Legal Requirements for
Getting Married in France
The legal requirements for getting married in France are quite complex.
The following information is intended to be a starting point and guideline only.
Although much care and effort has been taken to ensure the information provided is correct please do not take it as legal advice. I strongly advise you to consult the Consulate or Embassy of the Republic of France for first hand information.
Legality of Marriage
The marriage of UK and Irish citizens conducted in France is legally binding under UK and Irish law.
Residency Requirements
The residency requirement for getting married in France is 40 days.
Publication of the Marriage Banns
According to French law one of you must reside in France for 30 days before an application for marriage can be made. The marriage application, otherwise known as the marriage banns must then be posted at the appropriate Mairie (town hall) no less than 10 days prior to your wedding.
Special Note about Residency Requirements
Although it is said that the 40 day residency requirement cannot be waivered, if you or your family has property in France the residency requirement is not always strictly followed. However, it is very important to stress that this will be at the discretion of the Mayor at the Mairie (town hall) where you intend to get married. Therefore, I would strongly suggest that you contact the Mayor first to discuss the options available to you.
If you would like to get married in this beautiful country but cannot meet the residency requirements I would not let this get in your way of having your wedding in France.
My husband and I “secretly” got married in the United Kingdom prior to our wedding in France and had a
Humanist wedding ceremony
on our wedding day in France. Our civil ceremony in the United Kingdom was purely to take care of the legalities and our wedding day in France is when we considered ourselves married. Our guests were not aware that our civil ceremony had taken place and our very personalised wedding ceremony in France is when we and our guests felt that we became husband and wife.
Required Documentation
All documentation must be original and endorsed with an Apostille Stamp. Any documentation that is not in French must be accompanied by official translations translated by an agency verified by the French Consulate.
- A Valid Passport
- Long Form Birth Certificate
This must be fully translated into French by a Sworn translator and must be issued within 3 months of your marriage date.
- Certificat de Celibat
This is a certificate to state that you are not already married. This certificate does not exist under British law so you need to obtain an official attestation from the consulate to say so.
- Certificat de Coutume
This is an Affidavit of Law which is a notarised statement by an attorney who is licensed to practice in both France and your home country. The Certificate de Coutume certifes that you are both free to marry and your marriage will be recognised in your country of residence.
For most countries your consulate in France will be able to help with issuing these documents. If you are a British citizen I would suggest contacting the Foreign Commonwealth Office for further details.
- Medical Certificate
Blood tests and a medical examination must be undertaken by a French doctor or by a doctor who is approved by your local French Embassy or Consulate.
Your marriage application cannot be published until you have submitted your medical certificates to your local Mairie.
- Justificatifs de Domicile - Proof of Domicile
You need to show proof of residence. This can take the form of 2 documents such as gas and electricity bills.
- Certificat du Notaire - Prenupital agreement
If you are planning to have a prenuptial agreement this must be presented to the Mairie.
Marriage Certificate
If get married in France you will receive a “livret de famille" which is an official document that is used for all events relating to your “new” family, such as births, deaths, divorce or name changes.
If you would like to obtain further copies of your marriage certificate you will need to write to the Mairie where the marriage took place, stating the following details:
- The date and place of your marriage
- Your full names (including maiden name).
Religious Ceremonies
In France only a civil ceremony is legally binding. If you wish to have a religious ceremony you must first have a civil ceremony.
The civil ceremony can take place in France or in your country of residence.
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Hot Tip!
Charlotte & Christian
who married in France offer the following advice.
Getting married in France is very bureaucratic. There is a huge amount of paperwork and you need to have a residence or live in the country for 40 days. It is a very specific process and you need to be very thorough.
The best way to get round any problems is to go and see the Mairie. We found that they were really friendly and helped us so much once they got to know us. Also it is good as the Mayor makes all the decisions on if you pass or not.
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Further Information
For further information on the legal requirements for getting married in France please contact the French Embassy or Consulate.
Embassies / High Commissions of France
United Kingdom
General Consulat in London
21 Cromwell Road
LONDON SW7 2EN
Tél : (44) 207 073 1200
Fax : (44) 207 073 1201
Open hours :
Monday to Thursday : 8h45 to 12h00
Friday : 8h45 to 11h30
http://www.consulfrance-londres.org
Ireland
Embassy of France
36 Ailesbury Road
Dublin 4
Tel: (353) 01 277 5000
Fax: (353) 01 277 5001
E-Mail: chancellerie@ambafrance.ie
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