Family reunification (regroupement familial) allows a non-EU national legally residing in France to bring his or her spouse and minor children to live in France. It is the expression of a fundamental right, the right to lead a normal family life, protected by Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. But it is also a demanding procedure, in which most refusals result from details.
Who can apply?
At the time of the application, the applicant (the regroupant) must hold:
- a temporary residence card of at least one year (employee, private and family life, student, visitor, etc.) or a multi-year card;
- or a resident card or EU long-term resident card issued by France;
- or a receipt for the renewal of one of these permits.
The applicant must also have resided in France for at least 18 months, under one of the documents listed by the regulations (residence card, long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit, temporary permit, receipt, etc.). Special rules apply to Algerian nationals (one year of residence and a one-year certificate of residence).
Which family members?
The procedure concerns, collectively:
- the spouse, aged at least 18 and legally married to the applicant;
- minor children of the couple, and children of a previous union where the other parent has died or lost parental rights, or where parental authority has been granted by a foreign court decision.
The family must, in principle, live abroad. Partial reunification (only some of the children) is exceptional and must be justified in the interest of the children. Ascendants (parents) are not covered.
The resource condition
The applicant must justify stable and sufficient resources over the 12 months preceding the application. According to service-public.fr, the monthly average must reach:
- 2 or 3 people: the gross monthly minimum wage, i.e. €1,867.02;
- 4 or 5 people: €2,053.72;
- 6 people or more: €2,240.42.
Income from salaried or self-employed work, assets or pensions is taken into account, as well as the spouse’s income if it will continue after arrival. Benefits such as the RSA, family allowances or housing benefit are excluded. No resource condition applies to beneficiaries of the AAH or ASI disability allowances, or, under strict conditions, to people who have lived in France for 25 years and been married for 10 years.
A fixed-term contract or temporary work is not automatically disqualifying: the administration assesses the continuity and predictability of income.
The housing condition
The applicant must have, or show that he or she will have on the family’s arrival, housing considered normal for a comparable family in the same area, meeting health and equipment standards. The minimum living space depends on the zone:
- Zones A bis and A: 22 m² for two people;
- Zones B1 and B2: 24 m² for two people;
- Zone C: 28 m² for two people;
- plus 10 m² per additional person up to eight people, then 5 m² per person.
The applicant does not have to occupy the housing at the time of filing: a lease promise, a purchase agreement or the official form certifying that housing will be made available (cerfa no. 11437) can be provided.
The procedure
1. Filing with the OFII, online or by registered post, with form cerfa “Demande de regroupement familial” and the supporting documents (residence permit, full civil status records with translations, proof of resources over 12 months, proof of housing).
2. Certificate of filing once the file is complete.
3. Investigation by the mayor, who checks resources and housing (a home visit is possible) and gives an opinion within two months.
4. Decision by the prefect, which must be notified within six months of the complete filing. Silence for six months is an implicit refusal.
5. Visa: the family then applies for long-stay visas at the French consulate and must enter France within three months of their issue. The spouse validates the VLS-TS online; children enter with a “family reunification” visa.
The double check: prefecture, then consulate
Even after the prefect’s approval, the consulate carries out its own checks, in particular on civil status and identity. In practice, this is where many families are blocked. Read: Visa refusal for family reunification: understanding the grounds and Civil status: the new lock on family reunification.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Counting excluded benefits in the resources.
- Providing civil status records with inconsistent dates or spellings, or without translation.
- Ignoring the six-month deadline: an implicit refusal opens a two-month window for appeal.
- Bringing the family to France on short-stay visas: the procedure normally requires the family to live abroad.
In case of refusal
See: How to challenge a family reunification refusal.
Source: Service-public.fr – Regroupement familial (checked on 4 November 2026).
Need help with your case?
FATOU BABOU AVOCAT assists individuals, families and companies with visas, family reunification, residence permits and appeals against refusals, before consulates, prefectures and courts.
- Bordeaux office: 11 rue Galin, 33100 Bordeaux, France – +33 9 85 40 18 64 – contact@legalfb-avocat.fr
- Dakar office: 14 rue Woro Fila, Fann Hock, Dakar, Senegal – +221 77 173 69 05 / +221 33 844 29 16 – contact@fbavocat-sn.com
- Book an appointment online
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Rules, amounts and deadlines change regularly: always have your own situation checked by a lawyer.