FranceFamily

France spouse visa (spouse of a French national)

Long-stay visa for the spouse of a French national (conjoint de Français)

In short

Spouses of French nationals get a free long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS), applied for on France-Visas and lodged at the French consulate or its visa centre in their country of residence. A marriage celebrated abroad must first be transcribed in the French civil registers. The visa can be refused only for fraud, an annulled marriage or a threat to public order; a multi-year card follows in the second year and a 10-year card after three years of marriage.

Apply on France-Visas (official visa portal) checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Validity
VLS-TS valid one year; then a multi-year card of two to four years.
Fee
€0The long-stay visa is free for spouses of French nationals; the residence card in France costs EUR 350.
Processing time
The visa itself has no published time limit; the marriage must be transcribed in the French civil registers first.
Work
Yes, without a separate work authorisation.
Path to permanent residence
10-year resident card after three years of marriage and shared life, with B1 French and the civic exam.
Where to apply
France-Visas, then the French consulate or its visa centre in your country of residence; no visa fee.

Conditions

Your spouse must have been French on the wedding day and still be French, you must actually live together, and polygamy is excluded. When these points are met the VLS-TS is issued as of right. A marriage celebrated abroad only counts in France once it has been transcribed in the French civil registers.

Marrying abroad: CCAM and transcription

Before a wedding abroad before a foreign authority, the French partner applies for a certificate of capacity to marry (CCAM) at the French embassy or consulate responsible for the place of the wedding, with a completed information form, proof of French nationality, photo ID and proof of residence. The banns are published and the couple may be interviewed.

After the wedding the French spouse asks for the marriage to be transcribed in the French civil registers; the transcription produces a French marriage certificate and a livret de famille. Couples who married without a CCAM use a separate file and may be interviewed.

Required documents

Identity

  • France-Visas long-stay form and receipt, signed
  • Passport valid for the stay, issued less than 10 years ago, with copies
  • Recent ICAO-standard photo and proof of legal residence in the country where you apply

Family

  • Marriage certificate or its transcription in the French civil registers
  • Spouse's proof of French nationality (ID card or passport)
  • Evidence of shared life

Visa application

Choose the “spouse of a French national” purpose on France-Visas, then lodge the application with the documents listed below at the French consulate or its visa centre in your country of residence. No visa fee is charged.

  1. If you marry abroad, the French partner first obtains a certificate of capacity to marry (CCAM) from the French embassy or consulate responsible for the place of the wedding.
  2. Marry before the local authority once the CCAM has been issued.
  3. The French spouse requests the transcription of the marriage in the French civil registers.
  4. Create the long-stay application on France-Visas and print the form and receipt.
  5. Lodge the application in person at the French consulate or its visa centre in your country of residence, with originals and copies, and give fingerprints.
  6. Within three months of arrival, validate the VLS-TS on ANEF and attend the OFII appointments.
  7. Apply on ANEF for the multi-year card four to two months before the VLS-TS expires.

In France

Within three months of arrival, validate the VLS-TS on the ANEF site and pay the residence tax; otherwise your stay is not lawful and you cannot re-enter the Schengen area. OFII then calls you for the medical visit and the integration contract. You may work straight away.

Multi-year card and resident card

In the second year, apply on ANEF four to two months before the VLS-TS expires for the multi-year “vie privée et familiale” card: EUR 350 in tax stamps, the OFII medical certificate, and a validity of two to four years. After three years of marriage and shared life you can request the 10-year resident card, with B1 French and the civic exam unless you are over 65.

If the visa is refused

Refusals must give reasons. Before any court case you must appeal in writing, in French, to the visa refusal appeals commission (CRRV) within 30 days of the refusal, or of the implicit refusal that arises after two months without an answer. After a CRRV rejection you have two months to go to the administrative court of Nantes.

Frequently asked questions

Is the visa free for spouses of French citizens?

Yes, no visa fee is charged; the residence tax at validation and later card fees still apply.

Where do I lodge the spouse visa application?

At the French consulate or the visa centre it uses in your country of residence, after creating the application on France-Visas.

We married abroad without a CCAM. What now?

The marriage can still be transcribed using a separate file, but expect an interview and closer checks.

When can I get a 10-year card?

After three years of marriage and shared life, with B1 French and the civic exam unless you are over 65.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for France

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Validity: VLS-TS from four months to one year; then a one-year card, followed by a multi-year card for the rest of the degree.
  • Researcher visa Validity: Length of the hosting agreement, up to four years.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Company internship: six months initially; continuing training: 12 months, renewable once up to 18 months.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: First year on the VLS-TS; then a four-year multi-year card for permanent employees still in the job, or a card matching the fixed-term contract.
  • Skilled worker visa Validity: Length of the contract, up to four years.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Contracts of two years or more: length of the contract up to four years; shorter contracts: contract plus three months, up to two years.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Length of the assignment, up to three years, minus time already spent on the visa; not renewable.

Family

  • Family reunification visa Processing time: The mayor checks resources and housing within two months; the prefect decides within six months of the complete file reaching OFII (silence means refusal).

Residence

  • Retirement visa Validity: VLS-TS for the first year, then a renewable one-year card.
  • Permanent residence Validity: 10 years, renewable. The EU card lapses after more than three consecutive years outside the EU or six years outside France; the ordinary resident card after more than three consecutive years outside France.

Protection

France visa guide