Living apart from family is difficult when one of the members has left the country in search of better employment or simply a better life. This is often the case with those who have moved to France and want to reunite with their spouses and maybe later take their children with them.
If you are in this situation and want to reunite with your life partner, the spouse visa is the document to bring the two of you together. And below, you can find out how to obtain it.
What are the scenarios in which a spouse visa is necessary?
The requirement to apply for a French spouse visa arises in the following cases:
- you are both foreign citizens, but one of you moved to France and has obtained residency;
- you are a French national and are married to a foreign citizen who is currently living in another country;
- you are an EU citizen living in France and are married to a non-EU national who lives in another country.
Given these scenarios, it is clear that the procedures applicable in each of them are different.
The procedure for a French resident and a foreign spouse
If you are in this category, the procedure requires several steps, and it must be initiated by the spouse who lives in France. It entails the following:
- the foreign resident will apply for a family reunion visa with the French Office for Immigration and Integration;
- once approved, the visa will be issued by the nearest consulate, and the foreign spouse will be able to start the visa application process in the home country.
What is important to know in this scenario is that if you are the French resident, you will need to prove that you have a stable income and appropriate accommodation for the incoming spouse.
What is the procedure for French citizens reuniting with their spouses?
In the case of people who are French citizens, the procedure is simpler, as the visa application can be completed online by the foreign spouse. Then, an appointment for the submission of the biometric data and documents with the nearest French Consulate must be scheduled and attended.
The list of documents to provide contains:
- the marriage certificate;
- the passport;
- the French spouse’s passport or ID copy;
- proof of living together or other evidence showing a genuine connection.
How to reunite with a non-EU spouse as an EU citizen living in France
This is the simplest application procedure, and it entails the EU spouse applying for a residence permit as a family member of a citizen of a Union citizen. The most important aspect to consider in this case is to obtain an entry visa for France if you have never travelled to an EU country before.
What to do after arriving in France
After entering the country, the foreign spouse must validate the visa, a process that can be completed online. After one year, it is possible to apply for a residence permit that is valid for 2 years.
These are the 3 scenarios under which you can bring a foreign spouse to France. And even if in some cases the procedures seem easy, asking for help is recommended, as particularities may arise based on one’s country of origin.