Civil Records for France citizens in the United States — 2026

Civil records registration means registering births, marriages and deaths that occurred in the United States with the France authorities. Essential for citizens of France living abroad whose family events happen in the U.S.

France consulates processing civil records

What can be registered?

• Birth registration: children of France parents born in the U.S. can be registered as France nationals
• Marriage registration: marriages of France citizens (or mixed marriages) celebrated in the U.S.
• Death registration: death of France nationals in the U.S.
• Divorce registration: U.S. divorce decrees for those married in France

Required documents

• Original U.S. vital record (birth/marriage/death certificate)
• Apostille from the Secretary of State of the issuing state
• Certified translation to the official language of France
• Passport and ID of the France citizens involved
• Application form completed

How to register

Most France consulates require an appointment to file civil records. The consulate then forwards the registration to the France civil registry office.

Some consulates accept mail-in applications for civil records. Check the official site of your consulate.

Costs and processing times

Registration fees: typically free or $10-$50 per record. Processing time at the consulate: 2-4 weeks; final registration in France can take additional months.