up on board by the commander, captain, master or boss. The instrument is entered after the logbook. It is then transcribed to the Central Civil Registry Service of Nantes.

What documents are required to register a birth?

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General case

  • Parent IDs
  • Certificate medical delivery date (usually certified by the doctor or midwife)
  • Declaration of choice of name if the parents take this step
  • Act of recognition if it was established before birth
  • Proof of domicile (or residence) less than 3 months if the child has not yet been recognized
  • Family booklet to register the child, if the parents already have a booklet

Birth of a child in a female couple

  • Maternal identification documents
  • Certificate medical delivery date (usually certified by the doctor or midwife)
  • Early joint recognition established notary
  • Declaration of choice of name if the mothers make that move
  • Family booklet to register the child, if the mothers already have a booklet

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Town Hall

  • Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)

    Civil status (birth, marriage or death) of a Frenchman abroad

     Only by mail to:

    Central Civil Registry Service

    11 White House Street

    44941 Nantes Cedex 09

    The service is not open to the public.

    You can apply for a civil status certificate through a online service.

    For more information, you can:

    • Go to diplomatie.gouv.fr
    • Call the+33 1 41 86 42 47 Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm
      Free access to video interpretation or instant speech transcription for the deaf or hard of hearing
    • Email courrier.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr
  • Family Allowance Fund (Caf)

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