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In brief
Section actions
Duration: Preparation — weeks; transcription — months
Cost: Free transcription; apostille and translation — at your expense
Possible online

Who this guide is for

Section actions
  • You if you have married abroad and one of the spouses is French or resident
  • You if you want marriage to be recognized in France for legal procedures
  • You if you apply for a residence permit via family reunification with a foreign act

To be prepared in advance

Section actions
  • Original of the foreign marriage certificate (with apostille/legalization)
  • The sworn translation of the act
  • The identity documents of both spouses, proof of filiation

Step-by-step procedure

Section actions
  1. 1Get the original of the marriage certificate issued in the country of celebration, with apostille (or legalization). See the legalization-documents guide.
  2. 2Make a sworn translation of the act in France (serious translator). A translation without apostille is not accepted.
  3. 3Submit the request for transcript to the court of Nantes (Central Civil Registry Service) if one of the spouses is French. For resident foreigners — in the municipality of residence or at the SCEC.
  4. 4Attach: original of the act + apostille + translation, CNI/passport of both, proof of the validity of the marriage (consent, absence of obstacles — certificate of ability to marry, if there has been one).
  5. 5Wait for the decision (months). In case of a favourable opinion, the marriage is entered in the French registers and you can request a family booklet and a French marriage certificate.
  6. 6After the transcription, use the French act for: residence permit via reunification, succession, taxation, retirement, birth of children.
  7. 7In case of refusal of transcription (e.g. doubt as to the validity of the marriage), recourse to the court is possible.
  8. 8A marriage celebrated abroad under local law is in principle recognized in France (international royalty), but transcription is necessary for French acts.

Common mistakes

Section actions
  • To believe that the foreign act is enough. Without transcription, it does not produce French legal effects.
  • File without apostille/translation — refusal.
  • Consolidate transcription (registration) and recognition (automatic).
  • Do not ask for the family booklet then — useful for the steps.
  • Think the transcript cancels the foreign act. No — both remain valid.

Official sources

Section actions
Show sources in this section

Useful links

Section actions
Legalisation/Apostille of actsFamily reunification

Important remark

The transcription procedure depends on the nationalities of the spouses and the country of celebration. This information is indicative — for your situation, contact the SCEC in Nantes or the town hall.

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