Spouse visa
Spouse visa: preparing your marriage transcription
For couples who married outside France, one step comes before the spouse visa itself: recording the marriage in French civil registers. It is a frequent source of delay, so it pays to understand it early.
By Mathieu Silva · 3 min read
What transcription means
A marriage celebrated abroad between a French national and a foreign national is valid, but for it to have effect in France it is recorded in French civil status registers. This is the transcription. The French spouse then receives a French marriage certificate, which is a key document for the visa.
Who handles it
The request is made to the French consulate responsible for the country where the marriage took place. Depending on the country, the file may then be processed with the central civil status service of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Before the wedding, if you can
When the marriage has not yet taken place, the French spouse can request a certificate of capacity to marry (certificat de capacité à mariage) from the consulate beforehand. This step includes the publication of banns and usually makes the later transcription simpler.
Typical documents
- The foreign marriage certificate, with translation and legalisation or apostille where required.
- Birth certificates of both spouses.
- Proof of the French spouse's nationality.
- Identity documents and proof of address.
Then the visa
Once you hold the transcribed marriage certificate, the spouse visa file itself becomes much more straightforward. Our spouse visa document checklist walks you through the rest, and the Spouse Visa Kit helps you present it clearly.