French Code of civil procedure

Applications relating to the presumption of absence shall be submitted to the guardianship judge exercising his functions at the judicial court within whose jurisdiction the person whose presumption of absence is to be established resides or last resided. Failing this, the competent judge shall be that of the judicial court of the place where the applicant resides.

The application shall be made, investigated and judged in accordance with the rules applicable to guardianship of adults.

An extract of any decision establishing a presumption of absence or appointing a person to represent a person presumed to be absent and to administer his or her property, as well as any decision modifying or withdrawing the measures taken, shall be sent to the registry of the judicial court in whose jurisdiction the person presumed to be absent was born, for the purpose of being kept in the civil…

Where the decision has been handed down by the guardianship judge, the transmission is made by the clerk of the judicial court within fifteen days of the expiry of the time limits for appeal. Where the decision has been handed down by the court of appeal, the transmission is made by the clerk of that court within fifteen days of the judgment.