Family reunification in France: income and housing conditions, steps and the 6-month deadline

Updated 29 October 2026

Family reunification (regroupement familial) lets a foreign national settled in France bring their spouse and minor children. It is a long procedure with two concrete checks: your income and your housing. The rules below are the general case; Algerian nationals follow a similar but separate regime.

Who can apply?

• At least 18 months of lawful residence in France (12 months for Algerian nationals).
• A permit valid for at least one year when you apply: temporary card, multi-year card or resident card.

Who can come? Your married spouse, aged at least 18, and children under 18, with age assessed on the filing date. Reunification is in principle for the whole family: bringing only some members is only possible exceptionally, in the children’s interest. Parents and grandparents are not covered.

Income

Your average income over the 12 months before filing must be at least:

Some benefits do not count. There is no income condition if you receive AAH or Asi.

Housing

Minimum size for a couple or two people, then +10 m² per person up to 8 people and +5 m² beyond:

• zones A bis and A (large cities): 22 m²;
• zones B1 and B2: 24 m²;
• zone C: 28 m².

The home must be available when the family arrives. The Service-Public simulator tells you your zone.

The steps

1. File with OFII, online or by registered post (not both). Once the file is complete, OFII issues a filing certificate.
2. The mayor checks income and housing and gives an opinion within 2 months (silence counts as favourable).
3. The prefect decides within 6 months of the complete filing. Without a reply after 6 months, the application is refused (implicit refusal): you can then appeal.
4. Visa: the family applies at the consulate for a long-stay visa valid as a residence permit, then must enter France within 3 months.
5. Arrival: VLS-TS validated online within 3 months (reduced-rate tax), OFII medical check, and the republican integration contract for the spouse and children over 16.

How long overall?

The 6-month legal deadline does not include the visa or travel, and prefectures often exceed it. On Dossiermap, times are measured prefecture by prefecture from the dates people share.

See times by prefecture · Share my dates

Sources

• Service-Public: family reunification (checked 1 June 2026)
• Service-Public: family reunification simulator

This guide is for information only and does not replace official texts or legal advice. Check your situation on service-public.gouv.fr or with your prefecture.

Something wrong or out of date? Let us know