A foreign citizen married to a French citizen, or to one of the European Union, is exempt of the processing fees. (This facility is only valid for married spouses, not for registered partners of "PACS")

You need to contact the appropriate consulate responsible for the area in which you reside in the United States. In order to determine the location of the proper consulate, please click here.

1- Visa for a short stay visit to France.

If you would like to have a simple short stay in France, the following documents must be presented :

 passport valid for three months after the last date of stay in the Schengen States. Please make sure the passport holds at least two spare pages to apply the visa if delivered by the consulate services and the entry/out stamps at the border. Your passeport should also be in good condition to be accepted.

 copies of the 5 first pages of your passport.

 1 or 2 short stay application forms filled out and clearly readable. Please use black ink. Make sure your cell phone number and e-mail address are also added upon the forms. Verify the number of applications forms necessary by clicking here,

 2 photographs (more informations about the photograph) . All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph.

 A proof of your address (in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia). If you are neither living nor studying in one of the 6 above mentionned states, you have to apply with another French consulate : click here (BOTH documents requested) :

• copy of your driver’s license or state ID

AND

• original and copy of a utility bill no old than 3 months OR lease agreement OR deed of house/appartment (For bills, are accepted ONLY : water, electricity, resident phone, cable or rent slip. Other bills, for example cellphone, or insurance bills will be declined), showing the name and proving the address of the applicant and should match the driver’s licence/state ID Any other situation is subject to review by the immigration officer of the visa section and may not make you illegible for a visa application until met.

 a proof of status held in the United States (green card, valid american visa with the I-94, and the valid I-20 or the valid I-AP66….) for the non - American citizens. Holders of a B1/B2 visa will require a more complex and longer procedure.

 for the spouse of a French citizen : - the " livret de famille", or a copy of the marriage certificate, or the French official transcription of your marriage when it took place overseas - as well as a proof of French nationality of your spouse (national identity card or French national certificate, excluding the french national passport which not a sufficient document by itself)

 for the spouse of a citizen of the European Union : - a copy of the French translation of your marriage certificate, - as well as a proof of European nationality.

 visa is free of charge.

2- Visa of establishment in France

The foreign spouse of a French citizen (with exception to members of the European Union, of European Economic Space, of Switzerland, of Monaco, of St. Martin and of Algeria) must obtain a long stay visa, valid as a resident card, in order to make a longer stay than 90 days in France. If granted this visa is also a resident card at the same time, valid for as long as a year. You will only need to resgister at the local branch of OFII upon three first months of arrival in France.

If you stay more than a year in France, you will then need apply for a Resident Card ("Carte de Séjour")

This visa applies to all nationalities, including US Citizens. (excluding Algerian or EU spouses of french nationals, for whom different agreements exists.)

This visa needs a minimum of 10 to 15 business days (2 to 3 weeks) to be processed depending on your nationality. (the minimum 10 business days time frame applies to all nationalities) We strongly recommend to apply for this visa at least 3 to 4 weeks prior to the planned trip.

If you would like to settle in France, the following documents must be presented :

 passport valid for three months after the last date of stay in the Schengen States. Please make sure the passport holds at least two spare pages to apply the visa if delivered by the consulate services and the entry/out stamps at the border. Your passeport should also be in good condition to be accepted.

 copies of the 5 first pages of your passport.

 2 long stay application forms filled out and clearly readable. Please use black ink. Make sure your cell phone number and e-mail address are also added upon the forms,

  Translation in English of the long stay visa application form.

 2 photographs (more informations about the photograph) . All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph.

 A proof of your address (in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia). If you are neither living nor studying in one of the 6 above mentionned states, you have to apply with another French consulate : click here (BOTH documents requested) :

• copy of your driver’s license or state ID

AND

• original and copy of a utility bill no old than 3 months OR lease agreement OR deed of house/appartment (For bills, are accepted ONLY : water, electricity, resident phone, cable or rent slip. Other bills, for example cellphone, or insurance bills will be declined), showing the name and proving the address of the applicant and should match the driver’s licence/state ID Any other situation is subject to review by the immigration officer of the visa section and may not make you illegible for a visa application until met.

 An OFII Form (this form is only available in french) that you will have filled in all the first superior part (above the middle section). If your visa is granted, the consulate will stamp this form and give it back. You will then fill in the last portion of it upon your arrival in france and send it to the closest local branch of the OFII of your home in france.

 a proof of status held in the United States (green card, valid american visa with the I-94, and the valid I-20 or the valid I-AP66….) for non - American citizens. Holders of a B1/B2 visa will require a more complex and longer procedure, and are obliged to apply in person,

 Deed of your house/appartment in France.

 for the spouse of a French citizen : - the " livret de famille", or a copy of the marriage certificate, or the French official transcription of your marriage when it took place overseas, - as well as a proof of French nationality of your spouse (national identity card or French national certificate), excluding the french national passport which is not sufficient by itself. (+ copy)

 for the spouse of a citizen of the European Union : - a copy of the French translation of your marriage certificate, - as well as a proof of European nationality.

 A prepaid express enveloppe for the return of your passport when the visa has been affixed in it. The passport is left at the visa office and we recommend this option. You may however keep your passport during the process. In this case you will have to show up in person a second time with your passport for the issuance of the visa.

 this visa is free of charge.