CONSULATE GENERAL OF FRANCE IN WASHINGTON

List of documents to provide for a request in France the verification of the enforceability of a judgement of divorce rendered abroad
[in this case in the United States]
(verification of authenticity; regularity and validity of foreign decisions)

A letter from you addressed to Monsieur le Procureur de la République at the Tribunal de Grande Instance at the place where your marriage was celebrated. If your marriage was celebrated abroad [in the US], you must send your request to the Parquet de Nantes (see address at the bottom of the letter next page).

List of documents to send with letter:

•  Final judgement and without appeal (the title of this document varies from state to state, some examples “Certificate of absolute divorce”, “Final judgement and decree”, “Judgement of Divorce” etc.). This original document must include: identification of the Court that rendered the divorce decision, the date and number of final registration and without appeal of the divorce, the official seal of the Court that pronounced the divorce, identity and signature of the judge.
  [Note A&R Translations: In the State of New York and New Jersey you have to include a certified copy of your judgment of divorce and a certificate of non-appeal called a in New York county a “search certificate”].
•  The translation in French of this final judgement without appeal [judgement + certificate of non-appeal] done by a professional translation agency.
•  Unabridged copy of the French marriage certificate (request this at the City hall where the marriage took place in France of at the Service Central de l’Etat Civil in Nantes if the marriage took place abroad: https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/dali).
• Unabridged copy of your French birth certificate if applicable.
• Proof of the nationality of the two spouses on the day of the decision (photocopies of documents [such as passports]).
• Supporting document of the domicile of the spouses at the time of the divorce (property documents, rental, various bills etc.).

It is necessary:

• To have the signature of the translator notarized by an American Notary Public [Note A&R Translations: we have an in-house notary public registered at the Court Clerk’s Office at 60 Center Street – see Apostille on a translation]
• And have the signature of the “Notary Public” legalized by an Apostille.

[model of letter to the procureur, to be sent in French]

Monsieur or Madame ...
Monsieur le Procureur de la République près le Tribunal de Grande Instance de...[place where your marriage was celebrated, or, If your marriage was celebrated abroad (1)]

Monsieur le Procureur de la République,

Je prie de bien vouloir trouver ci-joint les documents suivants concernant mon jugement de divorce rendu aux Etats-Unis le…

[list of the documents attached]

Je vous serais reconnaissant de bien vouloir accuser réception de ce dossier à l’adresse indiquée au début de cette lettre.

(1) Parquet du Tribunal de Grande Instance de Nantes
Quai François Mitterrand
44921 NANTES CEDEX 9
Service ETAT CIVIL
Telephone : 02.51.17.97.95
Fax : 02.51.17.98.37