Documentation in France

Useful terms to know: apostille, Pacs…

An apostille is a government-issued international certification used to verify the authenticity of official documents so they can be legally recognized in another country belonging to the Hague Apostille Convention (1961). 

It certifies that the document is genuine, and that the signature, seal, or stamp is valid. It is not a certification of the document’s content.

Apostilles are issued by the State Secretary of State offices (for state-issued documents such as birth certificates), or by the US Department of State (for federal documents such as passports – see here).

What is a sworn translator?

Only sworn translators can legally translate official documents in France. 

They are accredited by the court of appeal for the area where they live and are listed on court registries. Their fees are often per page, though can vary on the type of document, language pairing, and urgency. You can search for one here. Use Ctrl+F to search in the documents of court experts. 

You are not obliged to use a translator from your own local area.

What is a PACS?

A Pacs (Pacte Civil de Solidarité) is a civil union contract between two adults – regardless of gender – who want to organize their life together without getting married. It is a legally recognized partnership that offers some but not all of the rights of a marriage. 

It is easier to enter into and to dissolve, though its limitations include no automatic inheritance rights, no access to partner’s nationality and no joint adoption rights as a couple. 

US civil unions or domestic partnerships are not recognized by France as equivalent to a Pacs, as they are not seen as being legally comparable. They are recognized at local or state level but do not confer any federal rights and responsibilities, whereas a French Pacs is recognized by France.

Documentation: The French paper trail

France is relatively bureaucatic, which can be surprising or foreigners used to more streamlined systems. Having said this, simply knowing that keeping a paper trail is important for legal, administrative, and cultural reasons, can go a long way towards easing your administrative life.

While physical offices still exist for many bureaucratic procedures, people are strongly encouraged to complete many formalities online, often requiring supporting documents to be attached in digital form. It is useful to have a scanner.

Websites often work well, though in some cases obtaining help from a person in case of issues can take time. You can also seek help from a local branch of France Services.

You should familiarize yourself with the FranceConnect system for logging onto many procedures online, which is possible once you have an account with at least one partner organization such as the tax office or French health service. 

What to expect

As a broad rule, procedures often require documented evidence (eg. for taxes, employment, residency, healthcare, social benefits...). So, retain important emails, hard copy letters and signed contracts.

With regard to letters, when sending legally important ones, this should often be done by lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception (registered letter with a reception slip). It is possible to buy and print off a label for this at home and it is even possible to have it collected from your own mailbox (see here).

Institutions expect you to provide copies of letters, receipts, or forms, sometimes years after the fact because people are legally required to keep certain documents for a set number of years. Examples include tax records for 3-6 years, invoices and utility bills for five years and employment contracts indefinitely (for purposes of pensions, work rights disputes, etc).

Keeping documentation can also protect you and serve as legal evidence. Keep both digital and physical copies if possible.

Passports: residency and travel

Keeping your passport up to date is essential. It should be valid for at least as long as your residence permit or visa remains valid and it is preferable to keep it valid for at least six months at all times. 

You must at all times be able to show your residency status, whether you have a long-stay visa or a residence permit. Keep originals and copies of cards and your Ofii validation letter, as well as renewal receipts (récépissé or attestation) and proof of prefecture appointment (convocation).

For travel within Schengen, carry your passport, proof of residency status, and your travel health card (see chapter 18) or other health insurance documents. 

Why a ‘recent’ birth certificate?

In France, administrative processes often request a ‘recent’ birth certificate. 

This refers to a birth certificate copy issued within the last three months, due to how French civil status records are managed, whereby ‘live’ records see birth certificates updated in real time with key life events such as marriage, divorce, etc, added directly to the birth record.

Recent birth certificates are asked for in order to ensure the most up-to-date civil status of the individual in question, and are used to prevent fraud by avoiding misuse of outdated documents. 

Some officials will be familiar with the fact that in countries such as the US a birth certificate is issued only once, however, people have reportedly sometimes been asked to provide an apostilled copy and translation of this from within the last three months instead.

Why your EDF bill is important

An electricity bill from the last three months is often asked for as a justificatif de domicile to show proof of your address – without this, many administrative processes cannot take place. 

Alternatives include a gas bill or landline phone or internet bill (not a mobile phone bill).

This also shows continuity of residence, and if you are renting is often better than a lease alone as it proves you are living in the property. Note that driver’s licences issued in France do not show an address. 

Keep such proofs for five years at least as you may need them as proof of having lived continuously in France for residency or other purposes.