Birth Certificate Request
The acte de naissance (birth certificate) is an official document drawn up by the civil registrar of the town of birth. It can be requested in three forms: the full copy, which reproduces the entire record and its marginal notes; the extract with parentage, which states the information relating to the parents; and the extract without parentage, which contains only the information relating to the person concerned. The request may be made by the person themselves, their ascendants or descendants, their legal representative, or certain authorized professionals. This letter lets you make a clear and complete request to the competent mairie (town hall). This form is in English, but the document is generated in French, ready to sign and use in France.
Note: the questionnaire is in English; the generated document is in French.
The applicant
Fields marked with an asterisk are required. Your information is only used to generate your document.
Frequently asked questions
Which town hall should I send my request to?
The request must be sent to the mairie (town hall) of the town where the birth took place. If the birth occurred abroad for a French national, the request should be sent to the Central Civil Registry Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Nantes). The request can also be made online at service-public.fr for many towns.
Who can request a birth certificate?
Under decree no. 62-921 and later texts, the following may obtain a full copy or an extract with parentage: the person concerned (of legal age), their ascendants (parents, grandparents), their descendants (children, grandchildren), their legal representative, and certain professionals authorized by law (notaries, lawyers for the purposes of proceedings). The extract without parentage is available to anyone.
What response time should I expect?
Processing time varies from one town to another. As a general rule, allow a few days to two weeks for a request by mail. The online request at service-public.fr is usually processed more quickly. The certificate will be sent to you by post to the address given in the request.
Is the birth certificate free of charge?
No. In France, the issuance of civil status records (full copy or extract of a birth certificate) by the mairies (town halls) is free of charge, in accordance with the rules relating to civil status.
Other templates
See all →Demarches-Simplifiees.co — Demarches-Simplifiees.co is an independent service. This template is provided for information only and does not constitute personalised legal advice. Documents are issued in French.