From the classic Technicolor dance scenes of An American in Paris to more recent movies like Red windmill Y Amélie Poulain– For many Americans, Paris is the epitome of romance. And what could be a more romantic place to get married? For most couples, after deciding to tie the knot in Paris, the first thing they do is make a giddy, “so crazy this could work” phone call to their local French consulate, where they are instantly brought back to earth by their first ” Non” official in French: “Mais, miss! C’est impossible! You must live in France for 40 days before you can get married in France. Impossible! Why are you calling me? Goodbye!” Click…. And for some couples, that will be it. In a jiffy, they’re taken straight to Plan B, their local country club with a Paris-themed reception, don’t go Go, don’t charge 200 EUR…

Some couples, however, will want to see the dream come true; they may choose to have a legal ceremony in their own country and then come to Paris for a symbolic ceremony. Symbolic ceremonies are not legally binding, but they are as romantic and meaningful as you can imagine.

This article, however, is for the hardliners, those couples who are ready to dance with the greats, run the challenge, fight the fight… Getting legally married in France as a foreigner will be one of the toughest tests. to your “partner” as has probably happened up to now. Forget the fear factor of couples – if you can survive this, you can survive anything.

The nitty-gritty of getting married in France

What the brusque embassy official told you is true. To be legally married in France, one of the couple must have lived in France, in the district around the town hall in which they plan to marry, for a minimum of 40 consecutive days prior to the wedding. Some sources say 30 days, but you need to add an additional 10 days for the town hall to post the Banns, a public announcement that is put up in town hall for 10 days before your marriage that lists your names and the date of your impending marriage. so that separated husbands or wives have one last chance to find you before you get married.

However, before you ask for that sabbatical from work, you should know that this small detail is actually a big one. You must show 2 separate documents showing your French address (“proof of address“). For example, a gas or electricity bill (a cell phone bill does not count), a rental receipt, a lease, a French social security card, etc. If you plan to rent an apartment here in the short term Term, Term Lease To meet this marriage requirement, please note that it may take several months before you receive any of the above documents. sworn accommodation certificate. This is a statement that you’ve been living at that person’s residence, and that they take responsibility for you if you turn out to be a drug dealer or illegally download “Desperate Housewives” or something like that. There’s a lot of fine print in this case, including a huge fine and a short trip to the guillotine if it ever turns out that you weren’t, in fact, living with them.

If you can meet the 40-day requirement, the first thing you should do is obtain the most recent list of required documents from the city (town hall) in which you plan to get married. Most of these documents have specific deadlines by which they must be dated before being submitted, so it is important to get the list as soon as possible. Here is a general list of the documents you will need to get legally married in France. However, it is important (and I cannot stress this enough) that you get the most up-to-date official list from the town hall in the district (arrondissement) in which you plan to get married.

1. A valid passport or French residence permit (“residence permit“)

2. A birth certificate (“birth extract“): Most local councils require you to submit an original copy of a full birth certificate (with all the details of your parents) issued within 3 months of your wedding date along with a sworn translation. You have to obtain a translation from a sworn translator (“translator under oatht”). Sworn translators are listed in each “town hall”.

3. A certificate of celibacy (“certificate in lieu of declaration of marriage or not to remarrye”) with less than 3 months old.

4. An affidavit of law (“custom certificatee”) Many municipalities request an Affidavit (“custom certificate“), in addition to the Affidavit of Civil Status of foreigners. The Affidavit of Law certifies that the US citizen is free to marry in France and that the marriage will be recognized in the United States. Only an attorney licensed to practice both in France and the United States can execute this document.

5. A medical certificate (“prenuptial medical certificatel”): Both must obtain a prenuptial medical certificate, stating that they were examined by a doctor”with a view to marriagee.” (Don’t be nervous girls, it’s just a standard checkup plus a couple of blood tests: blood type, syphilis, rubella, and toxoplasmosis…) Marriage banns can’t be posted until they’ve been submitted medical certificates to the town hall.Certificates must be dated no earlier than two months before the issuance of banns.Any qualified doctor can perform the medical examination (the US Embassy publishes a list of English-speaking doctors).

6. Proof of address (“proof of address“) (see above)

7.A”notary certificate“: If you plan to have a prenuptial agreement, you must go to a lawyer (a notary) who will provide you with a “certificat du notaire” which must also be presented at the town hall. It must have been drawn up no more than 2 months before the marriage If there is no prenuptial contracts, then you will marry under the community reduced to acquisitionss. This means that what each of you personally owned before the marriage, or what comes to you afterward through inheritance, remains your individual property. Only what is acquired during the marriage is owned equally by both parties. (If you have ever seen or read Diane Johnson’s book The divorcethis scenario may look very familiar to you…)

If either of you was previously married, you must provide a certified copy of the deceased spouse’s death certificate or a certified copy of the final decree of divorce.

8. In addition to all of the above, you will also need to choose and provide information about your witnesses (“witnesses“)- 2 to 4 people who will act as sort of groomsmen and/or bridesmaids, and will sign the register after the marriage ceremony. You will need to provide their names, addresses, their professions, and photocopies of their passports with your folder

All of this must be submitted to the Mairie in time for them to review and approve your documents before publishing the Banns; they usually ask for your entire marriage file 10 days prior to posting, but I usually suggest my clients submit their folders before that, the gruff officials almost always insist that a document is missing, which sends you into another frenzy of frantic phone calls and emails.

When everything has been accepted and approved, you will receive notice from the Mairie of your wedding date and time (you can request a specific date and time in advance, but they will assure you that nothing will be confirmed until the dossier has been approved). Please note that you must be legally married in a civil ceremony before you are allowed to have a ceremony in the Catholic Church in France.. After your civil ceremony, you will receive a “Family Book“(Family book) a kind of marriage certificate that also has pages for all your future children. This little blue book is the Holy Grail. If you live in France, this book will make your administrative life here much easier until you the day of his death (on which his death will be recorded in said little blue book.) If you do not plan to stay in France, consider it the best wedding gift.

Getting married in a foreign country is rarely easy. A Parisian wedding is a little more difficult than that. But if you’re willing and able, the indelible memory of exchanging your vows under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, or in the cobbled halls of a centuries-old castle, is well worth the few months of frustration.