France is surrounded by a halo of romance. Sunny beaches, European standard of living and cities that are centers of art and culture attract and open up a lot of opportunities for development. It is not surprising that so many people dream of finding their soul mate here to start life from scratch. But an official marriage in France is a serious event that requires careful preparation.

Features of the marriage procedure in France

In France, only a marriage union registered with the mayor's office between persons who have reached the age of majority is considered official. A church wedding can be a beautiful addition to the state registration of marriage or even a separate solemn event, but cannot replace it.

Same-sex marriages are allowed in the country, including with foreigners, with the exception of citizens of eleven countries that have signed a special bilateral agreement with France: Algeria, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Cambodia, Laos, Serbia, Morocco, Poland, Montenegro, Slovenia.

Obtaining permission from the mayor's office

Any French marriage begins with the visit of the bride and groom to the mayor's office at the place of their actual residence. In this case, a prerequisite is residence in the selected district for at least 40 days before the date of marriage. If the bride and groom lived in different districts, they can choose any of them at their discretion.

The second option is to submit documents to the city hall at the place of permanent residence of one of the parents of the future spouses.

During a visit to the city hall, the bride and groom must:

• choose the date when the marriage will be concluded in France (not earlier than 10 days from the date of filing the application);
• submit an official application;
• receive a brochure with a list of documents that must be provided to the employees of the mayor's office;
• sign a document in which they confirm that none of them has legal obstacles to marriage.

A package of mandatory documents

Future spouses will need the following documents to register their marriage in France:

• Identity card (national and).
• Аacte de taissance (birth certificate) issued in France no later than 3 months before the wedding and no later than 6 months - abroad. For papers issued in another state, an apostille will be required.
• Documentary confirmation of the place of residence, for example, or Сertificat de domicile - a certificate of registration from the house management.
• Certificat de coutume - a certificate from the embassy confirming the current civil status. Previously married / married must provide a document on divorce or on the death of a spouse.
• Citizenship confirmation.
• Livret de famille - a family book if a joint child was born before marriage and on French territory.
• Information about the future newlyweds (confirmation of the truth of the relationship), provided by at least 4 witnesses.

In addition, the mayor's office will ask for a Casier judiciaire - a foreign citizen, and information about the people who will certify the marriage.

It should be borne in mind that in a number of municipalities only those translations of documents that were made in France are accepted.

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How and where to apply for a civil status certificate

Even before the official marriage procedure in France, an engagement is held. It is held in the house of the bride's parents or in a restaurant. Appointed at least one year before the expected date of marriage. May be terminated.

This implies an announcement in the press about the spouses and the chosen date, the preparation of a marriage contract.

Registration of marriage in the city hall

As a rule, registration is a modest and strictly regulated procedure. Only the closest family members and friends are invited to it.

The ceremony is held by the deputy mayor or an authorized employee: the articles of the French Family Code are read out, the consent of the bride and groom to marry is confirmed, the newlyweds and two witnesses are signed in official documents.

Upon completion, the newlyweds are issued a family book confirming the fact of marriage. The duration of the entire procedure is about 30 minutes. It is not mandatory for the bride to change her surname, but the husband's surname is usually added to the maiden name.

About which of the guests is invited to the official registration of marriage at the city hall, it is reported in the invitation to the wedding.

Wedding ceremony in the church

A wedding in a church is not mandatory, but a very beautiful ceremony. To make the ceremony possible, it is necessary to provide a specific package of documents:

• copies of identity cards;
• birth certificates / extracts from them, not more than six months old;
• baptismal certificates;
• a written statement about the desire to get married.

Foreign citizens are required to provide documents with a translation into French and an apostille.

Before the wedding, the newlyweds attend several lectures on religious topics. During the ceremony, the presence of two or more witnesses from the side of the bride and groom is obligatory.

The first to arrive at the church is the groom, accompanied by his mother. He is waiting for the bride at the altar, where her father accompanies her. On average, the ceremony lasts about an hour.

It should be noted that the wedding ceremony is possible only after the registration of marriage in the city hall.

Solemn wedding banquet

As a rule, the organization of a banquet is entrusted to professionals in a restaurant.

All dishes are served in a strict sequence: aperitif, cold appetizers, hot dishes, fruit and cheese. The apotheosis is the removal of the wedding cake.

After the banquet, the beginning of the dance evening is announced, which usually opens with the bride's waltz with her father.

France Spouse Visa

After marriage with a French citizen, a foreigner is entitled to a spouse visa. This is a type of long-term residence permit category D. It allows you to stay in the country for 12 months. The main condition for obtaining such a visa is the successful passing of two exams: for knowledge of the French language and traditions.

Keep in mind that a spouse visa is not the same as a fiancé (or fiancé) visa. The first is issued after marriage, the second - even before marriage, with the aim of staying in the country for its registration, but after submitting an application to the mayor's office.

To apply at the city hall, a standard category C tourist visa for a foreign citizen is requested.

If the spouse's visa expires, you will have to leave the country. Current requirements and a package of documents for different types of visas can be clarified by visiting the website of the French consular service in your country. In Russia, all information is available at the link.

Is it possible to get French citizenship by marriage?

You can apply for citizenship only two years after the official civil marriage was concluded in France at the city hall. At the same time, it is necessary to continuously stay in the country for two years. In addition, the consent of the spouse who is a French citizen is required.

Another prerequisite: the successful passing of tests for knowledge of the language and national French values. If you passed these tests when applying for a visa, they will still need to be retaken.

The mandatory package of documents for applying for French citizenship includes documents on the place of actual residence and registration, employment and open bank accounts.

The term for consideration of the application is up to 1.5 years. During this time, the spouses will also be checked for the fictitiousness of the union concluded between them.

All options for applying for citizenship are described in the article ““.

Divorce procedure in France

There are several types of divorce proceedings in France:

1. By mutual agreement of the parties without division of property. The fastest and easiest way to divorce. However, in this case, it is necessary that the spouses agree in advance not only on the division of property, but also on the procedure for raising / place of residence of joint minor children, if any.
2. Divorce at the initiative of both parties with the division of property / determination of the procedure for raising or the place of residence of joint minor children, alimony. Disputes are decided by the court.
3. Divorce due to the fault of one of the spouses. In this case, proof of behavior incompatible with the continuation of marital relations is required: infidelity, domestic violence, alcoholism and other reasons.
4. Divorce due to separation of spouses. The court takes into account evidence of separation of spouses for a period of 2 years.

Prices for the services of a lawyer in divorce proceedings start from 200-300 euros per hour of work in court.

Where to apply for a divorce and what documents are needed for this

To apply for a divorce in France, you must contact a lawyer, after which the petition will be submitted to the country's Supreme Court.

The list of required documents includes:

• application of the established form;
• passport (foreign and French citizen);
• permission to stay in the country (long-term visa category D);
• family book (livret de famille);
• agreement on the division of property, if any;
• marriage contract, if signed;
• information about the income and property of both spouses;
• documents for common children.

Is it possible to stay in France after a divorce?

A foreign citizen can stay in France after a divorce only if he has been married for more than 5 years and managed to apply for citizenship. Otherwise, he must leave the country.

The only way to avoid this is to enter into a long-term contract with a French employer or to own a home in the country.

Fictitious marriage in France

Family law in France recognizes unions that are not based on the real desire of people to be spouses, as well as unions concluded with coercion by one of the parties, as "simulated" or fictitious marriages.

The grounds for recognizing a marriage as fictitious may be:

• closeness of family relations;
• lack of common property;
• separate living;
• ignorance of spouses about each other's personal life and preferences;
• testimony of neighbors;
• information from immigration officials.

If a fictitious marriage has been proven, the union is declared invalid. The spouse, who is a foreign citizen, will be forced to leave the country, as his visa will be cancelled.

Summarizing

Creating a family with a French citizen is a complex procedure that includes several stages.

It all starts with the collection of documents, a tourist visa and a visit to the city hall. After that, a special visa for the bride / groom is issued, and after all the ceremonies - a visa for the spouse / wife.

The official confirmation of the union is a family book - a marriage certificate in France.

The celebration itself consists of a civil ceremony at City Hall, a wedding and a banquet. At the same time, the wedding is possible only after the official signing of the documents at the mayor's office and the receipt of the family book. In addition, future spouses must submit a specific package of documents to the church and go through conversations and classes with a priest.

Official registration of marriage in France for citizens of the Russian Federation and other states may be the basis for obtaining French citizenship under a simplified scheme.

Types of marriages in France. Marriage in France. wedding in France. PAX in France // Oxana MS: Video

For the French, getting married is a serious and thoughtful decision. As a rule, the French marry after 30 years, the average age of marriage for women is 32 years, for men 35 years. In Russia, for comparison, the average age of marriage for women is 24 years, for men 27 years.

Usually, before the wedding, the couple has already lived together for several years and sometimes even have a baby and only then decide to get married. A wedding usually consists of registration at the city hall and a wedding ceremony. If the wedding is an optional procedure, then registration with the city hall is mandatory.

In France, as in all of Europe, it is customary to conclude marriage contracts, which spell out the details of the division of property in the event of a divorce.

This is also due to the fact that divorce in France is a very long and costly process, and a marriage contract greatly simplifies this process.

Divorces are, unfortunately, still fairly common in France. But the marriage contract is not binding. If the contract is not concluded, then in the event of a divorce, the jointly acquired property is divided between the spouses in half.

Preparation for marriage begins with a trip to the mayor's office at the place of residence of the bride or groom and filing an application for marriage. In the mayor's office, future spouses are given a list of documents required for marriage.

Usually on this day you can choose the date of the wedding.

The most popular months for a wedding are May, June and September, so it is better to book a date for these months in advance.

Requirements for the bride and groom

To marry in France, future spouses must meet certain requirements.

1. The legal age for marriage is 18 for men and 15 for women. Age can be reduced in case of pregnancy (you need to provide a certificate of pregnancy);
2. The bride and groom do not have to be close relatives;
3. For women who are not getting married for the first time, at least 300 days must have passed since the divorce, or a certificate of absence of pregnancy must be provided.

List of required documents

To register a marriage between a Russian citizen and a French citizen, a certain package of documents is required:

Documents from the future spouse - a citizen of France:

1. A copy or extract from the birth certificate, made no earlier than 3 months;
2. Certificate of divorce or death of the spouse, if the marriage is not the first.
3. Identification;
4. A document confirming the place of residence;
5. Some mayor's offices require a medical certificate.

Documents from the future spouse - a citizen of Russia:

1. Birth certificate with an apostille translated into French by a sworn translator. A list of sworn translators from Russian into French is issued by the mayor's office. The document must be made no earlier than 6 months before submission to the mayor's office;
2. Marriage and divorce certificate or spouse's death certificate if the marriage is not the first one. Documents must be translated into French and have an apostille;
3. Medical premarital certificate, if required;
4. Cértificat de coutume is a certificate of legal authority to marry. It can be obtained from the Russian Consulate in France;
5. Photocopy and translation of the passport;
6. Photos for paperwork;
7. If a citizen of Russia does not speak French well, a sworn translator is required at the ceremony.

How is the ceremony

Usually the main ceremony is considered to be a wedding, to which all guests are invited. Registration at the city hall takes place in the first half of the day and only close family members and friends are present.

Relatives and close friends are present at the registration at the City Hall

The invitation should indicate which of the guests is invited to the mayor's office, and which only to the church. Ransoms and similar traditions do not exist in France. All guests immediately go to the city hall. Very often, for a wedding in the city hall, the bride buys a special, more strict dress or suit, and leaves the traditional wedding dress for the ceremony in the church.

The ceremony is conducted by the deputy mayor of the city and other employees of the mayor's office. They read articles from the family code of France, the rights and obligations of future spouses in relation to each other. After the coveted “Yes”, uttered by both spouses, they begin to sign the documents.

When registering, the presence of two witnesses is required, who also sign the documents. The ceremony lasts about 30 minutes, at the end of which the so-called Family Book is issued, confirming the marriage.

When all the formalities are completed, the newlyweds go home to prepare for the wedding or gala dinner.

A wedding is celebrated magnificently in a restaurant or at home, it is also very popular to rent a small castle to celebrate such a solemn event.

According to the rules, guests themselves get to the place of celebration and pay for the hotel themselves if they want to stay overnight. The rest of the worries are taken over by the newlyweds or their parents.

The holiday program is chosen by young spouses and it completely depends on their taste and wishes, but good food and expensive French wines are a must.

After the celebration, the newlyweds go on their honeymoon.

Wedding in France – VIDEO

Watch in this video how they celebrate such a solemn event in France.

Package of documents:

• Russian civil passport with the bride's maiden name;
• passport for maiden name;
• a duplicate of the birth certificate, with an apostille (not later than 6 months);
• certificate of the right to enter into marriage, received at the French consulate in Russia;
• evidence that they were not married; both last documents are paid by bank card at the Russian Embassy in Paris or Marseille;
• divorce certificate;
• a certificate from the registry office on a previous marriage indicating information about a divorce, change of surname;
• a certificate of no criminal record that does not require an apostille;

certificate of residence from the house management, certifying the place of residence (without an apostille).

Apostille- this is a seal that legitimizes a document that is valid in countries that have signed the Hague Convention. Apostille gives the legality of documents.

Sequencing

1. Translations of documents made in Russia are not always valid for France, it is better to do them in the homeland of the chosen one in a specialized translation agency and notarize.

After receiving the documents for registration, the French mayor's office publishes the expected marriage in the media. Registration is completed 10 days after notification. The mayor's office sends a certificate of no protest to Russia.

Documents required for obtaining a fiancee visa at the French Consulate in Moscow

The future spouse must send you:

• announcement of the mayor's office about the forthcoming marriage registration;
• a photocopy of his passport;
• personal invitation;
• photocopy of income statement;

evidence of the man's existing functioning bank account.

Together with these documents, the following documents are submitted to the French Embassy in Moscow:

• completed visa application form;
• two photographs in the form;
• both passports with copies of the first page of the international passport and a copy of the first page and registration of the Russian passport;
• a copy of the purchased tickets;

medical insurance for 90 days.

Prior to marriage, the city hall conducts interviews with the bride and groom separately. The purpose of the conversation is to convince the specialist that both know each other well and do not pursue the goal of concluding a fictitious marriage. The answers must match.

Interview questions:

• name, surname of the groom;
• who and where he works;
• Date of Birth;
• home address;
• location near major cities;
• whether there is own housing available or only rented;
• when and where did you meet him;
• when and where did you meet for the first time;
• how many meetings were;
• do you know his parents, children, friends;
• whether he was previously married;
• whether there are children and what age;
• what do you plan to do in France;
• Do you want to have common children;
• what his interests coincide with yours;

How will you share household chores?

Attention! After registering in France, the Russian bride must immediately return to Russia to receive a one-year visa at the French embassy in Moscow. There you also need to pass an exam on knowledge of the basics of the French language.

When marrying, the surname of the husband is added to the maiden name in the passport through a hyphen. The double surname is used in all documents.

Long stay visa for the spouse of a French citizen

You must submit documents to the embassy in Moscow in person, arriving by appointment at the visa center, where documents confirming the acceptance of the dossier will be issued.

Important! If you are planning to move to France with a minor child from a previous marriage, documents for it are accepted at the French Embassy in Moscow in the presence of all applicants and the child. Appointment registration for +7 499 703 49 74 . All documentation is submitted in Russian. In addition to the passport, notarized translations into French are also provided.

You need to submit:

• OFII form;
• long-term visa applications;
• Photo;

foreign passports, civil passport (copies of all completed pages).

Marriage documents

• if the marriage took place in France, integral copy marriage certificate, issued no more than 2 months ago and a family book;
• if the marriage took place in another country, it will be required integral transcription copy marriage certificates from the French consulate, civil registry and family book;
• a document confirming the French citizenship of the spouse (national ID-card, biometric passport, etc.);

there is no consular fee.

When changing the surname of a woman before marriage, acts of civil status are provided - certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, name change, death of a spouse.

Long-stay visitor visa for minor children

Issued as an exception. As a general rule, family reunification must be requested after 18 months of residence in France. Registration for the submission of documents takes place by calling the visa center +7 499 703 49 74 . The presence of the child in person is mandatory, accompanied by one of the parents, at the French consulate in Russia. All documents in Russian and French, notarized.

Need to provide:

• long-term visa applications;
• 3 photos in the form;
• foreign passport (copies of all completed pages) + general passport;
• documents confirming the relationship with the child (birth certificate); if the real name of the mother does not match the one indicated in the birth certificate of the child, the relevant documents must be provided;
• family book, marriage certificate of the parent of the child with a French citizen or its transcription if the marriage was not in France;
• a document confirming the French citizenship of the spouse of the parent of the child (national ID-card, biometric passport, etc.);
• confirmation of solvency (certificates of wages for the last 3 months, tax return, bank statement;
• obligation to accept expenses for the child's stay in France (from the Russian parent and his spouse);
• living conditions in France - lease/property agreement + utility bills;
• notarized permission to leave the country for permanent residence in France from the second parent (issued no earlier than 3 months before the date of submission of the dossier; a copy of his general passport;
• for children over 6 years of age, an enrollment in an educational institution or a letter of commitment from the parents about the subsequent enrollment of the child in school;

consular fee - 99 Euro in ruble equivalent in cash.

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