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Family reunification and family residence
Family reunification, family of a French citizen and family of an EU citizen are distinct routes.
See the essentials at a glance
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key points: Conjoint · Enfants · OFII · Housing
What is the sponsor’s status?
The three family routes are not interchangeable.
Regroupement familial
18 months, resources, housing, OFII, then visa.
Famille de Français
France‑Visas and residence route for French family.
Free-movement family
EU family rules and matching residence card.
Five core proofs
- 01Sponsor’s exact status
- 02Marriage and parentage
- 0312-month resources
- 04Suitable housing
- 05OFII decision + visa
Most asked questions
How long must the sponsor live in France?
The ordinary route generally requires 18 months of lawful residence; French/EU family and protection routes differ.
What is the income requirement?
Stable resources over the preceding 12 months are assessed against household size and the current SMIC reference.
Must the sponsor own a home?
No, but suitable, safe and healthy housing must be evidenced.
Does a PACS partner qualify automatically?
No. The ordinary route targets spouse and minor children; another residence basis may be needed.
Can relatives arrive as tourists and apply?
The ordinary sequence normally completes OFII decision and long-stay visa before arrival.
Separate the three family routes first
Ordinary regroupement familial serves the spouse and minor children abroad of a lawfully resident non-EU national. Relatives of French citizens and family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens use different visa and residence rules. Choosing the wrong sponsor status produces the wrong income, housing, OFII and document checklist. Start by writing the exact nationality and permit of the person in France.
Who is covered by ordinary family reunification?
The general route covers a spouse aged at least 18 and, normally, children under 18. A PACS partner, fiancé, sibling, adult child or other relative does not automatically enter the same file. The family link must be genuine and supported by official records at filing. Bilateral agreements, protection status and special family facts can change the general rule, so nationality and status still need a separate check.
The sponsor’s residence condition
On the ordinary route, the non-EU sponsor must generally have lived lawfully in France for at least 18 months under an eligible status. Permit type, remaining validity and continuing lawful residence matter. Refugee or subsidiary-protection family reunion is not the same income-and-housing procedure; family of French or EU citizens should not be forced into this 18-month route either.
How the resources test works
The administration examines stable and sufficient resources over the 12 months before filing, with the benchmark varying by family size and linked to the SMIC. Do not apply one old euro figure to every household. Some benefits are excluded while eligible income and, in some cases, the spouse’s resources can be considered. Payslips, tax records, contract and bank evidence should tell one consistent income story.
Housing standard and OFII inspection
The planned home must meet floor-area rules that vary by geographic zone and household size, as well as health and safety standards. Ownership is not required; a lease, lawful occupation or a suitable home being secured can be evidenced. The municipality or OFII may inspect. A listing, hotel booking or informal short-stay letter is not automatically sufficient housing proof.
The order from OFII file to visa
The person in France files with the responsible OFII office or stated channel. Municipal and OFII checks cover resources and housing, and the competent authority decides. After approval, relatives abroad complete the long-stay visa process through France‑Visas. Do not assume they can arrive as visitors and automatically convert in France; the ordinary sequence completes decision and visa before arrival.
Documents and foreign civil records
The sponsor’s passport, permit, address and income evidence; each relative’s passport; birth and marriage records; custody and parental permissions form the core file. Names, dates and parentage must be consistent. Foreign public documents may need sworn translation, apostille or legalisation. Polygamy, false records or contradictory civil status can produce refusal and serious legal consequences.
Why French and EU family routes are different
A French citizen’s spouse generally uses the famille de Français long-stay route. A third-country relative of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen uses free-movement family rules. The ordinary OFII income-and-housing test is not copied unchanged, though the relationship, shared life, citizen’s status and sometimes resources or health cover can still be assessed. The wrong category causes avoidable delay.
Timing, silence, refusal and arrival duties
Decision time is measured in months and administrative silence can create an implicit refusal at a defined stage. Keep filing and notification dates and read the appeal deadline in the decision. After arrival, validate the VLS‑TS or request the card according to the visa wording, attend OFII appointments and complete integration and health steps. Family reunification does not itself grant citizenship.
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Publication team: FRA9 · Editorial lead: Pınar Mehmet
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