The long-stay visa “private and family life – spouse of a French national”: what do you need to know?

Thanks to the growing development of multicultural relations, marriages between people of different nationalities are becoming increasingly common. In this context, the French are no exception.

However, when our clients get married abroad and want to come and settle in France, questions automatically arise: “Is it possible? How can I do it? What should I do? Does my nationality affect the procedure for coming to France?”

In this article, Administra-vie will attempt to lift your second thoughts, to help you better understand your situation and especially yours rights of.

We are a law firm that supports you in all your procedures, with complete security, trust, and transparency. If you would like to learn more, please visit our website. To contact us, just a click.

A few details to remember first of all

First of all, it is important to understand that a marriage between a French national and a foreign national is entirely possible. In this context, it is important to emphasize that, contrary to what some speeches or even erroneous information provided by certain prefectures may suggest, marriage can be celebrated without impropriety, whether abroad or in France.

In other words, it is not mandatory to get married in France for the marriage to be valid in the country. However, there are conditions that must be met.

Please also note that the most important conditions, applicable to most countries outside the EU, are listed here. They may vary depending on your nationality. This information may help clear up some doubts and give you a starting point, but you should always ensure that your situation complies with the procedure you are considering.

The advantages of this visa

This visa is very interesting for two main reasons:

This is what is called a "full right" visa. This means that if the conditions are met, it cannot be refused by the consulate of the country of residence.

It is one of the most comprehensive visas for settling in France, as the foreign national is not required to have a job, and, as long as the marriage lasts, the rights of the person are very broad: they can work, travel within the Schengen Area without any other justification than this visa (for the duration of the same, of course), possibility of renewing it quickly as long as the marriage is maintained, and above all, after certain years of marriage, it opens the right to apply for French naturalization.

The conditions of this visa

Although it is established that marriage can be celebrated abroad, for it to be valid in France, it is essential that it be transcribed in the consular civil status registers where the marriage took place. Otherwise, a full copy of the French marriage certificate is sufficient.

One of the most fundamental requirements is proof of cohabitation between the spouses. The aim is to detect fraudulent marriages intended to deceive administrative authorities in order to obtain residence permits.

Tips for a successful application: the keys

Make sure your situation is suitable for applying for this type of visa.

Ensure the quality of your file: gather all the necessary documents before your appointment at the Consulate.

Take the time to prepare the file.

Provide all relevant originals and translations.

Administra-vie supports you from A to Z of the procedure. What does this mean?

Building your file, we help you gather all the documents you need. Our lawyers analyze them, organize them, and prepare the entire file to be submitted to the consulate or embassy in your place of residence.
Our lawyers handle the request for advice from the relevant ministry.
If you don't know how to do this, they will help you make an appointment at the embassy or consulate.
They validate all the steps with you, with personalized support through phone calls, email consultations and above all, Administra-vie does not charge per hour of work, but a total and fixed amount for the entire file.
If this visa is refused, we advise you on your rights and what you can do administratively.

Want to know more ? Do not hesitate to consult our blog, which contains up-to-date information that may help you!

Still have questions?

Through the contact form on our website
By mail: contact@administra-vie.com
By phone:
+ 33 7 56 98 48 02
+ 33 7 56 98 57 46

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