Visa for the spouse of a French national or European Union citizen

A foreign citizen married to a French citizen, or to a EU citizen, 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 know where to apply, please click here.

You also need to make an appointment online. Personal appearance at the Consulate is now mandatory. All applicants must first schedule an appointment. Click here to make an appointment

1- Visa for a short stay (Schengen visa)

The following documents must be presented for a short stay/Schengen visa:

 passport valid for three months after the last day of the future stay in the Schengen States. Please make sure the passport holds at least two spare pages for the consulate to affix the visa. Your passport should also be in good condition to be accepted.

 copies of the 5 first pages of your passport.

 2 short stay application forms (only ONE for US citizens) 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.

 2 photographs (more information about the photograph) (only ONE for US citizens). 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) that can be either a copy of your driver’s license OR state ID OR a utility bill OR a lease agreement/deed of house. If you are neither living nor studying in one of the 6 above mentioned States, you have to apply with another French consulate : please click here

AND

 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 :

• A French documentation about your marriage : the " livret de famille" OR a recent copy of the French marriage certificate (if the marriage took place in France) OR a recent French official transcription (if your marriage did NOT took place in France). Warning : this document needs to be dated within the last 2 months. Transcription for marriages celebrated overseas is compulsory, take several weeks/months and has to be processed at the closest consulate from the place of the marriage itself, not your current residence).

AND

• 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 :

• original marriage certificate
• a translation of your marriage certificate in English or French if it was delivered in any other language than those two,
• as well as a proof of European nationality of the spouse (+ copy)

 the visa is free of charge.

2- Visa for 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 spend more than 90 days per semester 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 register at the local branch of the OFII (Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) upon two first months of arrival in France.

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

This visa applies to all nationalities but 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 day of stay in the Schengen States. Please make sure the passport holds at least two spare pages for the consulate to affix the visa. Your passport should also be in good condition to be accepted.

 copies of the 5 first pages of your passport.

 2 long stay application forms (only ONE for US citizens) 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,

 2 photographs (more information about the photograph) (only ONE for US citizens). 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) that can be either a copy of your driver’s license OR state ID OR a utility bill OR a lease agreement/deed of house. If you are neither living nor studying in one of the 6 above mentioned States, you have to apply with another French consulate : please click here

AND

 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 to you. 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 :

• A French documentation about your marriage : the " livret de famille", AND a copy of the French marriage certificate (if the marriage took place in France), or the French official transcription (if your marriage did NOT took place in France. Marriage certificates or transcription should be less than 2 months old. (originals + copies)

Warning : this transcription for marriages celebrated overseas is compulsory, take several weeks/months and has to be processed at the closest consulate from the place of the marriage itself, not your current residence)

AND

• A proof of French nationality of your spouse (national identity card or French national certificate or biometric passport, but excluding the former French national passport which not a sufficient document by itself) : (original + 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 envelope for the return of your passport when the visa has been affixed in it. The passport is kept 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.