Navigating Family Reunification in France: Clarifying Annexe 1 Document Requirements

03/11/2024

Diagram on Navigating Family Reunification in France

What question prompted the creation of this post on 03/11/2024

My husband is applying for Family Reunification in France. He holds a Carte de Séjour from the UK and resides in France, while I am a Canadian citizen planning to join him. We’re confused about Annexe 1: Liste des pièces à joindre au formulaire de demande de regroupement familial. It lists ~50 documents but doesn’t clarify if all are required or just one per section. For example:

• Section 1 (Residence Permit): lists Residence Permit, Residence Card, Multi-year Permit, etc.

• Section 2 (Civil Status Documents): lists marriage certificates, PACS, common-law certificates, birth certificates, etc.

• Do we submit all or just the most relevant? The instructions are unclear, and we couldn’t find clarification on the OFII website.

Top Answers

1. Submit the document most relevant to your situation from each section. For the "titre de séjour" (residence permit), select the one your husband currently holds. For example, if he has a permanent residence card valid for 10 years, submit that. In Section 2, submit the document that applies to your marriage or cohabitation status, such as a marriage certificate, PACS document, or common-law certificate. Additionally, include both your birth certificate and your husband's birth certificate.

2. You’ll need to submit at least one document for each category. If you have multiple documents that fit under a category, you can include them all. If the submission is online, remember that the system may only accept a single file per category. In this case, you’ll need to merge all relevant documents into one file. Be sure to include a note for the agent explaining what each document in the file represents, as they may not always scroll through the entire file.

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AI-Generated

For your husband's Family Reunification application in France, you don't need to submit all the documents listed in Annexe 1. Instead, you should provide the most relevant documents based on your specific situation. Let's break down the requirements for the sections you mentioned:

Section 1: Residence Permit

Your husband should submit a copy of his current valid residence permit

. This could be one of the following:

• Temporary residence card (Carte de séjour temporaire) valid for at least 1 year

• Multi-annual residence card (Carte de séjour pluriannuelle)

• Resident card or EU long-term resident card valid for 10 years

• Receipt of renewal application for one of the above permits

Since your husband holds a Carte de Séjour from the UK and resides in France, he should submit a copy of this document.

Section 2: Civil Status Documents

For this section, you should submit:(1,3)

• A full copy of your marriage certificate with marginal mentions

• Full copy of your husband's birth certificate with marginal mentions

• Full copy of your birth certificate with marginal mentions

If any of these documents mention additional judgments, include those as well.

Important Notes

1. Residence requirement: Your husband must have been residing in France regularly for at least 18 months before applying for family reunification(1,3)

2. Document translation: All documents not in French must be accompanied by a translation into French, prepared by a certified translator or certified by a French consular or diplomatic authority (2, 3)

3. Online application: Since August 2024, there has been a new online service for submitting family reunification requests. This system is user-friendly and offers step-by-step guidance(1)

4. Additional documents: Depending on your specific situation, you may need to provide additional documents. For example, if you have children, you'll need to submit their birth certificates as well(3)

5. Explanation letter: If family reunification is not requested for the entire family, you must provide a letter explaining the reasons, considering the interests of the child(ren)(3)

Remember, the goal is to provide clear evidence of your relationship status and your husband's legal residence in France. If you're unsure about any specific document, it's best to include it rather than omit it. The authorities will review your application and may request additional information if needed.