GETTING MARRIED IN FRANCE

Note: The French legal system requires that civil marriages take place in a French mairie (City Hall). Therefore, marriages cannot be performed within the Embassy or within a French Consulate in the U.S.

Civil Ceremony
All marriages must be performed by a French civil authority before any religious ceremony takes place. The mayor can authorize the deputy mayor or a city councilor to perform the ceremony in the town in which one of the parties to be married has resided for at least 40 days preceding the marriage. These requirements cannot be waived.

Religious Ceremony
The religious ceremony has to be performed after the civil ceremony (never before). The minister, priest or rabbi will require a certificate of civil marriage before any religious ceremony takes place.

Publication of Banns
French Law requires the posting of marriage banns at the appropriate mairie no less than 10 days preceding the date of marriage. The first publication of the banns can be made only at the end of the 30 days of residence in France by one party to the marriage.

Marriage Certificate
Couples married in France receive a livret de famille. This is a booklet which serves as an official record of marriage and subsequent events in the family such as births, deaths, divorce or name changes. A marriage certificate can be obtained by writing to the mairie where the marriage took place.

Documents Required (Note: this Embassy link is a little confusing because it is the local city hall that sets their requirements).

Note: The mairie or city hall where you are to be married will tell you want documents they require. They usually include the following:

  • A valid U.S. passport or a French resident permit
  • A birth certificate (less than three months old)
  • A certificate of celibacy and certificate of coutume also known as affidavit of single status (less than three months old) which is a sworn statement made by the US citizen. It has been our experience that most Mairies (City Halls) in France accept this form signed by the US citizen.
  • A medical certificate (less than three months old)
  • Proof of domicile (electricity bill, etc.)
  • Certificat du notaire (if the parties to the marriage opt for a prenuptial contract). This is obtained from the French notaire who has drawn up the pre-nuptial agreement