# Marriage to an EU national



## alisakelly13 (Apr 26, 2014)

Hi everybody,

My fiancé is a French citizen and I am American. We would like to get married next summer (2015) and then possibly move to Portugal.

Through my marriage to a French citizen, can I legally live and work in Portugal?

Thanks in advance for any information!


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Yes providing he/she registers residence here correctly and also for you as "unification of family member" same would apply in any EU country, some might reguire more than a Schengen Visa to enter, but still very few jobs here


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Canoeman is dead right (as usual) but it can sometimes be easier to say than do (at least here in Portugal) and one of our other members has been battling for a considerable time to do what should in theory be easy. 

Probably the best/easiest way for you to do it would be to get married and get an EU passport whilst in France and only then, come to Portugal.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

You can't get an EU passport they don't exist, each EU country issues Passports to a common design and unless you have Dual Nationality you could only get a French passport by complying with whatever French laws on acquiring French Nationality says is the requirement, which I believe is you must have been married to a French Citizen for a minimum 4 years or 5 years if not resident for at least 3 years in France.

As TM says it can be difficult and it's important to make certain you follow procedure and have correct paperwork, translated and notarized if necessary before you arrive rather than after when it becomes more difficult or expensive to obtain, remembering also simple things like driving licence as well as you'd need to exchange
This is link Portal SEF


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Sorry for not making myself clear...... I meant a passport from an EU country..... in this case France. 

What I meant was get married in France because the groom is French and then use that marriage certificate to get the passport in the same country so there is less paperwork/translations etc to deal with....... Once she has the passport, it's relatively easy but without it, life is a royal PITA.

ADDED

I wasn't aware it took several years to get the passport & my apologies for that.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

In which case, you need to do the reunification thing and from my friend's experience, it takes a while and is as I said, a royal PITA. LOL


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## alisakelly13 (Apr 26, 2014)

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for your answers, that's so helpful!

I have one more question regarding the marriage certificate. Do you know if we would have to register the marriage in France before I could apply for residency in Portugal? On the link canoeman posted it just said we need a marriage certificate, it didn't specify that it had to be registered in the EU, so I'm wondering if we could just use the US marriage certificate and have it translated/notarized...


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I can't give you an answer on that & you haven't said where you're going to get married but will point out that if you get married in France then you'd be killing two birds with one stone.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

You present your actual marriage certificate which is the Legal document for the ceremony in whatever country it takes place, you should check whether it requires translating and notarized and whether that ceremony is legally accepted in his home country i.e. France .

As your fiance is French and your are getting married in the USA its him that has to comply with US Law on marriage and reguired Residency, don't think it's possible to then register that marriage in another country, the certificate is the legal proof.

Theres possibly more benefits to retain USA Nationality as French Laws in certain areas are very different to what you're used to, Succession being one but I've no idea how a marriage to a French National might impact on you


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