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Declaration of birth

Verified 20 September 2021 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

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

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The 7 essential steps at birth
Illustration - The 7 essential steps at birth - plus de détails dans le texte suivant l’infographie

The 7 essential steps at birth

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The 7 essential steps at birth - plus de détails dans le texte suivant l’infographie
Crédits: Service Public (DILA)Infographie - The 7 essential steps at 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 (11 days to be taken within 4 months if it occurred before July 1, 2021). 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: Nothing

In France

The birth declaration is mandatory for any child born in France. If it is not done within a certain period of time, regularization through the courts is necessary. Criminal sanctions are available.

General case

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

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

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

In Guyana

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

The deadline is increased to 8 days for the following municipalities: Apatou, Awala-Yalimapo, Camopi, Grand Santi, d'Iracoubo, Mana, Maripasoula, Ouanary, Papaïchton, Régina, Saint-Elie, Saint-Georges, Saint-Laurent du Maroni, Saul, Sinnamary.

The day of delivery shall not be counted in the time limit for the declaration of birth. Where the last day of the period is a Saturday, Sunday, public holiday or non-working day, that period shall be extended to 1erworking day next.

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.

FYI  

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

Who shall I contact

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General case

  • 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) of less than 3 months if the child has not yet been recognized
  • Parent IDs
  • Family booklet to register the child, if the parents already have a booklet

Birth of a child in a female couple

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

If the birth declaration is not made within the prescribed time limits, the registrar cannot regularize the situation himself. A judicial declaration of birth is required.

Regularization before the judge

You have to go to a lawyer to get a birth certificate.

Who shall I contact

Civil and criminal penalties

A person required to make a declaration of birth who fails to act within the required time limits shall incur civil liability in respect of that child (damages for loss caused by non-declaration).

She also faces a prison sentence of 6 months and a fine of €3,750.

Abroad

Deadline

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

Inquiries should be made with the foreign authorities of the place of birth to find out the time limits and methods of declaration.

Approach

When birth registration with foreign authorities is mandatory, the birth must be registered with the local registrar.

Transcript of local birth certificate

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General case

In countries where registration with the local registrar is mandatory, parents must then request the transcript of the local birth certificate from the registrar at the embassy or consulate.

Who shall I contact

Registration of birth by the French consular authorities is not mandatory, but it is essential to obtain a French birth certificate.

The application must be accompanied by the following supporting documents:

  • Copy of the foreigners birth certificate (and its translation)
  • 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

The embassy or consulate may request additional documents depending on the context.

Please note

in case of birth of a child in a female couple, it is also necessary to present the anticipated joint recognition established before a notary.

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

The list of supporting documents shall be requested from the competent French Consulate-General in the country concerned.

Who shall I contact

Registration of birth by the French authorities is not mandatory, but it is essential to obtain a French birth certificate.

Transcription requests should only be sent by post to the following address:

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.

Registration of birth by the French authorities is not mandatory, but it is essential to obtain a French birth certificate.

Transcription requests should only be sent by post to the following address:

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

Approach

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

You can opt for the declaration to the civil registration authorities of the country of residence, even in countries where this is not mandatory.

But birth registration by the French authorities is essential to obtain a French birth certificate.

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

Who shall I contact

FYI  

in the case of birth at sea on a french ship, there is no procedure to be done. The document is drawn up on board by the commander, captain, master or boss. The document is entered after the logbook and then transcribed to the central civil registration office of Nantes.

Deadline

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.

Documents to be supplied

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General case

  • 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) of less than 3 months if the child has not yet been recognized
  • Parent IDs
  • Family booklet to register the child, if the parents already have a booklet

Birth of a child in a female couple

  • Certificate medical delivery date (usually certified by the doctor or midwife)
  • Early joint recognition established before a notary
  • 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) of less than 3 months if the child has not yet been recognized
  • Parent IDs
  • Family booklet to register the child, if the parents 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

FAQ

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