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What documents are required for marriage in France. Wedding in France - registration at the city hall. Is it possible to get French citizenship by marriage?

Introduction

The level of civilization of society, the authority of the state today, more than ever, is directly dependent on the position that the family occupies in society. Profound social changes in both Russia and France in recent decades have had a significant impact on the family as social institution, as well as on society's understanding of its role in the upbringing of children.

Family law, being one of the independent branches of law, on the one hand, has all the features of law as such, and on the other hand, has its own specifics. Thanks to the norms of family law, the state protects the family, the interests of its members and its own interests.

Family law governs special kind public relations - the relationship between people in connection with marriage, the creation of a family, the birth and upbringing of children.

In a number of countries of the family of continental law, in particular, in France, such a branch as family law does not exist at all, and the civil law method is the method of legal regulation of family law. Property legal relations in the family are regulated in the French Civil Code of 1804 (hereinafter referred to as the FGC).

The purpose of this work is a comparative study of the norms of family law concerning the conclusion and dissolution of marriage, Russia and France.

1. Marriage

The majority of citizens who are in a marriage union live in a “civil marriage” (marriage registered in the relevant authorities state power without the participation of the church). Interestingly, in our country, this term means a slightly different concept: when two people cohabit without any registration at all. Marriage - its formal design and traditions, rituals, customs are diverse in various countries. In our country, marriage is usually a great holiday for both newlyweds and relatives and friends!

The conditions for concluding a marriage are:

voluntary consent of persons wishing to enter into marriage;

achievement by persons wishing to enter into marriage, marriageable age (according to general rule- eighteen years, but can be reduced to sixteen).

Marriage is not allowed:

if one of the persons is already in a registered marriage;

between close relatives;

between adoptive parents and adopted children;

if one of the persons is declared incompetent.

It should be noted that in France, unlike in Russia, there is no strict distinction between legal capacity and legal capacity. In Art. 3 of the Federal Civil Code, the concept of “capaciti” is used, which means both legal capacity and legal capacity. Legal capacity and legal capacity are usually inseparable and occur simultaneously, forming a single legal capacity. Civil legal capacity appears from the moment of birth, and in some cases even before the birth of a citizen. For example, Art. 906 FGK allows the possibility of making a donation in favor of an unborn child.

In France, the recognition of the full legal capacity of a married woman occurred in the first third of the twentieth century. Recognition of the equality of men and women in the legal, incl. political and legal communication was enshrined in the post-war constitution immediately after the end of World War II in 1946, although family law required another systematization here in 1970. work, child-rearing rights.

If a marriage is concluded on the territory of a foreign state or one of its parties is a foreign citizen, then difficulties inevitably arise. Which law to choose so that there are no adverse legal consequences in the future?

There are two main "recipes" for solving this problem in PIL:

Secondly, the law of the place of marriage (lex loci celebrationis) must be considered as the decisive law to be applied. This system is simple and quite convenient, since it is not difficult to establish the place of marriage. Its only “minus” is the possibility for interested parties to “circumvent the law”, i.e. to enter into marriages where there are no obstacles established by their personal law. In order to eliminate such adverse effects, countries where the system of lex loci celebrationis operates, pass laws, conclude bilateral agreements prohibiting marriage in a place other than the domicile of the spouses, if such a marriage would be invalid or voidable under the law of their domicile.

In France, marriages are concluded according to the first option, i.e. the decisive law to be applied is the personal law (lex personalis) of the spouses, which can respectively be the law of citizenship (lex patriae) or the law of domicile (lex domicilii).

The age of marriageable majority in France, as in Russia, is 18; girls between the ages of 15 and 18 can only marry with the consent of at least one parent, but the French government plans to abolish this rule. Non-French citizens are eligible to marry in France, however divorcees and widows (widowers) must wait 300 days after their divorce or the death of their spouse before they are allowed to marry or remarry (if pregnant).

Every year in France there are only about 50 marriages per 10,000 citizens - the lowest rate per capita in Europe. As in many Western countries, average age for marriage is increasing and is now 30 years for men and 28 years for women, who, on average, give birth to their first child by the age of 30. Almost 7.5 million French citizens live alone, one million of whom are divorced, moreover, their number is increasing every year.

Over the past two decades, the number of couples living in a civil marriage has almost quadrupled, to two million citizens (among Europeans, only the Swedes are less obsessed with marriage). It has been estimated that between 40 and 50 per cent of newly married couples have already cohabited for up to two years. Many couples don't bother getting married and just live together, but the French legal system distinguishes between partners living together "unofficially" (en union libre) and "officially" (en concubinage).

Those who officially live together have the same legal benefits as married couples, including social insurance. To be eligible, you must obtain (free of charge) from City Hall a certificate confirming that you and your partner live together “as husband and wife” (identity card, proof of residence at the given address and two witnesses are required), although the City Hall does not required to provide such documentation. In this case, you can sign a "declaration of authenticity" (attestation sur l honneur) that these persons live together. The biggest disadvantage of informal cohabitation is that it is not recognized by French inheritance law, thus the partners cannot inherit things or objects belonging to the other partner's relatives, and they do not receive any state pension in the event of the partner's death.

A civil marriage contract that is signed in court provides some, but not all, of the legal benefits of marriage.

To get married in France, both partners need to write an application to the mayor's office of their city of residence at least a month in advance (they must live in this city for at least 40 - 30 days plus ten days for the publication of the marriage announcement). The bride and groom must have one, or even two, witnesses, whose names must be provided to the city hall in which the ceremony will take place. Both partners must also provide their passports, residence permits (if required), birth certificates (with the stamp of the country's local consulate at least six months old), proof of residence in France, and a medical certificate issued within the last two months. The divorced or widowed partner must provide an appropriate certificate of divorce or death.

You will also need a certificate of marital capacity (which implies that the person is not currently married and has not taken a vow of celibacy!) issued no more than three months ago by the embassy and a notarized affidavit (certificat de coutume) drawn up by a lawyer in the country residence, confirming the possibility of marriage. If young people want to have a ceremony in a church, you need to find out what papers or documents you need to provide, such as a baptismal certificate. All documents must be legally executed in the country of residence, as well as translated into French by an experienced translator.

No more than two months before the wedding, the couple must undergo a medical examination (certificat d examen m edical prenuptial), including a blood test and a chest x-ray. Social Security reimburses the cost. The first task of a medical examination is to check whether the blood types of partners are compatible, although with the advent of AIDS, this procedure has acquired another meaning. The results are confidential and cannot interfere with the ceremony. If a divorced or widowed woman wishes to remarry within 300 days of her husband's divorce or death, she must provide a medical certificate confirming her pregnancy. To hold a ceremony in a church, you will need to take a one-day wedding preparation course.

Then the couple will be issued a premarital certificate. A notice of the upcoming marriage (announcement of marriage) is published ten days before the ceremony at the city hall where the wedding will take place.

A civil ceremony performed by the mayor or one of his deputies must take place in France for the wedding to be legal. Although about 50% of couples prefer the church "blessing" ceremony, however, it has no legal significance and must take place after the civil ceremony. Marriage in France is free, although some city halls collect donations for local charities.

Copies of marriage certificates can be obtained from City Hall. Married couples are given a so-called "family book" (livret de famille), which records all official events, such as the birth of children, divorce or death.

Since 2009, France has introduced a test of knowledge of the French language and French basic values ​​for candidates for immigration for family reasons (marriage to a French citizen, family reunification). Those who do not pass the test (as an example of a question on knowledge of French culture, the newspaper "20 minutes" cites the question "Can a young woman work in France without her husband's permission?") Will be offered 40-hour courses telling immigration candidates about life in France, preparing thereby their future integration into French society.

It should be noted that in France (as well as in Russia) same-sex couples cannot marry. In 2004, the first homosexual marriage in the history of the country was registered in the mayor's office of the French city of Begle. Family ties 34-year-old Stefan Chapan and 31-year-old Bertrand Charpentier tied the mayor of the city, the leader of the "green" and ex-candidate in the presidential elections in France, Noel Mamer. However, this event caused a major scandal in the political and public life France. The registration in France of the first ever homosexual marriage, according to lawyers, contradicts the FGC, since it does not allow people of the same sex to be married. Thus, from the standpoint of French law, such a marriage can only be considered as fictitious.

2. Property relations in the family

Marriages are entered into under the matrimonial property regime (r egime matrimonial), that is, how the couple will own the property during the marriage or after the divorce/death of one of the partners. If you were married in France, then the rules of the marriage regime apply to all your lands and land rights in France, regardless of your place of residence, as well as to all your capital, if you live in France.

There are four types of matrimonial property regimes: two joint regimes (r eg ime communautaire) and two "separate" regimes (r égime separatiste). A communauté universelle ( community of all property) implies joint ownership of all property, as well as all debts, while communaut é reduite aux acquêts ( community of jointly acquired property) implies that each spouse retains the right to property acquired before marriage (and to property received after the dissolution of marriage in the form of inheritance or gifts), while property acquired during marriage is shared by both spouses . A s éparation de biens ( separate ownership of one's property) implies that no one owns anything in common, and participation aux acqu ets ( participation in common property) implies that no one jointly owns anything, but if the marriage is dissolved, then all jointly acquired property is divided in half.

A marriage contract is not required, but strongly recommended. The notary will charge the couple at least about 300 euros for its preparation. If a couple is going to get married in France, then it is most likely that a joint regime will suit her. If the couple chooses a “separate” regime, then in this case it is necessary to detail in the contract how the property should be distributed. If you have been married or married abroad and are buying a house in France, then the notary will ask you about the type of last regime of your marriage, as well as whether there was a prenuptial agreement at all.

If you did not enter into a contract, then presumably, your marriage will be concluded under a joint regime. You can change your matrimonial property regime, but only after two years have elapsed after the conclusion of the marriage contract. However, the cost of changing any mode is quite high (up to 3,000 euros), so it's worth making sure you choose the right mode before getting married. If you are not sure that you are well versed in the intricacies of French matrimonial property regimes, seek the help of a notary.

It seems that the term "spousal property", adopted in Russian family law, includes, on the one hand, an asset - "spousal property", which is a property rights and obligations, and on the other hand, a liability - the obligations of the spouses for common debts. It is proposed at the legislative level to distinguish between the concept of "property of the spouses" and "property of the spouses" in order to avoid difficulties in their use.

Unlike Russian law, French law recognizes the maintenance obligations of one of the spouses as a liability of marital property, that is, it includes them in the marital mass. It seems that this legal experience deserves the right to be accepted by Russian legislation, since the presence in the legislation of a rule on the inclusion of maintenance obligations in the common property of spouses will protect the rights of creditors (persons claiming to receive alimony) to a greater extent.

Russian legislation does not contain provisions on the possibility of concluding a marriage contract by legally incompetent and partially capable persons. Although the probability of concluding a marriage contract by these persons is extremely small, it cannot be completely ruled out. The French legislator considered it necessary at the legislative level to regulate issues related to the conclusion of a marriage contract by incapable and partially capable persons. In France, a marriage contract can be concluded by incapacitated or partially capable persons, with the obligatory presence of persons who give their consent to the marriage, i.e. guardians and trustees (Article 1399 part 1 FGK). Since the experience of applying a marriage contract in the Russian Federation is still small, it is proposed to use the experience of France in a preventive manner. In order to avoid disputes in practice when applying the RF IC on the issue under consideration, it is necessary at the legislative level to clearly define the right of incapacitated and partially capable persons to conclude a marriage contract, while observing some formalities (such as, for example, the consent of guardians and trustees) .

Russian legislation does not provide for the possibility for persons who are in actual marital relations to conclude a special agreement regulating their property relations. Taking into account the increased number of unregistered marriages, it is proposed, by issuing a special law, to provide the actual spouses with the opportunity to settle their property relations in a contractual manner. As an example, we can use the experience of France.

FGK imposes a number of responsibilities on spouses. Among them is the debt of help. That is, each member of the family, in case of need, should help the other financially. For example, in cases of illness, if you are not working, then the spouse takes part not only in household chores, but also he or she must satisfy your needs (clothes, transport, etc.). There is also an obligation between some family members: the son-in-law and daughter-in-law (daughter-in-law) must support the father-in-law and mother-in-law (mother-in-law), and vice versa. But a son-in-law or daughter-in-law should not support the grandparents of their spouse. There is also no obligation between a child from a first marriage and a second father or mother.

After the law of January 8, 1993, which came into force on February 1, 1994, the judge who deals with family matters has the right to review the amount of alimony. In doing so, the judge takes into account the means of the defendant. If the defendant is married (married) or is in a civil marriage, this is also taken into account. At the same time, the judge considers what income and expenses he has. The amount of alimony fixed by the judge is always temporary. A revision, even cancellation of this amount, may be requested by the judge, provided that the applicant confirms the new data on his funds. Therefore, if you are fired or out of work, then you have the right to persistently ask for a reduction in the amount of child support. And vice versa, if you state a significant improvement in the financial situation of the other party, then you have the right to demand an increase in alimony from him.

Finally, if the defendant evades the payment of alimony, the law has the right to punish him. This offense is provided for by the French Penal Code, the law punishes the one who does not comply with a court order or agreement confirmed by the court, does not pay in favor of a minor child, in favor of a descendant, in favor of a relative or spouse (spouse) a pension, tax or allowance assigned on the basis of a family obligation, living for more than two months without fulfilling this obligation . Moreover, the punishment imposed will be severe: up to two years in prison and 100,000 francs of a fine, temporary deprivation of parental rights.

3. Divorce

Divorce itself and its prerequisites is a complex matter, and if an international aspect is added here, then it becomes even more complicated.

To get a divorce by "mutual consent" (divorce par consentement mutuel or divorce sur demande conjointe), a couple must have been married for at least six months. Other types of divorce can be called as follows - to agree to a divorce, but not to the consequences (divorce sur demande accept ee). These types of divorces are based on the “fault” of one of the spouses, for example, infidelity, or on the end of the period of married life (matrimony).

The reasons for the divorce do not have to be made public, provided that both partners agree on everything themselves, such as the division of property, child custody, alimony and material support. As a rule, the judge automatically grants a divorce, although he may grant a three-month delay so that the couple can think things through. Spouses finally get a divorce after one or two months, if the case went to court. A contested divorce must be dealt with in court.

Recently appeared in France the opportunity to terminate the divorce and civil marriage.

Divorce itself can be arranged if both parties agree or if the plaintiff can prove the so-called “mistakes” of the defendant, due to which living together is not possible. In the latter case, the divorce procedure can last in a simplified version (if there are no children or joint property) up to three years, in other cases - from three and much longer.

Interestingly, according to the law in France, spouses are required to live together until the first court decision.

In France, if at the time of marriage you did not work or do not work at the moment, then there is an opportunity to get a free lawyer, whose services are paid by the state. If you belong to the category of people with low incomes, then state assistance will be partial (moreover, this assistance is one-time, i.e. it is valid for the entire period of the process, regardless of changes in the situation). Women with children receive material assistance from the state in the amount of the minimum wage during the year.

The divorce procedure initially consists of several meetings (the presence of both parties is mandatory), during which the judge tries to reconcile the parties. Usually there are two such meetings if both spouses are present, otherwise there may be more. After that, the spouses are allowed to live separately and separate property is recognized, from that moment they are not responsible for each other's debts.

The further process is due to the principle of the French legal system, according to which a person is obliged to prove his innocence if any statements are made against him. It is advisable to stick to the same version from the very beginning to the end, literally without changing anything, as this will save time. If either side adds even the slightest element to the original statement of facts, then the lawyer is required to present the changes to the judge, who will pass them on to the lawyer of the other side, who, in turn, will provide them to his client with the question “What is he about thinks about it and what does he want to answer?

When all the possibilities are exhausted, the judge will finally announce a divorce with the relevant instructions: who, to whom and what owes. At the end of the process, in case of losing it, you need to pay something like compensation for damage to the second party, the amount of which is determined by the same court decision. Moreover, French law tries to protect its citizens, so if the decision is not entirely in favor of the other (non-French) side, you must either come to terms with it or file an appeal within 30 days from the date of the decision.

Interestingly, the French Parliament has passed a law according to which adultery no longer automatically gives grounds for divorce. This is the most significant reform of French divorce law since 1975. Its goal is to simplify the tedious procedure that causes two out of five couples who file for divorce to file allegations of adultery instead of resolving the case by mutual consent.

Under a new law passed in 2007, only violence or equally serious violations of marital obligations can be considered as a reason for divorce. Although adultery ceased to be a crime in 1975, the need for judicial confirmation of the fact of infidelity for divorce led to the most ugly scenes, with testimonies and the like. The initiators of the reform say it's a wild and archaic system, especially given how lightly the French take adultery.

Conclusion

The problem of family and marriage is very broad and deep. This is a question concerning the whole society. The resulting problem of fertility is acute in many countries, including Russia and France.

In French law, there is such a condition as the expiration of a certain period after a divorce or the death of a husband for entering into a new marriage.

The most difficult is the issue of regulating the property relations of spouses. FGK secured the regime of common property of both. Common property is characterized by the fact that it belongs not to one person, but to two or more persons. The disposal of property in common ownership is carried out with the consent of both spouses. With regard to the commission by one of the spouses of transactions on the disposal of common property, with the exception of immovable property, by one of the spouses, the rule applies: the consent of the other spouse to the transaction is presumed. No one can deprive spouses of the right to jointly dispose of common joint property.

In general, the post-war period in France was marked by some developments in such a conservative area. legal communication as a family and personal-property relations in the family. However, the most acute problem of the Russian-French family is the question of who will remain with common child in case of divorce of parents. I believe that this problem must be solved on the basis of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted on November 20, 1989 at the 44th session of the UN General Assembly.

List of used literature

.Universal Declaration of Human Rights of December 10, 1948 (Article 17) // Russian newspaper. 1998. 10 Dec.

.Convention on the Rights of the Child. Adopted on November 20, 1989 at the 44th session of the UN General Assembly // International acts on human rights: Collection of documents. M.: Yurid. lit., 1998. 412 p.

.The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993. Official text // ATP "Consultant-Plus" according to comp. on 1 Apr. 2012

.Family Code of the Russian Federation // ATP "Consultant-Plus" according to comp. as of May 1, 2012

.French Civil Code 1804 // www.un.org.

.French Criminal Code 1992 // www.un.org.

.Bobotov S.V. Justice in France. M., 1994.

.Boguslavsky M.M. International private law. 3rd ed. M., 2004.

.Gushchin V.V., Dmitriev Yu.A. Inheritance law and process. Textbook. M., 2005.

.Erpyleva N.Yu. International private law. Textbook. M., 2004.

.Laletina A.S. Comparative legal study of contractual regulation of property relations of spouses in the law of the Russian Federation and France. M., 2004.

.International private law. Textbook / Ed. N.I. Marysheva. M., 2004.

.Pchelintseva L.M. Family law in Russia: Textbook for universities. 4th ed., revised. M., 2006.

.Reshetnikov F.M. Legal systems of the countries of the world. Directory. M., 1993.

.French Republic. constitution and legislative acts. M., 1996.

.20 minutes, No. 1560, February 13, 2009, Laure de Charette, "Des cours de fran ç ais pour immigr é s, chez eux".

family law family divorce

French law only recognizes civil marriage procedures. Religious ceremonies are not official and can only be held after a civil ceremony. As proof of marriage in the registry office, you must provide the priest or rabbi with a marriage certificate (Acte de mariage).

Marriage in France: age and required documents

The legal age of marriage in France is 18. An approximate list of documents for marriage in France is presented below, the exact list must be clarified with the city hall.

Documents for citizens of France:

  • valid passport;
  • birth certificate issued by the registry office no later than 3 months before the date of application;
  • certificate from the place of residence, as confirmation of the address of residence in this commune. It is better to provide several documents confirming residence in the commune, for example: telephone bill, rent receipt, home insurance documents.

The city hall issues a brochure "Marriage to a Foreigner" in French on what documents to provide for marriage with a foreigner. Only original documents or certified copies are accepted. Documents not in French must be translated into French and legalized (Apostille or consular legalization for countries outside the Hague Convention).

Agency "ID-Bureau" offers services for the translation and apostille of documents for marriage in France.
* The cost of translation of birth, marriage and divorce certificates is 450 rubles per document.
* The cost of affixing an apostille for one document is 1,500 rubles (an additional fee of 2,500 rubles is paid).

ATTENTION! Some communes require translations made exclusively by a sworn translator in France. Check requirements ahead of time.

Documents for foreign citizens:

    Certificate de Coutume- this is evidence confirming the existence of a law that the applicant can marry under the laws of the country of residence. This document must be in French, it can be obtained from lawyers in France or at the Russian Embassy in Paris;

  • Certificate de Celibat- certificate of absence of obstacles to marriage, issued no more than 3 months ago;
  • if one of the parties was previously married, you must provide the original divorce certificate or a certified copy thereof or the death certificate of the former spouse/s or a certified copy thereof.

Marriage in France: procedure and nuances

France has specific requirements regarding marriage. These provisions must be observed by both French citizens and foreigners.

Before marriage, the couple must live in one of the communes of France continuously for at least 40 days. The civil procedure of marriage can take place in the commune where the couple lives. If the parties wishing to marry have lived continuously for more than 30 days, but in different communes (40 days = 30 days and a 10-day period for the announcement of the upcoming marriage *), the application can be submitted to the mayor's office of any of these communes.

*According to French law, 10 days before the conclusion of a civil marriage, you must announce upcoming marriage at the municipality of your residence. For disclosure, you must provide certain documents. A package of documents must be submitted to the city hall 10 days before the announcement (publication) of the marriage. During this period, witnesses who disagree with the upcoming marriage may provide facts about the impossibility of marriage.

Witnesses and place of registration of marriage

The marriage ceremony is held at the city hall by the mayor or his assistant in the presence of at least two and no more than four adult witnesses. For a marriage with a foreigner, the presence of an interpreter is required.

The spouses choose witnesses in advance. They may be of any nationality, but must:

Be present on the wedding day;
- have an identity document with you;
- know French and understand everything that happens without the help of an interpreter. If city hall officials doubt that the witness does not speak French well enough, the marriage may not take place.

Marriage documents in France

After registration, the following documents are issued:

  • Acte de mariage- marriage registration certificate;
  • Livret defamille(family book) is an official document that is issued after the ceremony. It contains a record of marriage registration, as well as information about birth, death, divorce and change of names or surnames.

    • If you have drawn up a marriage contract (it can be drawn up with a notary before marriage), the notary will issue you a confirmation of its execution certificatedunotaire or Attestationdunotaire. Such confirmation must be issued no more than two months before the marriage and submitted to the mayor's office along with other documents.

A prenuptial agreement sets out the terms of marriage and the division of property after a divorce. If the couple did not draw up a prenuptial agreement before marriage, then they marry on the terms of joint ownership of property acquired in marriage.

The marriage process in France is determined by the provisions Civil Code countries (articles 144-228). Despite a strong welfare system, particularly for families, the institution of marriage in France is in decline. Traditional marriage is more often inferior to informal cohabitation.

The lower age limit is set at 18 for men and 15 for women. However, if there are convincing motives, the prosecutor of the Republic may decide on marriage younger people. But for minors, the formal consent of the parents, or at least one of the parents, is required.


Stage one: engagement. Betrothal in France until the beginning of the 19th century had legal force, but after the revolutionary period, starting in 1838, French law ceased to recognize betrothal as a legal agreement. Since then, the betrothed have only a moral responsibility to each other. The boy and girl remain free to make the final decision until the last minute before the wedding.
The engagement process is currently quite simple and does not involve more than any special procedures. A young man usually gives a girl a ring, offering to get engaged and marry him in the future.
The ring is worn on right hand, and in marriage - on the left. Today's youth fulfill this tradition rather by inertia, under the influence of the older generation. The betrothed are calm about the possibility of ending the relationship. Based on existing laws, the betrothed have certain rights. For example, if a young man left a girl, promising to marry her earlier, then the latter can, in principle, go to court and demand compensation for moral damage to her.
If the betrothal was more official (publication in the press, setting a specific wedding day, drawing up a marriage contract, etc.), then the process of breaking up is complicated and can be protracted with an appeal to lawyers and to the court.

Stage two: marriage. Civil marriage in France is a legal act in terms of the law. It is carried out by an employee of the civil status department and in the vast majority of cases in the city hall. The personal presence of only the couple is not a sufficient condition for marriage. There is a large list of conditions and documents that must be submitted to the mayor's office within the time limits specified by it in order to make it possible to register the marriage officially. Failure to comply with these conditions may result in the annulment of the solemn ceremony, followed by a petition for its new appointment to the mayor.
Conditions for marriage in France. Persons of different sexes can enter into marriage - a man and a woman, of different nationalities and state affiliation, with different civil status. After the publication of the law of December 11, 1992, persons of the same sex can enter into marriage, but with the obligatory conclusion of a medical commission on this matter.


For marriage a medical examination is mandatory. The list of documents that may be required by city hall employees: an extract from a birth certificate (the date of issue should not exceed three months), a family book, a certificate of residence, a certificate of good conduct, a medical certificate of health (on a special form and the date of issue should not exceed two months). When remarrying, documents are added: an extract from the death certificate of a spouse, an extract from a marriage certificate with a mark on divorce, an extract from a court decision on divorce. When marrying a foreigner, the following documents are also required: a certificate of civil status (issued by the consulate of the country of origin of the foreigner), translation of the necessary documents into the language of the country of residence from the original, certified by the consulate of the country of origin of the foreigner.
After receiving all the documents, the civil status service of the mayor's office must publish an announcement about the upcoming marriage. The announcement shall indicate: surnames, first names, professions and places of residence of the future spouses, as well as the place and time, when and where registered marriage.


The announcement is posted for a period of 10 days, before which the marriage cannot be concluded. Marriage can be postponed for up to a year from the date of publication, after this period, the procedure must be repeated.
marriage ceremony and its legal form. On the appointed day and hour, the newlyweds arrive at the city hall. The presence of 2 to 4 witnesses is required. It is not excluded that these may be the closest relatives. An employee of the civil status department of the mayor's office reads out the rights and obligations of spouses (Articles 212-215 of the Civil Code). Then he asks the newlyweds for a marriage contract and, in case of a positive answer, enters the date of the contract, the name and place of residence of the notary who received it in the civil status book. Then the official asks the newlyweds if they want to marry, and, in the case of positive answers, proclaims them husband and wife in the name of the law. A marriage entry is made in the civil status register, which includes: surnames, first names, occupation, age, dates and places of birth, home addresses of both spouses; surnames, first names, occupation and home addresses of parents; consent of parents or guardians in case of minority of one of the newlyweds; surnames and names of previous spouses, if any; marriage declaration of an official of the mayor's office; last names, first names, occupation and home addresses of witnesses; marriage contract record.

Modern realities of French marriage.
The marriage is held at the place of residence of one of the future spouses on a pre-arranged day.
After the date, time and place of the wedding are determined, the newlyweds send invitations to the guests in the form of a postcard indicating the name and surname of the invitee, as well as all the necessary information for the solemn ceremony. In addition, the place where the so-called. "newlyweds wish list". It is a list of things and items that future spouses would like to receive as gifts. The list is compiled and submitted about a month and a half before the ceremony to the wedding bureau. Here the responsible officer for this event is appointed. He negotiates with stores in advance and puts down prices for each gift on the list.


After receiving wedding invitations, guests call or personally come to the wedding bureau, get acquainted with the list and, in accordance with their financial capabilities, choose any of the gifts. Then a check is written or paid in cash for the value of the gift to the office worker. If the gift is too expensive, then there is the possibility of buying it by several guests together (usually calculated at 500 francs per person). In this case, no prior agreement between the guests themselves is needed, all this is handled by the employee.
The employee attaches cards with the mention of the authors of the gift to the purchased gifts. Such a procedure, typical of modern France, concerns not only certain things and objects. If desired, the newlyweds can place their list in the tourist office, while choosing as a gift a trip paid by the guests.

On the wedding day(more often in France it is Friday or Saturday) everyone gathers at the city hall (at the request of the newlyweds, a wedding can be performed in the church, but it does not carry any legal force and there have been no records in church books in France since 1954.
After the usual procedure in this regard, the registry office official declares the newlyweds husband and wife. Young people exchange rings. The solemn part ends with a walk around the city in loudly honking cars. Cars for this occasion are decorated with ribbons and flowers by the guests themselves or through specialized ateliers. After the wedding, a ribbon usually remains on the car of the newlyweds white color attached to the antenna. This is done so that other drivers are more tolerant of the car of the newlyweds. In the evening, all guests are invited to a gala dinner. In the vast majority of cases, it takes place in a restaurant and very rarely at home. The cost of dinner per person reaches 1 thousand francs. At the appointed hour, a car with gifts arrives from the wedding bureau. The newlyweds receive them and the festive evening continues until late at night. The next day, guests are usually not invited.

To issue an invitation for your friend, contact the OVIR at the place of residence. It will be necessary to fill out a form, several references, a small payment, registration will take 2-4 weeks. You can also reserve a hotel or apartment in your city for him.

Our customers can buy air tickets and get a visa without an official invitation from you. You will only need to register in your OVIR the place of residence of your friend at your address upon his arrival, if you have reserved an apartment for him. In the case of a hotel, this registration is done by the hotel.

In order for you to come to France, you need to receive an official invitation from him (attestation d "accueil). Information on how to apply for it can be found on our website at the link that you can pass on to your friend: https://www.partner-services.com/femmes-russes-visa.php
To issue this invitation, you need to send him a scanned copy of your passport and provide your data in Latin letters:

            nom - surname

            prenom - name

            ne le (date of birth) à (place of birth: city, country)

            nationalite - nationality

            passport n- passport ID

            address - home address

List of documents for obtaining a visa to France

        Passport valid for kr. at least 3 more months after the trip;

        Copies of all pages of the internal passport;

        If available - previous passports with visas; copies of Schengen visas for the last 3 years;

        Completed application + 2 recent colors photographs on a light background 3.5 by 4.5;

        Original and photocopy of honey. insurance policy for the entire trip;

        Round-trip tickets;

        Invitation + a written statement from your friend that he is responsible for all expenses;

        Certificate from work on earnings + certificate from the bank on the availability of money in your account.

On the visa application form necessarily indicate along with the address the phone number of the inviter.

Marriage in France.

To get married in France, you need to collect required documents. The very first and main thing that the groom must do is to contact the mayor's office at the place of residence and ask for a marriage dossier - dossier de mariage. In France, different city halls ask for different documents. Most city halls require the personal presence of the bride at the time of filing documents for marriage. At this moment, you also sign a document that you give your word of honor that you have no obstacles to marriage. Everything will be written in the marriage dossier.
Do not forget that you will need an internal passport and a foreign passport valid for at least 3 more months after returning home. (After marriage, you will return to your place to receive a visa for 1 year at the French embassy, ​​and if your passport is soon invalid, it is better to get a new one.)
If after the divorce you kept your ex-husband's surname, then you will have to change it to your maiden name and get a new passport. In France, there are such rules - your maiden name will always be present on the documents, and the French do not understand what the name of a stranger to you means in your passport.

To marry in France, to submit documents to the city hall, the bride will need:

    act de naissance- Birth certificate. It is best to get a new duplicate of the birth certificate and put an apostille on it. (In France, this document is valid for 6 months, and if it was issued a long time ago, then you may have to take a document from your consulate stating that your birth certificate is valid for a lifetime.)

    Certificate de couture- Certificate of legal right to marry. It turns out in France at the embassy of your country. Have both passports with you - internal and for abroad, if you were married - then a certificate of divorce and a certificate of divorce.
    Certificat de celibat - proof that you are single. For those who have not been previously married. Obtained in France at the embassy of your country along with the "Certificat de coutume". Sometimes this is combined into one document - Certificat de coutume et celibat. For Kazakhstan, a certificate of non-conviction is required.

    For Ukrainian women, you need to make a document with a notary in Ukraine stating that you have no obstacles to marriage - notaries know the text, you do not need to put an apostille. If you haven't, then don't worry - your Certificat de celibat at the embassy will cost a little more, but you will need your presence to certify your signature. Payment - by check.
    These two certificates (coutume et celibat) can be requested by mail by sending a check addressed to the Ukrainian embassy (with a signature, but without a date, 100€ if urgent, 50€ within a week, specify the amount), a copy of the main page abroad. passport, a copy of the divorce certificate (if you were married), an application addressed to the consul with a request to send a certificate by mail, the original document from the notary and an envelope with the address of your fiancé.
    Consulat d "Ukraine a Marseille: 38 rue Roux de Brignoles 13006 Marseille FRANCE tel. 04.91.63.65.99
    a Paris: 21, avenue de Saxe 75007 Paris FRANCE tel: 01.43.06.07.37

    For Russians a document from a notary at the embassy is not required, but your presence is required with two passports - internal and foreign. Both certificates are issued after three days, you can request and pay for their postage at the embassy. To pay for certificates, you need bank card. You need to sign up for the Russian embassy in Paris in advance on their website - an entry and a page with the information you need
    You need to take two references:
    1. Certificate of civil status for marriage (certificat de coutume / celibat)
    2. Certificate stating that duplicate documents of the registry office are issued only once due to their loss or damage
    (if your birth certificate was issued more than 6 months ago)

    If your fiancé lives in the south, then it is better to go to the Russian consulate in Marseille.
    Consulate in Strasbourg: 6, place Brant 67000 Strasbourg; tel. 03.88.36.73.15

    if you were already married

  • Jugement de divorce- Divorce certificate.
  • certificate of mariage- Certificate of previous marriage (from the registry office in which he was registered) indicating information about the dissolution of this marriage, if necessary - about changing the name, etc.

    • and may also require:

    Casier judiciaire- Certificate of no criminal record (For residents of Kazakhstan - upon receipt of a certificate of d kutyum at the embassy). Apostille is not required.

    certificate of domicile- Certificate of residence. A certificate from the house management stating that you live at such and such an address does not need to be apostilled.

Procedure:

    Apostille on the birth certificate and certificates from the registry office about all previous marriages and divorces. Apostille- this is a seal that legitimizes documents and is recognized in the countries participating in the Hague Convention. This act is called "legalization of documents". Apostille on a birth certificate is placed in the city where you were born, on certificates from the registry office - in the city where the registry office is located, possibly in the registry office itself.

    Can make translations in your country with a licensed translator. Then certify the translation with a special notary (the translator has a list of these notaries). Then put an apostille on all translations. Apostille on translations is placed in the Ministry of Justice.
    Some city halls only accept translations made by a sworn translator in France. Ask the groom to clarify this issue in his mayor's office.

It's best to do this:affix apostilles on the originals of the required documents in your country (except for a certificate from the house management) and, having arrived in France, order all translations here (make three translations of the birth certificate at once, you will need them later), then the translations will already have all the necessary seals, and done it's pretty fast; take the certificat de coutume / celibat from your country's embassy in France (don't forget your internal passport). If you came to France for a month or more, you can have time to register a marriage during this time by submitting documents and having an interview at the city hall - if the city hall does not mind, then 2 weeks after applying and publishing "les bans" you can already register a marriage . You can draw up a power of attorney to receive your documents from a notary in advance close person, which, in which case, will be able to get the missing documents for you, affix an apostille and send it by fast mail.

After the submission of documents, the city hall publishes an announcement of the upcoming marriage (les bans). Marriage can be concluded 10 days after publication (and up to 3 months). 10 days after the publication of the announcement, if there are no protests, the mayor's office sends a certificate of absence of protests to the embassy of your country - certification de non-opposition. You can ask him to give the groom to send you by mail. After that, you can get a fiancé visa.

List of documents for a fiancee visa at the French Embassy in Russia

Titre de transport / Copy of purchased tickets

Assurance medicale provisoire / Medical insurance for 90 days

Before marriage, the mayor's office conducts an interview with the bride and groom, together or separately. If the bride is abroad, then the interview can be held at the consulate of the country where she lives. The interview is to make sure that you know each other well, that your answers are the same, that your decision is considered and that the marriage is not a fictitious one.

During the interview, you may be asked the following questions:

    name, surname of the groom, education, what he works for, his date of birth, age, home address, location in France - which big city is nearby? Does he own or rent? house or apartment? ...

    when and how did you meet him, when and where was your first meeting, how many times did you meet, do you know his relatives, who are his relatives - parents, brothers, sisters? Was he previously married? Does he have children and at what age?

    what are you going to do in France, do you want to have children together (how many, when), what hobbies do you share with him, how will you share household chores?...

Information about what documents your future spouse needs to complete can be found on our website in the information in French: https://www.partner-services.com/femmes-russes-visa.php, you can simply pass this link to him.

After marriage you will need to return to your country and get a visa for 1 year at the French Embassy, ​​based on your marriage certificate. Under the new rules, for this visa you now need to pass an exam on knowledge of the basics of the French language.
If you changed your last name in a previous marriage, then you will also need a birth certificate and a previous marriage certificate (as a basis for changing your last name), with apostilles and translations into French, for the embassy.

Tatiana Maziller

If you decide come to France for permanent residence- get ready for the fact that a lot here is not the way you are used to. Let's talk about the highlights of French family life, which are simply hard to miss.

Caring French Fathers

Why are many girls from Russia and other CIS countries so eager to get married in France? One of the reasons for this is that the French are much more inclined to take care of their children! Many Russian dads believe that women should take care of children - period. If the father of the family brings home some money, then on this he will definitely consider his function fulfilled and overfulfilled. Babysitting, taking him to the clinic and kindergarten, getting vaccinated, cooking porridge, taking him to school, and so on - all this is often considered a function and "monopoly" of the mother. However, in France the situation is different, here you can meet fathers who themselves very actively run around with the child in different children's sections, read a book in the corridor, while their beloved child is dancing or drawing. Such dads can take sick leave if the child is unwell. It would seem, and why not - but in the CIS countries they will not understand this. "But what about mom?" Only single fathers will be understood if they do not go to work because of some "childish" problems. But in France, on the contrary, mothers often take care of their children much less, devote more time to their careers, as well as entertainment, going to the movies, restaurants, and so on.

It would seem that a wonderful life for a woman who decided that Dad would cook porridge for a child and take him to kindergarten, and the woman would have time for herself, her beloved. However, not everything is so perfect, because French law is also always on the side of the fathers. During a divorce, a woman has almost no opportunity to ensure that the child is left with her - just like in Russia, such an opportunity is almost absent for a father. If the mother of a French child is a foreigner who has arrived live in France for permanent residence and decided to get married here, then the chances are almost zero. By the way, when you are going to discuss in advance and write in the marriage contract with whom the children will remain in the event of a divorce, even if you don’t have any children now and are not planning to.

But if you do not go to extremes, then life in france with a child is more comfortable, because the father will really take care of the baby, and with the reasonable participation of the mother in this, the child will be really happy and not deprived of either maternal or paternal love. And also, the boy will not form a stereotype that the unborn child will just need to be hung on a woman, and that’s it. And the girl will not have the stereotype that men "only need one thing", and then get out yourself as you want and raise and serve the children yourself - in the person of her father she will see an example of a responsible person who does not disappear all day at work or who knows where, and taking part in family life.

Marriage options in France

First, let's see how it is in Russia. Everything is simple here: there is an official marriage concluded in the registry office, and there is a so-called "civil marriage", which, in principle, is not a marriage at all, but simply Cohabitation without obligations. By the way, even an official Russian marriage is easily terminated in the absence of small children and property claims, so everything is very shaky here.

In France, there are several options for marriage, and most of them involve much more responsibility.

  • Full marriage with the conclusion of a marriage contract.Marriage in France- it is very serious. If only because divorce costs a lot of money, for the same money you can buy, for example, a car. In almost all cases, a marriage contract is drawn up at the conclusion of a marriage. This is important, because pragmatism is very strong in France, and besides, spouses immediately learn about all their rights and obligations, and not from a newspaper, not from a grandmother, but from an official - a lawyer. Everything is written in the contract important points related to the ownership of property and the rights to future children. Rose-colored glasses future spouses remove immediately and finally. A husband, for example, knows in advance that he will not get his wife's living space under any circumstances. His lover learns that in the event of a divorce, she is unlikely to be able to pick up the children. It would seem that all this pragmatics will only interfere with "great and pure love." But in fact, not at all. Great and pure love, that is, euphoria from one's feelings, usually passes for a maximum of a year, and then just responsible begins family life. In France, family life implies the possibility of paying less taxes, receiving benefits from the state, and so on. The French and French women are very faithful spouses, and all of the above can be considered important motives for maintaining a marriage, and not terminating it at the first disappointment. Surprisingly, it works. The high cost and complexity of divorce, and all the difficulties that spouses will have in doing so, often keep the French from getting a divorce because of a petty family quarrel, and the family only grows stronger over time.

Official marriage implies the need to arrange wedding in France be sure to invite guests and organize magnificent celebrations - or, if the family income is low, not very magnificent. If believers marry, it is also desirable to enter into a church marriage.

  • The second version of the French marriage is similar in everything to the first, but less solemn. People can just go to the city hall and register their relationship. True, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do this completely secretly from everyone, because according to French rules, information about who is getting married in the near future is necessarily posted on the door of the mayor's office. However, it is not necessary to organize celebrations in this case.
  • The third option is the so-called "pax", or contract. Today, many prefer toget married in France, issue such a "pax". Everything is very simple - this agreement prescribes all the conditions of the relationship between the partners, and also prescribes what obligations they will have if they disperse, and what will go to whom upon termination of the agreement. Such an agreement in France - a country with a legal bias - is very common in many situations, while it is not a marriage in essence, it is not at all necessary to enter into any love or intimate relationship. Such an agreement can be concluded by female students renting an apartment for the duration of their studies, in order to reduce costs and differentiate their rights. But "pax" is also popular when it comes to love relationships but without the desire to marry. Someone may say that this is irresponsible - but with what to compare. The French have a higher responsibility, and this kind of contract gives it much more than if you just live without registering and not agreeing on anything legally, as is often done abroad. Such an agreement is already not much different from an official marriage, because all the conditions and all the consequences of terminating the agreement are spelled out! Truth,marriage in France, as already mentioned, provides many perks and benefits. And this is precisely the reason that many couples still reach out to the city hall and register their relationship officially.

As for "relationships without obligations", here they are just not very popular in France. In this country, everyone is used to being aware of their responsibility and, as a rule, would like to feel solid ground under their feet, and not live in a world of illusions. So the French, one way or another, are very family people, and the percentage of betrayals here is much less than in other countries. At the same time, even betrayal does not always break a marriage, because we have already discussed that divorce in France is expensive and it is often easier to turn a blind eye to some things than to lose all benefits and strongly substitute your budget. But the vast majority of the French are really involved in family affairs, take care of their children, and spend their free time, again, with their families. A large number of French traditions, such as family meals together or outdoor activities with children on Sunday, contribute to this. All this strongly unites the French family, and in this sense, representatives of other nationalities have a lot to learn from the French.

And finally - same-sex marriage in France. This topic is constantly exaggerated in the media, and if you search for "wedding in France" in a search engine, then half of the photos on the topic will be photos of hugging representatives of the same sex. In fact, of course, in France the situation is not at all like that.

Firstly, even before the adoption of the well-known law on equality and the possibility of concluding same-sex marriages, nothing prevented the representatives of the LGBT community from concluding the same “pax” and living in peace. For comparison, more than a quarter of opposite-sex couples in France live on a "pax" and do not see it as a tragedy, although nothing prevents them from submitting an application to the mayor's office.

Secondly, the famous law led to a strong aggravation of contradictions and rejection in society on this topic. It turned out that a significant part of the French society was against such a law - but the majority of the population was somehow not asked when the law on universal equality was adopted.

Thirdly, France has become one of the very few countries in the world where same-sex marriages are legalized. This has led to a big surge of gay tourism from abroad in this country, which is also not liked by all the French, especially in the face of a large influx of migrants.

Fourthly, for the majority of representatives of the LGBT community, various parades, rallies and declaration of their rights are not at all interested, but it is interesting to spend time with their families, as in heterosexual relationships. So the French law still did not have a significant impact on this sphere of life.

About the appearance of the French and French women

There are really a lot of myths and stereotypes here, let's try to dispel them at least partially and throw light on the true situation.

As for the French, these are people who are very scrupulous about their appearance. A Frenchman will never leave the house unless he irons his trousers. They may be inexpensive, these pants, but they are sure to be clean and beautiful. And it does not matter where the Frenchman goes - for the majority of representatives of this nation it will always be important to maintain a presentable appearance.

For French men, a scarf is also characteristic. The French are often drawn with a scarf and a beret, but the beret is more of a stereotype, but they really love the scarf. Moreover, it is very practical and comfortable, and it can be worn not only as protection against the cold, but also as a fashion accessory.

As for the French women, they know how to dress very stylishly when they want, but it cannot be said that they often do this. In everyday life, a French woman, leaving the house, can put on a regular home sweater or the first jeans that come across. Residents of France are proud of their independence and freedom, so they fundamentally do not wear long heels, short skirts and many other things that men traditionally like. Moreover, many do not even make up to look "natural". But French men still make compliments, no matter what outfit the girl is in. It often surprises those who come live in France for permanent residence. If you live in France, you will be able to receive compliments, even without doing anything specifically for this. And this is another reason why you should come to this wonderful country.