Government of Canada services and information in Paris, France

Refer to International adoption.

Adoption in France is accessible to French and foreign citizens under certain conditions. Relevant information is available on the Adoption website.

If you live in Paris, you can contact Adopter un enfant : les démarches to find information and assistance. In others regions, information is available on the Adoption website.

Surrogacy is strictly forbidden in France, parentage of the intended parents and the child will not be recognized.

Refer to Children born outside of Canada.

In France, it is mandatory to register the birth of any child within 5 days. After 5 days, regularization by judicial means is necessary, but penal sanctions are incurred. Some public hospitals provide a civil officer duty period to register birth declarations. Otherwise, you must contact the City Hall (“Mairie”) of the child’s place of birth to declare the birth and receive a birth certificate, free of charge. Inquire directly to the vital statistics (“État civil”) office in the city to know the conditions to get this document issued.

See Déclaration de naissance for more information.

Refer to International Child Abductions: A guidebook for parents

For France, contact the central authority responsible for the implementation of the treaty (in French only).

A decision under The Hague Convention cannot rule on issues of parenting, decision-making responsibility, custody or access. When you apply to have your child returned under The Hague Convention, you are asking authorities in the other country to return your child to Canada so that the courts here can decide on parenting issues. France and Canada are part of The Hague Convention.

Canadian citizens in France or Monaco

Check the eligibility criteria to see if you can apply online for a Canadian Citizenship Certificate for yourself or for your child. If you were born in Canada, you do not need to apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate. Your proof of Canadian citizenship is your birth certificate issued by the province or territory where you were born.

You can send paper applications by mail to Consular Services-Citizenship at the Embassy of Canada to France, in Paris. You can submit multiple applications in one envelope. No original documents are required. Only clear and legible colour photocopies of your documents are needed. If you prefer to apply in person, complete your citizenship application before booking an appointment. Pay your citizenship application fees online, and please include a copy of your receipt with your application.

Citizenship applications submitted in person will not be examined at the reception counter of Consular Services. Applications submitted in person follow the same procedure as those received by the mail.

Check processing times at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Note that applications presented outside of Canada take longer to process.

Your citizenship certificate will be sent to you by registered mail to the postal address you provided. Given the lengthy processing time of citizenship certificate applications, please ensure that you inform us of any change of address, in France or elsewhere in the world, by emailing us at paris-citizenship@international.gc.ca and providing the full name and date of birth of the person concerned.

Note: A Certificate of Canadian citizenship is required to apply for a Canadian passport. If you plan to travel to Canada before receiving your certificate of Canadian citizenship, you are required to apply for a Canadian passport.

Citizenship - Frequently asked questions

• When and how do I apply urgently for a citizenship certificate?
• I legally changed my name. How do I change the name on my citizenship certificate or card?
• Do I become a Canadian citizen when I marry a Canadian?
• I’ve lost my citizenship card/certificate. How do I replace it?

Non-Canadian citizens

Before applying for citizenship, see if you may be a citizen.

Refer to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Criminal record checks. This procedure usually involves that you submit your fingerprints. Most of time, it is possible to get this service from a local police station in France. Fingerprints Paris offers this service.

Note: The Embassy does not provide fingerprinting services and cannot provide updates of any ongoing applications.

Legalization of a criminal record check

French authorities sometimes require that the document be legalized by the Embassy. Our consular service can legalize Canadian Criminal Record checks issued by the RCMP headquarters in Ottawa, Canada. If your document was issued by another police service, you must have this document notarized in Canada before you submit it to us for legalization. More information can be found in the Notarial services section.

Refer to Death abroad.

In France, a declaration of death must be completed within 24 hours. Anyone can declare a death. A funeral home can administer the necessary steps. If the death occurs in a hospital, the hospital will register it directly with the City Hall of the place of death. You must first have the death confirmed and then declared. The doctor will issue a certificate of death, except in the case of a violent death (for example, accident or suicide). In the case of a violent death, you must inform the police or the gendarmerie, and then declare it to the City Hall of the place of death. The city municipal services will issue a burial permit that bears the date and time of death. Burial can only be done 24 hours after the death. Find detailed information at Declaration of death.

For information about procedures following the death of a relative in France, see I have to deal with the death of a loved one. Following a death, the family or relatives of the deceased should contact a funeral home. They will take charge of the necessary administrative steps and getting the official documents required to transport the urn or remains to Canada or another country. In certain regions of France, it may be difficult to find a funeral home offering services in English. If the family wishes to have a service in English, the use of a representative could be beneficial.

The Embassy does not provide special authorization concerning the transport of the remains of a Canadian. The documents provided by the French authorities will be accepted in Canada.

The list of service providers below are for your convenience and not an endorsement by the Embassy:

Anubis assistance

Call center (France)
Tel. 01 49 19 59 60

Call center (Canada)
Tel. (514) 954-9318

www.anubisgroup.co.uk

MAP Assistance international

François Vézina

International services Director

fvezina@magnuspoirier.com

Tel. (514) 727-2847

Pompes funèbres générales (PFG)

Call Center
Tel. 01 53 26 64 50
www.pfg.fr

PF Lutèce International

Tel: + 33 (0)1 42 17 06 06

www.pflutece.com

Hospitals and town halls of place of death

Hospitals and town halls are able to provide lists of local funeral homes by demand. It may be difficult to find English providers in certain regions. An international service provider may be necessary in these cases.

Divorce procedures in France

In case of a divorce procedure, the information on this page is meant to help you understand the process. Contrary to the Canadian practice, it is still mandatory to be assisted by a lawyer. See Ask Travel under General Consular Services for a list of lawyers in France. In the case of a divorce by mutual consent, it is possible to hire the same lawyer, or to hire one for each party.

There are 2 types of divorce:

1. litigious divorce (on the grounds of fault, de facto separation or by acceptance of the principle of marital breakdown)
2. non-litigious (by common consent)

For definitions of each type of divorce, or for additional information about divorce procedures in France, see Divorce, séparation de corps.

Frequently asked questions:

I’m now residing in Canada; can I initiate the procedure in Canada if I got married in France?

If you or your spouse have been residing in Canada for a full year, it is possible to divorce in Canada, if the procedure has not been initiated in France. A marriage celebrated in France is recognized in Canada. Find more information at How to Apply for a Divorce.

How can I get assistance from a lawyer in France if I do not have the financial resources necessary?

Legal aid is available under certain criteria. See Legal aid for more information. Foreigners who are considered as lawfully residents of France can apply for legal aid, even in the case of a divorce by common consent.

How long will the procedure last and what will it cost?

The duration and cost of divorce procedures can vary depending on the case and level of agreement between the parties involved. A divorce can be official after 3 months or many years after the signature of the non-conciliation order, depending on the case. A high-conflict divorce will take more time and will be more expensive than a divorce by common consent.

I would like to return to live in Canada with my children, but the other parent wants to maintain the residency in France. Am I allowed to return to Canada without their consent?

If there is a disagreement between the spouses to determine the children’s country of residence, a family judge must make an order to confirm it. If one of the parties wants to establish residency outside of France with the children, the other parent’s consent, or an order from the family judge authorizing the other parent to do so, is mandatory. Generally, the family judge will try to evaluate whether or not the living conditions of the children could be maintained or improved if they moved to another country. The parent requesting the change of residency will have to submit documentation concerning housing, schooling and professional situation abroad. See Parental authority in case of separation of parents for more information.

What is a “transcription” of a judgement of divorce?

In France, a transcription refers to the notification of the judgement of divorce on the French marriage certificate and on the French birth certificates of the ex-spouses. The lawyers of the parties are in charge of this procedure when is it needed. It is not required to send official documentation to the Embassy of Canada, as our legislation does not refer to this procedure.

Which institution issues the divorce judgement?

In France, the divorce judgement is issued by the clerk of the civil court where the judgement was passed. In Paris, it is the Tribunal de Grande Instance, Parvis du Tribunal de Paris, 75017 Paris.

How can I get a copy of my judgement of divorce?

The judgement of divorce is available, free of charge, at the local City Hall where the wedding took place. You must contact the “service de l’état civil” of the City Hall and specify which document you would need. Provide the full name of the ex-spouse. A self-addressed and pre-stamped envelope must be included in your request.

The Embassy cannot give any legal advice. If you need to discuss your situation with a professional lawyer, you can contact one of the lawyers listed on Ask Travel. Choose Emergency Assistance and then click on “Which lawyers can I contact abroad”. Finally, chose France as the country and then select the city where you need legal services. A Paris, les structures d’accès au droit sont répertoriées par le Tribunal de Paris.

You can also contact a lawyer of your choice, registered with a bar association in France. To access legal advices in your region or city, you can contact your local Maison de la justice et du droit. In Paris, the consultations available are listed on the website of the Tribunal de Paris.

Refer to Marriage abroad.

If you are coming to France get married and settle in the country, make sure to contact France-Visas to obtain the right documentation to come to France.

The Embassy of Canada does not perform marriages. To celebrate a marriage in France, we invite you to contact your local City Hall (Mairie) to obtain the list of required documents. It is mandatory to have a civil marriage at your local City Hall before an optional religious ceremony. See Mariage en France for more information.

Consular services at the Embassy of Canada or the Authentication Services Section of Global Affairs Canada can help you obtain the Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad (this document replaces the Certificat de coutume and the Certificat de capacité matrimoniale requested by the Mairie in France).

To get the documents from the Embassy, including the necessary documents to be married in France, you can send your file by mail (3 working days processing time, excluding postal delivery time and statutory holidays, upon submission of a duly completed file) or book an appointment for a notarial services. Please prepare the following documents:

• A copy of your valid Canadian passport (only pages 2 and 3)
• If you were born in Canada: a copy of your Canadian birth certificate
• If you were born outside Canada: a copy of both sides copy of your citizenship certificate
• An original statutory declaration including your name, residential address, present marital status and the name, the citizenship and residential address of future spouse. This statutory declaration must be:
• in French and mention the date and place of the signature
• before to be sent to our services, signed in front of a lawyer, notary public or commissioner of oaths in Canada, or signed in front of a lawyer, notary or an official who is entitled to witness sworn statements at a local Mairie in France.
  If you are abroad, you also have the possibility to sign this statement in front of an office of the Government of Canada abroad. Additional 50$cad to the 50$cad for the issuance of the cerificate of non-impediment.

The following text can be used as an example of statutory declaration:

Je soussigné(e) [your full name] citoyen(ne) canadien(ne) né(e) le [your date of birth] et résidant au [your detailed residential address], déclare solennellement par la présente être [choose the option that fits your personal situation : single, divorced or widowed] et libre de contracter un mariage avec [full name of the spouse], citoyen [spouse’s nationality] résidant au [your spouse’s detailed residential address].

• If you have been married in the past: a certified copy of your divorce certificate or a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse
• A payment of Can$50 – Print and fill out the Credit Card Authorization
• A short letter explaining your request. Include your name and address for the return of the documents. Also include your email and telephone number in case we need to reach you.

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Civil Union: Pacte de solidarité civil (PACS)

The Pacte de solidarité civil (PACS) is a procedure to make a union official. The PACS procedure would be close to what we call in Canada “Common law spouse”. If you live in France, you can celebrate a PACS at your local city hall (Mairie) or in front of a French « notaire ». See Pacte civil de solidarité for more information.

The Consular service of the Embassy of Canada in Paris can issue a Statement In lieu of Certificate of Non-impediment to a PACS according to French legislation. To get the necessary documents for a PACS in France from the Embassy, send your file by mail (3 working days processing time, excluding postal delivery time and statutory holidays, upon submission of a duly completed file) or book an appointment for a notarial services.

The list of documents to provide is the same than above (see section on marriage), except the text of the statutory declaration is slightly different:

The following text can be used as an example of statutory declaration:

Je soussigné(e) [your full name] citoyen(ne) canadien(ne) né(e) le [your date of birth] et résidant au [your detailed residential address], déclare solennellement par la présente être [choose the option that fits your personal situation : single, divorced or widowed (in French célibataire, veuf(ve) ou divorcé(e))] et ne pas faire l'objet d'une mesure de tutelle ou de curatelle et être libre de conclure un PACS avec [full name of your partner], citoyen [partner’s nationality] résidant au [your partner’s detailed residential address].

Register a foreign marriage in Canada

As Canada does not have a central vital statistic office, there is no special procedure to register your French marriage with us. Even if your new marital status is recognized in Canada and your French document is accepted by the Canadian administrations, some provincial vital statistics have their own procedures to register a marriage celebrated abroad. Contact your provincial vital statistics office for more information.

The office provides the following notarial services, by post or by appointment, to Canadian citizens and, in limited cases, to non-Canadian citizens if the documents are intended for use in Canada.

Note: Documents must be in English or French, or accompanied by an official translation in English or French. Notarial services can not provide documents to confirm your identity (such as identity confirmation form for a bank or a lawyer, documents for the Medical Council of Canada, or any other documents to confirm your identity to professional authorities in Canada).

Legalization/Authentication/Attestation/Certified copy (certify the document signature, the position of an official and the seal are genuine): If you choose to mail in your applications, it takes 3 business days to process, excluding postal delivery time and statutory holidays, upon submission of a duly completed file.

The mandatory document are the following:

• Document to legalized (the document must have original signatures)
• A copy of your Canadian passport or a valid official ID
• A payment of 50$cad per document. Click on the link, print the document, complete it and joint it to your application.
• A short letter to explain your request and to report your instruction for the return of the document. Your letter will be by register mail at no cost. Please indicate the name and address to mail the document to. Also include your email and telephone number on this letter in case we need to reach you.

Witness a signature, affidavit, sworn statement only by appointment

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).

Note: You need to gather all the necessary papers before presenting yourself at your appointment, but the date and your signature must be completed in front of the officer. Note that if witnesses must sign your document, both you and the witnesses must be present at the Embassy on the day of your appointment. Witnesses must have their own original official and valid pieces of identification. It is your responsibility to ensure that your witnesses meet the eligibility criteria. Your presence is mandatory for this service; please make an appointment with us.

If you have questions about notarial services, email paris-consulaire@international.gc.ca

Canadian citizens in France or Monaco

You can pay online for all your passport services before completing your passport application.

You can send your application and online payment receipts by mail to “Embassy of Canada Consular Services”, 130 rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 PARIS. Your passport and original documents will be returned to you by registered mail. You do not have to provide an envelope or pay extra fees for this mail service. Your previous passport will be returned to you if you checked the “Yes, please return it to me” box in the application.

Book an appointment to present your documents in person. If you choose to pick up your passport in person, you will receive an email when your passport is ready. Please book another appointment to pick up the documents.

Passport validity is not extendable. You must apply for a new passport. If your passport is full, you must renew it and pay the fees.

Children

If your child was born outside Canada, you can apply for a passport for them once they have received their Canadian citizenship certificate. See Citizenship services for more information. If you are travelling to Canada soon and have not yet received their citizenship certificate, send us an email at paris-passport@international.gc.ca indicating:

• the child's full name
• the child’s date of birth
• the date you submitted the citizenship certificate application, or
• the date the application was received at the Embassy (according to your postal delivery notification)
• proof of travel and/or the travel date of your child, if available
• your full contact details

Children under the age of 16 are not required to sign the application form, but children between the ages of 11 and 15 can do so. Important: Never sign your child’s passport or other travel document. Print the signature policy and bring it with you when you travel in case you are asked to sign it.

Processing time

The processing time for a passport application is 20 business days, excluding holidays and postal delivery time, upon reception of a completed file.

Lost and stolen passports

If your valid passport is lost or stolen, send an email to paris-passport@international.gc.ca as soon as possible with your:

• full name
• birth date
• travel itinerary
• explanation of your situation

If you do not have access to email, leave a voicemail by calling 01 44 43 29 02. After office hours, your call will be transferred without charge to the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

To replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport, submit a new passport application containing the documents listed on the lost, stolen, inaccessible, damaged or found passports page. Although Embassy staff will do everything possible to replace your passport, we must comply with certain statutory requirements. In some cases, it may be necessary for you to reschedule your travel plans.

Emergency passport application

If your application is urgent and you must travel in less than 20 working days, you may apply for a temporary passport. Email paris-passport@international.gc.ca to give us details on your emergency. An appointment may then be offered to you as it is mandatory to come to the Canadian embassy in person for a temporary passport service. The processing time for a temporary passport ranges from a minimum of 2 business days up to 19 business days depending on the complexity of your application. You must submit a completed passport application - follow the instructions available on the lost, stolen, inaccessible, damaged or found passports page. Please also include:

• your proof of travel (show this to Embassy security and the passport officer)
• a receipt of payment for the additional fees (Can$110) for the temporary passport, payable online.

Passports - Frequently asked questions

• Who can act as a guarantor?
• I can’t find a guarantor, what can I do?
• Who can act as a reference?
  • References are not required to reside in France or in Canada, nor are they required to be Canadian citizens.
• Do dual Canadian citizens need a valid Canadian passport?
• I have changed my surname. Can I obtain a new passport?
• What proof of Canadian citizenship is acceptable?
• What are the photo requirements?
• In the event of separation or divorce, who can apply for a passport on behalf of a child?

To apply for a retirement benefit in Canada, contact the relevant services in Canada directly. Find information at Public pensions.

For the Province of Québec, see Retraite Québec for more information.

The Consular service of the Embassy does not have access to individual files related to pensions. If you have a question about your file, contact the service in Canada directly.

The Consular service can help you to get certified copies of your Canadian documents if you need them to submit your retirement file in Canada. This service is free if you are able to demonstrate that you need it as part of an application for retirement in Canada.

France and Canada have international agreements. We invite you to consult those helpful resources:

• Benefits for Canadians living abroad
• France – Pensions and Benefits
• Guide for Completing an Application for Canadian Old Age, Retirement and Survivors Benefits under the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and France (PDF)
• Canada’s international social security agreements
• Accords de sécurité sociale entre la France et le Canada (French only)

For additional information, see Retiring abroad.

Same sex marriage has been authorized in France since 2013.

Refer to Studying abroad and EduCanada.

Please note that the Embassy does not respond to applications for Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), Study Permits, Work Permits, Visas, Permanent Resident Travel Documents, etc. Use the IRCC web form to contact the Visa Office in Paris.

Refer to Voting in an election while outside Canada.