When moving to France and completing administrative procedures, some of your foreign documents need to be translated and legalized before they can be presented to the French administration. Legalization and translation are required to verify the authenticity of the document and its signatures and to ensure that the document has legal value in France.
Legalization is the process of verifying the authenticity of the document and its signatures by the authorities of the country where the document was issued. This process can be done in your country of origin, at the French consulate or embassy, or in France at your consulate or embassy. Once the document is legalized, it is recognized by French administrative services.
For your documents to be legalized, they must be translated into French. If your documents are in a foreign language, you must have them translated into French by an approved or sworn translator. Sworn translators are certified by the Court of Cassation or the Courts of Appeal and provide a certificate to certify that the translation is accurate and consistent with the original document, with their stamp and signature. The cost of the translation is your responsibility.
It is important to keep in mind that certain documents may be difficult to obtain once you have left your country of origin. Therefore, it is advisable to bring all your relevant documents, as well as those of your family members, with you to France. These may include your birth certificate, marriage or divorce certificate, the death certificate of your spouse, academic degrees and diplomas, reference letters from previous employers, medical records such as vaccination records, clinical examination results, and X-rays, as well as your driver’s license.
By being prepared with the proper documents, you can help streamline the administrative procedures required for settling in France.