Family Reunion in France (Regroupement Familial) (2026)
Jules de Bruin
Editor
Updated: June 2026 | Found helpful by 4 others
- Expats
- Residents
Updated June 2026. A non-EU resident in France brings non-EU family through regroupement familial, processed by the OFII, which checks stable resources and adequate housing after about eighteen months of prior residence. The foreign spouse of a French national instead uses the famille de Francais route to a carte de sejour vie privee et familiale. Family of an EU citizen follows a separate EU rule. You apply through ANEF and the Prefecture.
Key takeaways
- Regroupement familial lets a non-EU resident bring non-EU family, processed via the OFII.
- It requires stable resources, adequate housing, and around eighteen months of prior residence.
- The spouse of a French national uses the famille de Francais route to a carte de sejour vie privee et familiale.
- Family of an EU citizen gets a carte membre de famille d'un citoyen UE under EU rules.
- You apply through ANEF and the Prefecture; check service-public.fr for thresholds.
Which family reunion route applies to you?
French family immigration has three distinct routes, and the right one depends on your status. If you are a non-EU resident in France and want to bring your non-EU spouse and minor children from abroad, you use regroupement familial, processed through the OFII. If you are the foreign spouse of a French national, you use the famille de Francais route, which leads to a carte de sejour vie privee et familiale without the OFII regroupement procedure.
A non-EU family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen living in France follows neither of those. They apply for a carte de sejour membre de famille d'un citoyen UE, which follows EU free-movement rules rather than the resources and housing checks. Confirm the route that matches your situation on service-public.fr before you start.
What conditions must you meet?
For regroupement familial, you must generally have lived legally in France for around eighteen months, hold a valid residence permit, and show stable and sufficient resources (ressources stables). You must also prove housing that is adequate in size and comfort for your family. The OFII verifies the resources and the housing before the Prefecture takes its decision. Exact thresholds depend on family size and region, so confirm them on service-public.fr.
Resources and housing
How do you apply step by step?
- Step 1: Confirm your route: regroupement familial, famille de Francais, or family of an EU citizen.
- Step 2: Check the conditions, including prior residence, stable resources, and adequate housing, on service-public.fr.
- Step 3: File the regroupement request with the OFII with proof of identity, residence, resources, and housing.
- Step 4: The OFII verifies your resources and housing and forwards its opinion.
- Step 5: The Prefecture decides, and your family requests the long-stay visa through France-Visas.
- Step 6: After arrival, apply for the carte de sejour vie privee et familiale through ANEF and the Prefecture.
How do you get and renew the permit?
Family members admitted through regroupement familial, and the foreign spouse of a French national under famille de Francais, typically receive the carte de sejour vie privee et familiale. This card lets you live and usually work in France. You request it through ANEF and finalise it at your Prefecture, which may issue a receipt while it processes your file.
For renewal, apply two to three months before your card expires, generally through the ANEF portal. You provide updated proof of family ties, resources, and address. Applying early keeps your right to stay and work continuous and lets the Prefecture issue a receipt while it reviews your renewal.
Sources: OFII, France-Visas, service-public.fr, and the ANEF portal, as of June 2026. Resource and housing thresholds, fees, and conditions change, so verify the current rules for your route before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between regroupement familial and famille de Francais?
Regroupement familial is the procedure that lets a non-EU resident in France bring non-EU family members (spouse and minor children) from abroad, processed through the OFII. Famille de Francais is the separate route for the foreign spouse of a French national, who applies directly for a carte de sejour vie privee et familiale without the OFII regroupement procedure.
What conditions must you meet for regroupement familial?
You generally need to have lived legally in France for around eighteen months, hold a valid residence permit, show stable and sufficient resources (ressources stables), and prove housing that is adequate in size and comfort for your family. The OFII verifies the resources and housing before the Prefecture decides. Exact thresholds depend on family size and region, so confirm them on service-public.fr.
What is the carte de sejour vie privee et familiale?
It is the residence permit issued for private and family life ties in France. The foreign spouse of a French national and family members admitted through regroupement familial typically receive this card, which allows you to live and usually work in France. It is requested through ANEF and the Prefecture.
How is family of an EU citizen different?
A non-EU family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen living in France does not use regroupement familial. They apply for a carte de sejour membre de famille d'un citoyen UE, which follows EU free-movement rules rather than the OFII resources and housing procedure.
Where do you apply for family reunion permits in France?
Regroupement familial is filed with the OFII, which examines resources and housing before the Prefecture issues a decision. Carte de sejour applications, including vie privee et familiale, are increasingly submitted online through ANEF and finalised at your Prefecture. Always check service-public.fr for the current procedure.