American marrying a French man - help please!!!

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Hi there , You don't need a lawyer at all and you also don't need Long stay visa to marry in France ,(you can enter France under visa waiver programme)  You will need long stay visa if you marry out side of France ..

Step for your Boyfrined   would be to get an appointmet with his local mairie where he is residing now .If you need more info Just write me .

Thanks very much guys, this has all been really helpful!  So many kind people out there on the interwebs. .

My boyfriend is talking with an immigration lawyer and is going down to our Marie on Wednesday, so hopefully I'll get some more info.

Thanks again!

So my boyfriend has been speaking to a lawyer in France and has heard this puzzling bit of news:

Apparently marriage is not even a sure way of getting a visa to be in France.  The lawyer said that I will have to talk to people to prove that I have enough money to support myself and that I have a skill that would serve me (and France) well, and possibly produce proof that there would be people willing to hire me?

Has anyone heard about this?  Apparently there are also multiple marriage contracts that one can get, and we have to figure out which one to get.

Anyone ever heard of this?

Hi Emma,

You definitely do not need a lawyer to apply for your stay in France. Also, French administration language is quite intricate  when it comes to immigration matters. What they mean is that marriage does not give you the absolute right to stay in France. It does not imply, however, that your application will be refused.

Just follow all the instructions given by the embassy/the Prefecture in your fiance's city/town, collect all the documents necessary, worry less and go with the program. It's true that French administration is a leader in the world of bureaucracy, but if your dossier is well organized and contains all the required pieces, you'll get your visa. Would that reassure you if I say that you are not the first American bride in France?...

Good luck!

Kind regards,

winnipeg/toulouse

Hey Winnipeg/Toulouse!  Thanks so much for your kind words of encouragement.  I am usually pretty laid back about these things, but one new thing that we learned today when my boyfriend went to the marie where we live in Suresnes (just outside Paris) is stressing me out a little.  Apparently the marie will want to meet with me and assess my level of French (not a problem) but also question me about my recent work history.  The reality is that after I studied in France for a year two years ago, I basically spent a year traveling around and being supported by my parents, i.e. not working.  I also did some under the table tutoring, but that definitely wouldn't provide what they are looking for, i.e. pay slips, and I'm hesitant to say that I did anything illegal, of course.
Has anyone else run into this??  Can I really be denied a marriage if I don't have any recent bulletin de salaire? I'm able to show that I have enough money to support myself in my bank account until I can start work in France.  Basically I want to be prepared to know what to say to them so I don't say anything that will jeapordize my application.

Thanks again for all the help you've given me already, it means more than I can say!

Best,

Emma

Hey!  You've all been so helpful, I'm hoping I can get your two cents again.

I'm heading back to France soon and am trying to figure out all the documents I should take that I might need.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Emma

Hi!
There is NO reason the marie asks you about your French skills or work history!I have never heard such thing.Even in the case where there is suspision of "white mariage" (I don't know if one uses that word in english) it's the police who asks the question,not the mayor...I'm a Norwegian with a French husband,and noone questionned me about these thing.As mentionned above,you need quite a lot of documents,but these are things like birth certificat and documents proving you are not married in your homecountry.

You don't have to have a marriage contract, this is something for you future husband and yourself to decide-depending on assets,etc.
Don't worry!

hey!
i'm also married to french guy recently , and it was very easy , free visa for stay long ,they didnt check any thing like my french or my work history , as long as you get all doc they need about you and your husband its very easy . you can do it any country at french Embassy.
good luck

[Moderated: This is NOT a dating website]

I am getting married next summer as well and in the same boat as you.  I am French and my fiance is American.  We want to get married in France, but we'd like to know if we could get married on a 3 month tourist visa...Do we need a long stay visa.? We also will probably want to move back to America... would like some help here too...

YO ME VOY A CASAR CON UN MUCHACHO FRANCES PERO QUISIERA OBTENER MAS INFORMACION ACERCA DE SU RECORD DE CONDUCTA.COMO PODRIA YO OBTENER ESTA INFORMACION.SE PUEDEN CONTACTAR AL 251-518-5046 LES AGRADECERIA SU AYUDA Y GRACIAS POR SU COOPERACION.

Hi MARIA O. RODRIGUEZ,

Welcome to expat-blog!

Can you please post in English only on the Francophone section of the France forum. For other members to read and participate.

Please feel free to post in Spanish on Hispanophone section of the  Foro Francia.

Regards,

David.

Expat-blog team.

[P.S: Please note that this thread is quite old.]

Emma I,m interested in how you made out marrying and relocating to france.   My daughter is interested in marrying in USA a French citizen and both living in Paris. He will still be in school but she is hoping either for an internship or employment
If they marry in a church in USA during his summer visit , he will attend her college graduation, do they need to get married in France in civil marriage,justice of peace.  Can she go to PAris end of summer to live indefinitely?

Hello puzzled mother.
First, congratulations on your daughter's engagement! As far as I've heard, your daughter might be better off getting married at the Mairie 'the town hall,' in the arrondisement where they live in Paris first and then having a church wedding in the US. Apparently, it's much easier for her to get her long term visa if she gets married in France. Here's why- if she gets married in the States first, she might have to wait much longer for her visa, and have to take more trips back and forth.

I got married in France in 2011 on a tourist visa, and then had to go home to Houston for one month to apply for my long-term visa at the French Consulate there. They don't issue long term visas in France, you must go back to your home country. (They say it takes 3-4 weeks, but I got mine in 4 days.) If she gets married first at the mairie in Paris, then she goes home to apply for the visa, and get's married in the church in the US, then she can move directly to Paris after the American wedding with her long term visa in hand.

Everyone I've spoken to says it's much easier to get married in the US, but the paperwork afterwards is much more complicated if you want to live in France, whereas in France, there's more paperwork required before the wedding, but after, getting a long term visa is pretty straightforward and quick.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me, I might be able to help.

Finances would be an issue.  Her fiancée is coming May2 to be here for her college graduation.   Then he is staying until he has to return before 90 days tourist travel.   They were hoping to spend just one round ticket for him and for her to go back with him to live in Paris as married couple.  We have heard that even if they marry in a church in USA that they have to have a civil union in France is this true that a church wedding is not recognized, that they have to get married second time at France "justice of peace"?

Hi, I'm an American married to a French man and living in France.  I am almost positive you will have to get a long-term visa (1 year).  On the visa put your intentions of "marrying" - you should not have any problems -just be honest.  I only knew my husband for less than a year and everything went smoothly.  You will have to show that you have enough money to live on your own but if you don't you can ask a friend or family member to borrow you money and put it in your account until after you get your Visa and then return it.  Once you're here they no longer check.  You will also need travel health insurance.  Just get a simple insurance for the Visa because again, once you're here you'll have access to the French healthcare system because you're living with a French citizen.  Once you get to France you can cancel the travel insurance because it's no longer needed.  Once you're married I would make sure your husband puts your name on your apartment lease/house papers, telephone bills, etc. because that shows that your relationship is serious and it makes the process go faster.  Try not to worry about anything.  I hate to say this but if you're an American marrying a French person it's pretty easy to get a Visa because they know you're not coming here to live off their system.  I've been here for a little over 4 years and never had a problem.  I actually just received my 10-year residency card.  Just have all of your paperwork ready when you go to the Consulate because if you don't they send you home and it's a waste of your time.  One last note regarding driving.  You will be able to drive for one year with your American license but if you're not from one of the states that has reciprocity you will have to take the French drivers test (Code de la route.)  It's a burden but I'm glad I took the courses because I learned a lot about the French driving and the rules of the road.  Hope this helps.  Tammy

To get a long term visa.  Do you have to apply "intent to marry" and not get married in states, but marry after living in France?

http://www.consulfrance-washington.org/ … article467

here is some info from the American/France Consulate in Washington, D.C.

Hi Emma!!

I wanted to follow up with you to see if you and french husband got married and are you living in France because I am now in the same boat as you. My boyfriend is in Toulon. He is going to a place next week to talk with some people. He was on the phone this morning with some people. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hi tammy!

How are you? Are you still in France?  I need some advice if you dont mind!

[moderated: pls avoid copy paste ]

Thank you for this up to date information.
I also believed I would be able to get a long stay after Marriage in France (27 June 2015), but regardless of the fact I do not have a US address any longer, I still need to leave under the 90 Tourist Visa rules (Schengen), and come back with a Long Stay Visa from the French consulate. I keep hearing this process is fairly rapid (I do have a liret de Famille from the local Maire), but my last question is... Will I need a US address when applying for a long stay Visa?
Thank you for any help you can offer in advance. :-)

chez kimberly wrote:

Thank you for this up to date information.
I also believed I would be able to get a long stay after Marriage in France (27 June 2015), but regardless of the fact I do not have a US address any longer, I still need to leave under the 90 Tourist Visa rules (Schengen), and come back with a Long Stay Visa from the French consulate. I keep hearing this process is fairly rapid (I do have a liret de Famille from the local Maire), but my last question is... Will I need a US address when applying for a long stay Visa?
Thank you for any help you can offer in advance. :-)

It looks like there's been a lot of misinformation in this forum. You absolutely cannot stay in France long term after a marriage if you haven't gotten the proper paperwork done ahead of time. For example, I went to my consulate before moving, explaining I wanted a long-term visitor visa as I planned to marry my then-boyfriend in France. I had to submit paperwork showing that I could financially support myself during that time (my boyfriend also submitted further paperwork to prove he could additionally support me if needed), I needed to submit a copy of his national ID card, along with paperwork about the apartment where I was going to live, and so forth. On his side, my boyfriend got the paperwork rolling at the mairie so that once I got to France, I just needed to go with him once or twice, because they want to see the couple together to assess it's a real couple and not what we call in the US "a green card marriage." After the marriage, I was able to submit paperwork to ask for my status to be changed, so I could get my first resident card as the spouse of a French citizen, all without being required to go back to the US.

Some mairies wouldn't even allow that wedding to take place if you don't have the right visa, so I am surprised that those on a visitor visa were even able to go that far.

Now, this isn't the case with all French consulates (for example, the French consulates in Australia apparently require the Australian citizen to come back, and then file paperwork to return to France to join their spouse, no matter what), but generally that is how it works with the French consulates in the US, though certain details may change.

In any case, to answer your question, a long stay visa may not necessarily require a long term US address (I really can't remember that being a big deal), but you do need proof of residency in the region of that consulate - generally they accept your driver's license as such.

Hi Julia !

"a lot of misunderstandings" ..; yes, for sure !

i won't give you precise answer  - every file is a special one - but info about the "mood about french laws and adm behaviours" just to fit some kind of "picture" , "landscape" on legal environment which can help some of you - Some kind of warning...
This is based on my knowledges (particularly my studies) and prof. experiences on both sides (in front of and out of offices, contesting adm. decisions for foreigners I knew).

But I think it's just  reflecting the real practise of french administrative rules.

i mean you have 1) laws general frame discussed and voted by National assembly and senate (= "lois") . then 2) rules of application / fitting of laws (= "décrets d'application" in charge of each ministry, sometimes never published so the Law can't be applied ! ) which are published on "journal officiel" the bible of what can be done or not in this country... and then 3) "inner adm. directives" (= directives administratives internes) + "décrets ministériels" allowed only on some very special topics but published - adm directives are not public, they are intern "way of doing", given directly by inner affairs ministry office ( on external or inner affairs concerns) and they are able to change as they wish it without any controll by national assembly but they must be "close to law  spirit" that means  they can't do "what they want"  ( citizens and foreigners ignore them but it's the real practise even when those inner rules can never be opposed to any citizen even a foreigner -  that means you can contest them in front of an adm court if they are mentioned on a paper (rarely)  or "under cover" in a decision - see further "claims in front of courts")
and finally you have 4)  "the mood" of the guy who is examinating your file ! (his superior in fact)
I mean locally, they will ask you this, and there they've never asked it !
A true free way to allow adm people to borry people, to delay their claim and file for official papers necessary to settle here, without any good reason, In fact. just a way of worrying people.
Their "privilège" . So never hesitate to ask them to justify every decision. Often they are "puzzled" even offended, but they have to do it (!) - sometimes they can't justify. At least it's a way to demand explanation. and reverse the weight of being a "beggar" for papers.
Somebody who is aware of laws and shows it .. will see his file driven very ... fast !
They don't like it "awared people".
Or, on the opposite they like it and will accelerate the procedure because it changes their ordinary job with foreigners who don't understand a word of french, and have no western adm. culture : exhausting job of complex and hard explanation that they avoïd with the others. Good point ! . 

And I forgot to talk about what normally employees / clerks of such services should do : 5) read the debates from national assembly before voting laws ( application of doctrine) and jurisprudence / statute / case-law ( decisions "compil" of courts or jurisdictions concerned by these topics). - Do you think they 're practising this ? No, too complex ...and none of their business. They don't care about this. And are not asked for !

I saw same behaviour with Us authorities : a guy, after dozen and dozen of visits always asked for new "proofs" and papers, and official translations ( he was everyday at the desk during months !) ... so far that even the consul didn't know at the end what to ask him more to be in order to avoïd giving him a pass ! ( it ends totally sur-realistic asks, for sure) but, he finally gave ... totally exhausted by this "F..."  stubborn and very obstinate guy ! Whatever we asked him he came back 2 days after with it - unbelievable !

Take the real dimension of this last point which can explain a lot of things (N°4).
There are laws ... and "practise" ! - sometimes after claims foreigners can win in front of adm jurisdictions and courts. But it's long and generally foreigners don't know enough to try it. By the way, I saw a lot of people , whose job is to give answer to files and just don't know the basis (on a legal policy point of view) of ... their job ! I'm not kidding ... at all ! - just result of my practise years long.

That's why legal advicers , really good knowers / specialists  about laws and rules are so precious.
cause contasting a decision - and before presenting in a proper way  a file - became a whole job, nowadays. For sure ! - see in the surroundings of prefecture people who are or know where to go to get good advices to avoïd rockblocks. I mean associations for human rights...

Never forget "migration" is becoming a real subject of fear, - scared behaviors of protection all over the world; But in a way some are luckiest than others : western citizens. I mean
we can't deny there're last decades,"practices" & debates (social and political one) that can explain a lot of those "special behaviours". I'm talking about " general closing boarders" trend in contradiction with international civilian movement - this paradox appeared : we are living in a more and more globalised world where people are moving more and more. But there are rising more and more walls, and rockblocks on the road of migration. Especially for bottom level scaled people.

I've been working at us consulate you 're depending on as you're living in corsica I guess.
i had to manage that kind of pb for us citizens. But long time ago. Unfortunately no "up-to-dated" to-day.
And later, I worked as a chief in civil registration and foreigners office ( in a townhall on french / swiss boarder where a lot of foreigners were asking for visa, marriage and kids declaration etc..
60/70 % of the inhabitants of the city, were foreigners because of UN, OMS and many others international organisations set around, in genova -CH).
So I had a long and wide practise of these Pb,and from "inside". I guess;
Someone said on this topic "france is the champion about bureaucracy in the world" -
it's true - absolutley true and hawfully true. But ...american aren't the last I can tell you !

I had many times to ask the prefecture why they did this or that in opposition with french national laws. in my opinion. Sometimes foreigners succeeded to make them change their mind but it take months and months of deep and specialised argumentations. But what was funny was at the end it was clear they gave up because they gave a decision without any real legal basis- just a "caprice", a whim due to a sudden but injustified impulse ! - a pure expression of their adm. "power". I was once myself a victim of that "manifestation of adm; power" - It was perfectly clear the decision was not justified. I could have contest it in front of a court and was sure I 'll win - But too long and cost too much . So I dropped it.
I was often answered "it's our way to do it" full point !
Everyone knows for example, in this prefecture it's easier for such kind of migrant, or "case" / situation of migration, status. Even if ...our laws are supposed to be based on a national equality status; that means a strict same application  everywhere. it's not (always) the case.
With sometimes totally wrong answers or pure faults as for ex. an ukrainian they made official papers and changed the nationality from "ukrainian republic citizen"  to "sovietic citizen" !!! (I was totally stoken by this total lack of culture) which status doesn't exist and never existed ! they were all citizen of Russia, Ukrainia , Bela-russian etc...at this time -
And I (the townhall I worked in) was their official link (relation between prefecture and townhalls) - a relay - to examine the files and asks from foreigners. The adm and hierarchical head authority, (the referency) of townhalls is the prefecture !. But ... I had to ask - on some questions - directly to the judge myself to make them "bend" ! But after several claims they paid much more attention to our files transfered and became more "accomodant" and "cooler"; and we won by the way, a very good reputation from the head of the court (the president) we were depending on.
Ha, ha ! nice times... "law, all the law but just the law" you know sometimes they don't like this kind of "ring a bell, kiddo ?" song. Not at all.
Normally nobody do that in french administration. My colleagues didn't feel "safe and secure" : Too scary ...: your career is on the table, man!.

So, I had to stop it and ask papers to complete files correctly so that they won't wait too much. Just to be efficient. Useless !  for sure a real bureaucracy. Nothing less than eastern countries at their "best" !

Well i'll stop it now - just hope it will be helpfull enough for some of you.

I have another situation....My French wife and I were married in Germany, near the French border (she holds a German and French passport) and moved back to the US for 10 years.  Now, we have moved back to Germany, but plan on relocating to France (Strasbourg), where my wife will be finishing her Masters.  We also plan on buying a house there.  When we move to France, will they let me live there long term with my French wife and children or make me return to the US and apply for a long term visa?

Hi jgipsham !

As I am not certain of what should do, (might do ...) french authorities , I think first thing you could do is to ask your wife as she knows probably more french than you to have a look on portal "legifrance" , then immigration then visa conditions - She'll be able to catch the general frame of your request.

And if you can do it just ask at teh us consulate in strasbourg yourself - I'm sure they 'll be able to give you good advice because even if it's not of their competency , they are managing us citizens all day long and I think as far as I worked myself there ( long time ago) they know how to ask and the rules which are actually applied by french governement for such a case.

I think - but check it by authorities - that you will just have to ask for your visa right here at strasbourg prefecture. Maybe , you'll have to wait a little bit in germany but I don't think it will be necessary.

Good luck to you and your family. Nice is a "good choice" ! nice city, nice gastronomy and environment.

Foster-Ehlé J-Ch wrote:

Hi jgipsham !

As I am not certain of what should do, (might do ...) french authorities , I think first thing you could do is to ask your wife as she knows probably more french than you to have a look on portal "legifrance" , then immigration then visa conditions - She'll be able to catch the general frame of your request.

And if you can do it just ask at teh us consulate in strasbourg yourself - I'm sure they 'll be able to give you good advice because even if it's not of their competency , they are managing us citizens all day long and I think as far as I worked myself there ( long time ago) they know how to ask and the rules which are actually applied by french governement for such a case.

I think - but check it by authorities - that you will just have to ask for your visa right here at strasbourg prefecture. Maybe , you'll have to wait a little bit in germany but I don't think it will be necessary.

Good luck to you and your family. Strasbourg is a "good choice" ! nice city, nice gastronomy and environment.

Hi jgisham,

As you are married to a french citizen, you can ask for a residence permit as "member of the family of a french citizen" within three months of entering the French territory.
You should nevertheless ask the closest French Embassy and check this is correct, and the consequences: what they will ask to your wife to check she's not gonna leave you alone with no roof and no money, if she needs to prove she's got a job, etc.

Good luck,
Valérie.

Merci for your suggestions.  I will have my wife look on that website to see if we can get any further clarification.  I do know that the French immigration laws seem very similar to the US laws.  I also know that the US laws, apparently like the French laws, are bent all of the time and only the brave and persistent find this out.

Valerie,
Merci for your response and suggestions.  I am starting to believe that there may be another way rather than returning to the US and applying for a long term visa, leaving my wife and children alone here for however long that takes.

I really think that as you already have a Schengen visa and you're married to a french citizen, it should be easier. Don't forget to tell us how things are going, as it may help other people.

Googd luck,
Valérie.

Hi! I know this is an old thread, but it's such useful information for me!

I am also an American marrying a French man. Here is my situation:

I am a US citizen who has been a legal resident of Spain for 10 years (I am on a long term residency card which is about to renew to a permanent one).

My boyfriend is French and we have been going back and forth (from Spain to France) for 5 years (mostly him coming here since he is an EU national and so can live anywhere in the EU). He cannot move here because of work, but I can move to France because I work remotely.

So we are going to get married and live in France, but I am not sure exactly what the process is.

My questions are below. Even if you can't answer all of them : ) I would very much appreciate your thoughts on the ones you CAN answer– thank you!

—Do I need to get a visa before we get married? Where do I get that if I am in Spain? How long does it take?
—Do I have to forfeit my Spanish residency if I marry him and live in France?
—Can I live in France and have economic activity elsewhere (i.e., pay taxes in Spain or the US)?

Thanks, again!

Sonja

Hi Sonja,
I can't help with most of this, but - if you live in France, even if you wotk remotely, have to declare and pay taxes (and social charges) first in France.
Good luck!
Julie

Hi Julie!

Thanks so much for your input.

I have read that if I still have a legal residence/address in the States (which I do) then I can pay taxes there, although I would, of course, have to present my US  declaration to the French government.

There is some agreement between France and the US that allows this (https://internationalliving.com/countries/france/tax/) Been doing some research!

Hope someone else can jump in with insight on the other questions. The tax one was the one I thought no one would touch!

Thanks, again,

Sonja

How Much do you have to show in your bank account to prove you can support yourself?

As spouse of a French citizen,you don't need to provide that info.
In the case you ask for a permit based on something else,you might. Depending on the permit.
The amount is the equivalent of RSA (a French social aide) which is around 550 euros/month for a single person