Chapter IIa: Marriage of French nationals abroad

In order to be enforceable against third parties in France, the marriage record of a French national celebrated by a foreign authority must be transcribed into French civil status registers. In the absence of transcription, the marriage of a French national, validly celebrated by a foreign authority, produces its civil effects in France with regard to the spouses and children. The future spouses are informed of the rules provided for…

When the marriage has been celebrated despite the opposition of the public prosecutor, the consular civil registrar may only transcribe the foreign marriage record onto French civil status registers after the spouses have submitted a judicial release decision.

Where the marriage has been celebrated in contravention of the provisions of Article 171-2, transcription is preceded by a joint hearing of the spouses and, where appropriate, individual interviews by the diplomatic or consular authority. However, if this authority has information establishing that the validity of the marriage is not in question with regard to articles 146 and 180, it may, by reasoned decision, have the transcript made without first…

When the formalities provided for in Article 171-2 have been complied with and the marriage has been celebrated in the forms customary in the country, it shall be entered in the civil status registers unless new elements based on serious evidence lead to the presumption that the marriage is null and void under Articles 144, 146, 146-1, 147, 161, 162, 163, 180 ou 191. In the latter case, the diplomatic…