French Republic simplifies family reunification with long-stay visa

Key Takeaways

• Family Reunification requires a VLS-TS visa and proof of relationship, income, accommodation, and health insurance.
• The application costs €99 per person, plus an OFII validation tax of €200–€250 after arrival in France.
• Missing validation within three months of arrival invalidates residency; applying for a residence card is required for stays over one year.

Moving to the French Republic 🇫🇷 as a family member of someone who already lives there can be a life-changing event. If you are not from the European Union and want to join your loved ones for a stay longer than three months, you will most likely need a Long-Stay Visa equivalent to a Residence Permit (Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour, or VLS-TS). The most common way this happens is through Family Reunification, known in French as “regroupement familial.” This guide explains what you need to qualify, which papers to collect, the fees and timing, and every step you’ll need to follow. By the end, you’ll know how to bring your family together in the French Republic 🇫🇷 with the right documents and steps.

Checklist: Documents and Main Steps

• Valid passport (at least one year’s validity)
• Completed online application form
• Passport-sized photos
• Proof of your family relationship
• Evidence that your family member (sponsor) lives legally in France
• Adequate place to live in France (accommodation proof)
• Proof of enough income
• Health insurance
• Civil status records (e.g., marriage, birth certificates)
• Application fee
• OFII validation fee, after arrival
• Validating your visa online once in France

1. Who Can Apply for the French Long-Stay Visa (VLS-TS) for Family Reunification?

The French Republic 🇫🇷 allows certain family members to join a sponsor—someone already living legally in France. Here’s who is eligible:

• Spouse: If you are married to a French citizen or someone who legally lives in France, you are eligible.
• Children: Children under 21, or dependent children of the sponsor or their spouse, can apply.
• Parents and Grandparents: These family members can apply if they are financially supported by the sponsor in France.

For the sponsor—the person living in the French Republic 🇫🇷 who wants to bring over family—the following conditions must be met:

• Legal right to live in France: They must have a valid residence permit or be a French citizen.
• Stable and enough income: For each adult, the sponsor needs at least about €1,400 net each month. For each child, add around €700 net per month. This means a family with two adults and two children would need to show they have about €4,200 net income per month.
• Suitable accommodation: The sponsor must offer a home in France that meets health and safety rules, proven with a lease or housing certificate.

Apart from sponsor requirements, the applicant (family member coming to France) must:

• Hold a valid passport
• Show proof of their relationship to the sponsor
• Have health insurance for the first months in France, until they are covered by the French health system

Important: If you do not meet these rules or cannot show proper proof, your application could be refused.

2. What Documents Do You Need?

You’ll need to organize documents for yourself and your sponsor. Make sure everything that isn’t in French is translated by a sworn translator.

All papers not in French must be translated by a trained translator.

3. How Much Does It Cost?

Applying for a Long-Stay Visa for Family Reunification in the French Republic 🇫🇷 has two main costs:

• Visa Application Fee: You must pay €99 per person when you submit your application.
• OFII Validation Tax: After you arrive in France 🇫🇷, you’ll have to pay a tax to the French immigration office (OFII) when you validate your VLS-TS online. This is usually €200–€250 for adults.

Fees are non-refundable, even if you don’t get the visa. Always keep your payment receipts.

4. How Long Is The Visa Valid?

• Most VLS-TS visas are valid for between four months and one year.
• At first, you might get a visa that is valid for three months so you can enter France.
• After coming to France and validating your visa, it will act as your residence permit for up to one year.
• If you want to stay longer than one year, you must apply for a new, multi-year residence card (called a carte de séjour) before your original visa expires.

Tip: Apply for the renewal several weeks before your VLS-TS runs out to avoid any gaps.

5. Step-by-Step Guide: How to Apply for the French Long-Stay Visa (VLS-TS) for Family Reunification

The process involves several steps, and it’s important to follow them in order.

Step 1: Pre-check and Start Your Application Online

• Begin at the France Visas official portal and use their Visa Assistant to check you need a Long-Stay Visa for Family Reunification.
• Register for an account.
• Fill out the application form online.

Step 2: Collect All Required Documents

• Gather all the documents listed above.
• Double-check if you need any additional papers based on your personal situation.
• Get all non-French documents officially translated.

Note: Missing or incorrect papers are one of the main reasons visas are denied.

Step 3: Schedule Your Appointment

• Use the website to make an appointment at the closest French consulate, TLScontact, or VFS Global visa center in your country.
• Bring all originals and copies of your documents.
• Be on time and prepared for your interview.

Step 4: Submit Your Application and Pay the Fees

• Hand in your application and paperwork at your appointment.
• Pay the €99 application fee at this time.
• Make sure you receive a receipt.

Step 5: Wait for Processing

• Processing times are not the same everywhere but can take several weeks.
• You may be asked for additional information, so check your email regularly.

Step 6: Collect Your Visa and Travel to France

• If you are approved, collect your visa, which is stuck into your passport.
• Plan your trip so you arrive within the dates written on the visa.

Step 7: Validate Your Visa Online After Arrival

• As soon as you arrive in France 🇫🇷, you have up to three months to go online to the official government validation website and validate your VLS-TS.
• Enter your details and address, upload needed documents, and pay the OFII validation tax.
• This is what gives you the full legal right to stay in France.

Caution: If you do not validate your VLS-TS within three months of arriving, your legal right to live in France will be lost.

Step 8: For Longer Stays—Apply for a Residence Card

• If you want to stay in France for more than one year, you must make an appointment with your local prefecture and apply for a new residence card (carte de séjour) before your current visa expires.

6. Special Scenarios and Tips

• If bringing children: For kids coming to live with their parents, there may be special approval steps with OFII before the visa process. Ask at your consulate.
• Spouse or family of special permit holders: If the sponsor in France 🇫🇷 has a “Talent Passport” or “EU Blue Card,” family members usually get automatic work rights after validating the visa.
• Proof of ongoing family life: You must show that you’re still living as a family throughout your stay. If the French Republic 🇫🇷 finds out a marriage is fake or family ties have ended, the visa or permit might be cancelled.
• Always check rules: Laws and required paperwork can change, and some details are different depending on your own country and family setup. The France Visas wizard always gives the latest list for your exact situation.
• Don’t wait to renew: Renew your card before it expires, or you could lose your right to stay in France.

7. Cost Breakdown—Detailed

Here’s what you can expect to pay for Family Reunification through a Long-Stay Visa in the French Republic 🇫🇷:

• Visa application (each applicant): €99
• OFII validation tax: Around €200–€250 (adults)
• Total for a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids): €99 x 4 + €200 x 2 = about €796, not including other small costs like translations.

All payments must be made even if your application is refused.

8. Best Practices and Common Mistakes

Best Practices:

• Start early—gather documents ahead of time.
• Triple-check translations and make sure they’re from a sworn translator.
• Consult official government links for up-to-date requirements.
• Keep a folder with originals and copies of every paper.
• Arrange health insurance before you arrive.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Missing the online validation step after arrival in France
• Not translating documents into French
• Submitting outdated or unsigned family certificates
• Not meeting the income requirement
• Forgetting to renew before your visa runs out

If your application is denied, you may appeal or re-apply, but you should review exactly which requirement wasn’t met.

9. What Happens After You Settle in France?

Once you’ve arrived, validated your VLS-TS, and are reunited with your family in the French Republic 🇫🇷, you have most of the same rights as permanent residents. That means you can:

• Enroll your children in local schools
• Access certain state services
• Register for healthcare (after initial insurance runs out)
• Start integration classes if required

If your family life changes or you move, update the local prefecture as soon as possible.

10. Where to Get More Help

If you run into problems, the French Embassy or Consulate in your home country, or your local prefecture in France, are the main official contacts. For step-by-step support, always check the France-visas official website for updated instructions.

Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that staying fully informed and checking your situation against the latest government checklists helps families avoid missed steps that could delay or deny reunification.

11. Closing Summary

Bringing your close family to live with you in the French Republic 🇫🇷 is possible through the Long-Stay Visa equivalent to a Residence Permit (VLS-TS), using the Family Reunification process. The main requirements focus on showing a real family link, meeting income standards, and having a safe place to live. If you gather your documents early, follow each online and in-person step, pay the right fees, and remember to validate your visa on arrival, you will be able to keep your family together. Use only official resources for the latest details, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you’re unsure.

For more information about this or other visa types, see the official France Visas page, which always has current forms, instructions, and updates.

With careful planning and attention to each requirement, your goal of family reunification in France 🇫🇷 can become a reality.

Learn Today

VLS-TS → Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour; a long-stay visa that also serves as a residence permit in France.
Family Reunification → The process by which close relatives join a person legally living in France under set criteria.
OFII → French Office for Immigration and Integration, responsible for visa validation and immigrant integration in France.
Sponsor → The person already living legally in France who supports and petitions for the family member’s visa.
Carte de Séjour → Multi-year residence card required for staying in France longer than one year after an initial long-stay visa.

This Article in a Nutshell

Moving family to France involves careful steps: obtaining a VLS-TS Long-Stay Visa, proving income and relationship, and validating the visa once in France. Fees and documentation are strictly enforced. Early preparation, accurate translations, and timely online validation are essential to keeping your family together under French immigration law.
— By VisaVerge.com

Read more:

• French Long-Stay Visa: Your Guide to Staying in France Over 3 Months
• French Republic Long-Stay Visa: Guide for Spouses of French Citizens
• French Republic Long-Stay Visa: Pathway for Non-EU Workers
• French Long-Stay Visa guide for international students
• French Republic Schengen Visa: Your Complete Guide to Type C