# My Fiancé is French



## Jane111

Hello,
I'm currently back in the US after my last short-term visitor visa for France expired.
I am now engaged to my French partner (yay!) and I want to marry him and live with him in France. I have been researching options with incredibly varied answers about how we can make this happen and as fast as possible so I don't have to be away from him for so long for a fourth time.

Would it theoretically be best or possible for an American to go to France for a short-stay and marry their partner during those three months and then apply for a spouse visa upon their return to the US? Is there any way that a return to the US wouldn't be necessary? Also, are there any ideas on how long the process might take in total?

I know this topic has been covered on this site in the past, I am just wondering if anyone has knowledge or assistance that is as up-to-date as possible.
Thank you!


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## Bevdeforges

The policy on this has evolved quite a bit over the last few years. I suggest you take a look at this page from Service Public: Carte de séjour "vie privée et familiale" d'un étranger en France and then click on the drop down section for Epoux de Français, where they explain how you can come to France on a "tourist" visa (i.e. the 90 day stamp in the passport), get married and then apply for the carte de séjour (i.e. residence permit). You wind up having to pay a small fine for doing things a little bit backwards.

Or you can go over on a tourist visa, get married in France (which takes a certain amount of paperwork hassle) and then return to the US to apply for a visa as the spouse of a French citizen. These visas are pretty much automatically granted and then you can return to France and go through the immigration stuff (same as if you just pay the fine and apply for your carte de séjour in France right after the marriage). 

It's actually a fairly easy process to get the visa or the initial titre de séjour once the marriage has taken place (in France). Then there is the procedure for registering with OFII and going through the orientation sessions and fulfilling the requirements for the "contract of integration" which you must do during your first year in France.


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## Jane111

Bevdeforges said:


> The policy on this has evolved quite a bit over the last few years. I suggest you take a look at this page from Service Public: Carte de séjour "vie privée et familiale" d'un étranger en France and then click on the drop down section for Epoux de Français, where they explain how you can come to France on a "tourist" visa (i.e. the 90 day stamp in the passport), get married and then apply for the carte de séjour (i.e. residence permit). You wind up having to pay a small fine for doing things a little bit backwards.
> 
> Or you can go over on a tourist visa, get married in France (which takes a certain amount of paperwork hassle) and then return to the US to apply for a visa as the spouse of a French citizen. These visas are pretty much automatically granted and then you can return to France and go through the immigration stuff (same as if you just pay the fine and apply for your carte de séjour in France right after the marriage).
> 
> It's actually a fairly easy process to get the visa or the initial titre de séjour once the marriage has taken place (in France). Then there is the procedure for registering with OFII and going through the orientation sessions and fulfilling the requirements for the "contract of integration" which you must do during your first year in France.


Thank you so much!!


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## andthushesaid

Same thing here! For me, getting married in the US, applying for my marriage transcription (paperwork involved, but not arduous), and then receiving my spouse visa has taken less then four months. Take a look at my thread; Bev’s insight there is very helpful in weighing your decision on where to get married:

Marry French National; Relocate to France


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