Family reunification

Verified 22 April 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

If you are a beneficiary of refugee status or subsidiary protection in France or if France has recognized you as stateless and in any case you have a residence permit, you can then bring your spouse (married, past or in a common-law relationship) and your children to France under certain conditions. We're taking a look at the regulations.

Refugee / Protected

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Your family members must have been declared to theOfpra: titleContent at the time of the application for protection.

Family ties must be from before your asylum application.

FYI  

If you married or your children were born after applying for protection, you must apply for family reunification.

The family members eligible for the family reunification procedure are:

  • Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent at least 18 years of age, if the marriage or civil union is prior to the date on which your application for protection was made
  • Concubin or a concubine of at least 18 years of age with whom you had, before the date of application for protection, a sufficiently stable and continuous life together
  • Unmarried children of your couple aged 19 years or older.

If you are minor and unmarried, your parents, possibly accompanied by your unmarried minor siblings in their actual care, may benefit from the family reunification procedure.

The age of the children shall be considered on the date on which the application for family reunification was submitted.

The family reunification procedure may be initiated as soon as protection is obtained.

To enter France, your family members must request a long-stay visa to the competent French diplomatic and consular authorities in the country in which they reside.

They must present civil status documents proving their identity and your family ties.

In the absence of civil status records, they must provide the elements of state ownership and documents drawn up or authenticated by theOfpra: titleContent.

Your family members should consult the France-Visas portal for a list of documents to be provided.

France-Visas - Assistant-visas - List of documents to be provided

At the end of the investigation, in the event of a favorable decision, a visa sticker is affixed to the consulate's travel document. It allows your family to come to France.

Your family members must submit an application for a residence permit on the internet, at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the end of validity of their visa.

The request is made on the following website:

Apply online for a residence permit, a change of situation, a travel document, a naturalization application - ANEF

The card issued to your family members depends on your status.

Refugee

The card issued to your family members is a resident card.

It is valid 10 years and allows you to work in France without the employer having to apply for a work permit.

Protected

The card issued to members of your family is marked family member ofa beneficiary of subsidiary protection.

It has a period of validity of 4 years and allows you to work in France without the employer having to apply for a work permit.

The following persons shall be refused family reunification:

  • A family member whose presence in France constitutes a threat to public order or where it is established that he is an instigator, perpetrator or accomplice in the persecution and serious harm which justified the granting of protection under asylum
  • Applicant or family member who does not comply with the essential principles which, in accordance with the laws of the Republic, govern family life in France, the host country.

Reasons for refusal of visa 

Reasons must be given for any visa refusal.

Appeal against refusal of visa

In case of refusal of your visa application, you can form a ex gratia to the consulate, asking it to reconsider its decision.

You can also refer decisions refusing entry visas to France (CRRV) to the Appeals Commission.

This remedy is mandatory before any appeal to the administrative judge. You must present it in 30 days next:

  • Either the notification of the written refusal
  • Either the implicit refusal of your visa application (if the consulate has not responded to you within 2 months).

You must give reasons for your appeal (set out the legal and factual elements). You must write it in French, sign it and attach any useful document.

The VAC may be requested by you, your lawyer, or anyone with a valid interest to challenge the visa refusal (e.g. a family member).

The CRRV may:

  • Dismiss your appeal (in the absence of a response within 2 months, this is an implied dismissal)
  • Or recommend to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Interior to grant you the visa.

Please note

If your appeal is manifestly inadmissible or ill-founded, the president of the CRRV may dismiss your appeal alone, without convening the CRRV.

If the CRRV rejects your appeal, or if the ministers confirm the refusal of visa despite the CRRV's favorable opinion, you can file an appeal for annulment within 2 months. This appeal must be filed with the administrative court of Nantes.

Stateless

Your family members must have been declared to theOfpra: titleContent at the time of the application for statelessness.

Family ties must be dated before your application for statelessness.

FYI  

If you married or your children were born after applying for statelessness, you must apply for family reunification.

The family members eligible for the family reunification procedure are:

  • Spouse, spouse or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent at least 18 years of age, if the marriage or civil union is prior to the date on which your application for statelessness was made
  • Concubin or your concubine of at least 18 years of age, with whom you had, before the date of your application for statelessness, a sufficiently stable and continuous life together
  • Unmarried children of your couple aged 19 years or older.

If you are minor and unmarried, your parents accompanied, if necessary, by your unmarried minor siblings for whom they are effectively responsible.

Please note

The age of the children shall be considered on the date on which the application for family reunification was submitted.

The family reunification procedure may be initiated as soon as protection is obtained.

To enter France, your family members must request a long-stay visa to the competent French diplomatic and consular authorities in the country in which they reside.

They must present civil status documents proving their identity and your family ties.

In the absence of civil status records, they must provide the elements of state ownership and documents drawn up or authenticated by theOfpra: titleContent.

Your family members should consult the France-Visas portal for a list of documents to be provided.

France-Visas - Assistant-visas - List of documents to be provided

At the end of the investigation, in the event of a favorable decision, a visa sticker is affixed to the consulate's travel document. It allows your family to come to France.

Your family members must submit an application for a residence permit to the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of your home (find out more on the prefecture's website) no later than 2 months before the end of their visa.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

It is not possible to carry out the procedures in some sub-prefectures. Find out more on the website of your prefecture.

The card issued to members of your family is marked family member of a beneficiary of stateless person status.

The residence card is valid for 4 years and allows you to work in France without the employer having to apply for a work permit.

The following persons shall be refused family reunification:

  • A family member whose presence in France poses a threat to thepublic order or where it is established that he is an instigator, perpetrator or accomplice in the persecution and serious harm which justified the granting of protection under asylum
  • Applicant or family member who does not comply with the essential principles which, in accordance with the laws of the Republic, govern family life in France, the host country.

Reasons for refusal of visa 

Reasons must be given for any visa refusal.

Appeal against refusal of visa

In case of refusal of your visa application, you can form a ex gratia to the consulate, asking it to reconsider its decision.

You can also refer decisions refusing entry visas to France (CRRV) to the Appeals Commission.

This remedy is mandatory before any appeal to the administrative judge. You must present it in 30 days next:

  • Either the notification of the written refusal
  • Either the implicit refusal of your visa application (if the consulate has not responded to you within 2 months).

You must give reasons for your appeal (set out the legal and factual elements). You must write it in French, sign it and attach any useful document.

The VAC may be requested by you, your lawyer, or anyone with a valid interest to challenge the visa refusal (e.g. a family member).

The CRRV may:

  • Dismiss your appeal (in the absence of a response within 2 months, this is an implied dismissal)
  • Or recommend to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Interior to grant you the visa.

Please note

If your appeal is manifestly inadmissible or ill-founded, the president of the CRRV may dismiss your appeal alone, without convening the CRRV.

If the CRRV rejects your appeal, or if the ministers confirm the refusal of visa despite the CRRV's favorable opinion, you can file an appeal for annulment within 2 months. This appeal must be filed with the administrative court of Nantes.