Questions about US citizen doing French paperwork

[KevinF 3]

Greetings,

I am beginning the K-1 visa app and the accompanying materials for my fiancee to come to the US from France. With the help of this forum, I understand so much and I am grateful. However, does anyone from the US have any experience with dealing with the French and their paperwork needed to record the marriage in France a. My fiancee called the French consulate in Atlanta and had a very bad experience and was accused of all sorts of things.

Any help would be appreciated. I understand the US system, but the French...hmmm.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Moved to the Europe & Eurasia Regional forum as the most likely forum in which to receive the requested information as it involves dealing with the government of France rather than the US.

[brian-and-aurore 1]

Hi !

If you are going the K-1 route, you have months ahead of you to think of how to record the marriage in France.

I am not much help because I am myself still waiting in the middle of the K-1 process but I would suggest to call her City Hall in France and ask them about where to start and whom to call. They might have information on what to ask for/tell the consulate.

Or maybe she could call another Embassy (I had to deal with the one in DC and they didn't treat me like a piece of dirt), just to get information.

I don't understand why the French Embassy would accuse her of anything (after all, why do they care if she wants to leave France ?). But I know how the French are, being French myself, and I'm very sorry to hear that they have been rude again. Sigh. The French administration is HOPELESS.

I hope you will find an answer soon !

[-Marie- 11]

However, does anyone from the US have any experience with dealing with the French and their paperwork needed to record the marriage in France.

I might be late since you wrote this message about 2 months ago, but I'm gonna reply anyway just in case it can help. There are several ways to get the transcript of your marriage. The easiest way is to do once you're married. I'll try to translate correctly what you'll need to do.

Transcript of a marriage on the books of the French registry

The Consulate General of France in Atlanta is only qualified for marriages in the states of Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. The transcript of the marriage must necessarily be asked by the French partner. This can be done by mail.

-A form of information about spouses (to download on the Consulate website)

Documents to provide the service of civil status:

-A written request by the joint French, signed (authenticated by a "notary public" if the request is by mail), your address and contact information (phone and e-mail).

-Proof of French nationality of at least one spouse (card "Registre des Français établis hors de France" or French national ID or valid certificate of French nationality ...). Beware, the French passport is not proof of French nationality.

-Copies of your birth certificates (les copies intégrales de vos actes de naissance):

- The French partner: not older than three months. Birth certificates established in France must be requested from the City Hall event. The birth of French people born abroad must be ordered online:https: / / www.acte-etat-civil.fr/DemandeActe/Accueil.do

- The foreign partner: certified copy of birth certificate (for Americans, "long form certified copy of Live Birth Certificate with apostille" + copy of U.S. passport or residence permit.

-Full copy of your marriage certificate ("Sealed and certified certificate of marriage form complete with apostille) issued by the Registrar of Vital Statistics" of the state in which the marriage took place, who will make apostilled by the Secretary of State.

Important: the city of marriage should always be stated. The names of potential witnesses, the name of the officer who recorded the marriage must be specified, if they are illegible in foreign documents . A simple photocopy (even certified by a "notary public") or an act having no registration number are not acceptable. Similarly, an act that has errors will in advance have been a correction by local authorities before being transcribed. The documentation provided in support of the request for transcripts will not be returned.

-An envelope to send a follow-up (FedEx, UPS etc..) prepaid at the current rate when you do this step by mail.

If this is not a first marriage for the French spouse: proof of dissolution of previous marriage (birth mention French with divorce for the husband abroad, a certified copy of Judgement divorce or death certificate of previous spouse ...).

-Certificate of marriage contract, French or foreign (together with its translation), if any.

Hope my translation is clear. You can check the Atlanta French Consulate website to download the form of information about spouses, or read the information I tried to translate: http://www.consulfrance-atlanta.org/spip.php?article309#Transcription-d-un-mariage-sur-les

I don't understand either why the French Embassy would accuse her of anything! I'm lucky, when I did the transcript of marriage with the Los Angeles French Consulate, they were really nice and helpful. By the way, it took me about 3 months to get the marriage recorded in France . You'll receive then a family register book (Livret de famille).

[KevinF 3]

Thank you so very much. This was helpful.