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How I got PACSed as an ex-pat in France (and you can too!)

I am the first to admit that bureaucracy is really not my strong point. I have the childish tendency to put off doing paperwork in hopes that the stress from it will just disappear. Instead things pile up, especially the accompanying stress. Clearly, living in France has been especially challenging for me. As you likely well know, the whole bureaucratic system is pretty much one big catch-22.  

All of this to say, if I managed to get PACS’d then you have every hope in the world of doing so too. 

What is a PACS? 

Getting a PACS in France essentially gives you the status of being in a “civil union”. The PACS (pacte civil de solidarité) can be useful for partners for tax related purposes and especially helpful for ex-pats looking to eventually set up a permanent residency in France. One thing I’ve come to realize by living here is the more documentation you have, the easier your life will be. I sought after a PACS because my young professional visa was about to expire and I wanted to change to a visa called the vie privée et familiale. Also, I love my boyfriend, commitment, yadda, yadda. 

Where do you get PACsed?

You can get PACsed for free at your local mairie but be sure to have your paperwork prepared well in advance as you will need it all of it prepared (you leave the file with them) to make the rendez-vous and then afterward the wait for the actual “signing” usually ranges from three weeks to a couple of months. If you’re really in a pickle you can bring all the required paperwork together and be PACsed by a notary. This usually costs around €400 so, clearly it should be used as a last resort.

Be timely! 

My visa was about to expire and I was under the misconception that I needed the PACS in order to make a rendez-vous to change my visa status so I was pretty distressed when they told me my appointment would be a week after my visa’s expiration. The woman at the mairie saw my look of despair and when I explained my situation she ever so kindly went to the extra mile to squeeze us in before my flight home for Christmas. I must say, every interaction I had with staff at the mairie was a pleasant one. Shout out to the folks at the 11eme mairie! 

Pre-reqs for a PACS

Getting a PACS is actually pretty straight-forward (says the girl who took four months to get her paperwork organized). As long as you have lived for  at least the last three months with your partner and you’re not already married to someone else or related to them (duh) you’re eligible to PACS it up. Visit the official page to read up on all of the official requirements in France here. This is important to do because the information I provide here may be subject to change. Definitely do your due diligence and triple check the facts! 

 

Steps involved:

1. Gather together required paperwork

2. Bring said paperwork to the mairie (city hall) in your arrondissement

3. Acquire the date for your rendez-vous

4. Show up and get PACSed!  

 

Your checklist:

Here is what you will need to bring with you to the mairie to book your rendez-vous to make it official and sign your PACS. The weight will fall mostly on your shoulders, dear ex-pat, for the paperwork required of the French partner is not particularly complicated. This is your reference checklist with relevant links, below it you will find more information about the process. 

 

Tips and recommendations

As a first step I recommend you send off for your certificat de non-pacs. Fill out the form and attach it to a simple email requesting the certificate and it should arrive in 1-2 weeks. Be sure you plan to be pacsed within three months, however, as it must be issued within this time frame. I made this mistake and had to send off for another copy, not a huge deal but certainly a nuisance for the people issuing the document. The birth certificate should also be requested early on as you will likely need to have it both legalized and translated. You partner can also send away for his/her birth certificate (that being the end of their share of the work). 

Birth certificate information for Canadians: 

If you are Canadian you can order your birth certificate online from your province of birth. I was born in Vancouver and it cost be $22 to have it sent. If you are applying as a Canadian citizen you should check out this page which details the documents our embassy will provide in lieu of the certificat de coutume. You can have your birth certificate legalized at the same time. Both documents together will cost you $100 CAD (or equivalent in euro) which you mail along with the documents required. See above link for the documents you need to provide and where to send them. 

The delivery of these documents is meant to be within three weeks but in my case it was well over a month before I received mine. Keep this in mind when you’re ready to start preparing your file.  

For Americans: 

Requests for the delivery of a birth certificate are issued by your state. Attempt to get a version with the most detail possible. If there is an option for an issuance for a marriage opt for this version. You will have to check with your embassy to see if your birth certificate needs an additional apostille/legalization.  

Translating documents: 

I chose my translator based on proximity, she is on the list of expert translators and also happened to live nearby. It cost me €50 to have my birth certificate translated and it was ready to be picked up the day after I emailed her a copy of the certificate. You need to have the original with you when you go pick up the document and pay in cash (again this was my experience with one translator, each case may be different). 

I have no idea if this is a standard fare, but I assume it’s in and around this price. You can find the list of acceptable expert translators here. 

Once you have everything (hurray!)

Before you head off to the mairie make sure you have a photocopy of each document. Keep a copy for yourself and bring a copy with you to the mairie to book your appointment. I was so keen to book our rendez-vous that I ran straight from the post office to the mairie the day my embassy finally decided to send me my only missing documents. I regret having not made copies of these files before handing them over. Keep in mind that you may need them for other bureaucratic nonsense down the road and that when you go to book your appointment you actually hand over all of your files. I ended up whipping out my cell phone during our signing (not actually a signing) of the pacs and took pictures of my uncopied files.  

But I digress, once you have your documents head to the mairie and book your appointment. The only thing left to do will be show up and watch them stamp your file official. You should receive your récépissé de l’enregistrement de la déclaration conjointe des partenaires du PACS by mail within the week. I wanted mine ASAP so I went back to the mairie the following day to pick it up in person. 

The récépissé is essentially a receipt indicating that your PACS has been filed and can be used as a stand-in for an official pacs document for whatever you may need it for. After three months you can request the official certification. 

BOOM! You’re done. 

In France many couples opt to celebrate their pacs, it can be a big deal for some! Loving any occasion for celebration, we dressed up and headed out for a nice dinner after our “ceremony”. Sadly, our documentation of the evening was pretty low quality. We managed to request a quick snap in the room where we “signed” and a kind stranger outside saw us struggling and snapped another just outside the mairie. Not the best photos, but what can ya do! 

Pacs, mairie 11eme