Please contact the town hall "mairie" where the wedding will take place to get the full list of documents required to get married in your area.  In general, Irish citizens who wish to marry in France or Monaco must receive a certificate of freedom to marry from the Embassy.  This document is known as a “certificat de coutume”.

The relevant forms can be downloaded below.  It is important that all forms are either type-written or completed in block-capitals to ensure that the information provided is legible. 

Supporting documents required

All documents in languages other than English or Irish should be accompanied by a translation. In all cases, the following documents are required for each Irish person:  

-  Completed MP1 form (PDF 445kb)   (Questionnaire to be completed by all Irish citizens seeking a “Certificate de Coutume” for marriage abroad)

-  Completed MP2A form (PDF 273kb)   (Statutory Declaration by Irish citizen seeking a “Certificate de Coutume” for marriage abroad)

        OR  completed MP2B form (PDF 627kb)   (statutory declaration by a divorced Irish citizen - for divorces outside Ireland)

        OR completed MP2E form (PDF 60kb)  (statutory declaration by a divorced Irish citizen in the case of an Irish divorce)

- Original long form birth certificate

- Copy of Irish passport

- Fee of €20.00 (+ €6.00 postage if you wish for the documents to be returned to you by registered mail)

If an Irish citizen who wishes to marry in France has previously been divorced, they should  also provide the following:

- Original petition of divorce

- Original Final decree of divorce

Completing your statutory declaration form

In all cases, the statutory declaration form must be completed in person either at the Embassy or before a French notary public “notaire”.  If you wish to have your form witnessed at the Embassy, please contact us at 01 44 17 67 00 for an appointment with a diplomatic or consular officer.   There is an additional €15 fee for this service.  In this case, you should bring your original passport (not a photocopy) with you for your appointment and you may be asked to present a second form of ID. 

If you choose to complete the form with a notaire, you can complete the rest of the process by mail.

Timing

Applicants are advised to submit their application for a Certificat de coutume four months prior to the date of the wedding where possible. This allows enough time to process all documentation.

Once issued, the Certificate de Coutume is valid for 120 days from the date of issue.