Mixed marriage celebrated in France, a union celebrated abroad and transcribed onto the French civil status registers, international PACS: we translate CCAM applications, certificates of celibacy, certificates of custom, and birth and marriage certificates for a compliant town hall, consulate, or SCEC file.
When a French national wishes to marry a foreign national in France, the town hall (mairie) where the ceremony will take place (the commune of residence, or of continuous residence of the parents for more than one month) opens a marriage file. If one of the future spouses is foreign, the town hall simultaneously builds a CCAM (Certificate of Capacity to Marry) file.
Where there is doubt about the genuine intention to marry, the registrar may conduct a joint or separate interview of the future spouses (Article 63 of the French Civil Code). This interview may be delegated to the French consulate in the foreign spouse's country of origin. Foreign documents must be translated before this interview.
When a French national marries abroad, the foreign marriage certificate must be transcribed onto the French civil status registers for it to produce legal effects in France (transmission of nationality to children, matrimonial regime, inheritance rights, etc.).
Here is our reference list, to be adjusted to your situation (marriage in France vs. transcription):
The French Civil Code strictly regulates mixed marriages to prevent fraudulent unions:
During an interview at the town hall or the consulate, having clear, compliant translations on file is a favourable factor that avoids conflicting interpretations.
The French civil partnership (PACS) is open to mixed couples, whether of the same sex or different sexes. The procedure requires:
The PACS is registered at the town hall of the couple's shared place of residence, or before a notary. Unlike marriage, it does not confer nationality but does open property, tax, and social rights.
| Pack | Documents included | Price (all-inclusive) | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential Marriage Pack Popular | Birth certificate + certificate of celibacy | €89 | -15% |
| Transcription Pack | Marriage certificate + 2 birth certificates | €99 | -18% |
| Complete Marriage Pack | Birth certificate + certificate of celibacy + certificate of custom + divorce judgment | €149 | -22% |
| Mixed PACS Pack | Birth certificate + certificate of non-marriage / non-PACS | €79 | -12% |
| 24h Express | Supplement on any pack | +€30 | PDF delivery within 24h |
A birth certificate less than 3 months old (or 6 months if issued abroad), a certificate of celibacy or non-remarriage, a certificate of custom, a divorce judgment if applicable, and the joint birth certificate if there are children. All of these documents must be translated by a sworn translator registered with a French Court of Appeal.
Transcription is handled by the French consulate in the country where the marriage was celebrated, or by the SCEC in Nantes. You must provide the apostilled/legalised and translated foreign marriage certificate, the birth certificates of both spouses, a CERFA form, and proof of identity.
Average processing time: 1 to 6 months depending on the country and the consulate's workload.
Our essential marriage pack starts at €89 all-inclusive (birth certificate + certificate of celibacy). The transcription pack is €99 (marriage certificate + 2 birth certificates). The complete pack at €149 covers all the common documents, and the mixed PACS pack at €79 covers the specific documents required.
The Certificate of Capacity to Marry (CCAM) is issued by French consular authorities to a French national wishing to marry abroad. For a marriage celebrated in France with a foreign spouse, the town hall builds an equivalent file from the civil status documents translated by a sworn translator.
A document issued by the consulate or a legal authority of the country of nationality, setting out the family-law rules that apply to the future spouse: capacity to marry, impediments, default matrimonial regimes. It must be translated by a sworn translator if drafted in a foreign language.
Yes. Articles 171-2 and 175-1 of the French Civil Code allow the public prosecutor to oppose a mixed marriage where fraud is suspected (sham marriage, lack of consent, seeking an immigration advantage). A separate interview of the future spouses may then be arranged.
Yes. A mixed PACS also requires a translated birth certificate less than 6 months old, and a certificate of non-marriage / non-PACS for the foreign partner. The documents are filed with the judicial court, the town hall, or a notary.
Only in a small number of countries where France retains consular jurisdiction over marriage matters. In the vast majority of cases, the marriage will be celebrated before the local authorities of the country, then transcribed at the consulate or the SCEC in Nantes.
International marriage pack from €89 all-inclusive. All your documents translated, certified, and delivered in 48h by sworn translators.