French Civil Code

Civil status records will state the year, day and time they are received, the first names and surname of the civil registrar, the first names, surnames, occupations and domiciles of all those named therein. The dates and places of birth: a) Of the parents in acts of birth and acknowledgement; b) Of the child in acts of acknowledgement; c) Of the spouses in acts of marriage; d) Of the deceased…

Civil status records are drawn up by civil registrars. They carry out their duties under the supervision of the public prosecutor.

Civil registrars may not insert anything in the records they receive, either by note or by any statement whatsoever, other than what must be declared by those appearing.

In cases where the parties concerned are not obliged to appear in person, they may be represented by a special and authentic proxy.

Witnesses produced for civil status records must be at least eighteen years of age, relatives or others, regardless of sex; they will be chosen by the persons concerned.

The civil registrar will read the acts to the parties appearing, or to their proxy, and to the witnesses; he will invite them to examine them directly before signing them. A mention will be made on the acts of the completion of these formalities.

These acts will be signed by the civil registrar, by those appearing and by the witnesses; or mention will be made of the cause preventing those appearing and the witnesses from signing.

Civil status records are drawn up on paper and are entered, in each municipality, in one or more registers kept in duplicate. When they have implemented automated processing of civil status data, the municipalities ensure that the conditions of security and integrity are met. The technical characteristics of the processing implemented to store these data are set by decree in the Conseil d’Etat. By way of derogation from the first…

Where no registers have existed, or where they have been lost, proof shall be received both by titles and by witnesses; and, in such cases, marriages, births and deaths may be proved both by the registers and papers emanating from deceased fathers and mothers, and by witnesses. Until the reconstitution or restitution of the registers has been effected, all civil status records, the originals of which have been destroyed or…