Getting PACS’d in France

PACS or pacte civil de solidarité is the registration of a civil partnership in France between either of the sexes which has tax benefits as well as assisting a non-French partner to stay and work in France.

In France, PACS, which stands for Pacte civil de solidarité, is a form of civil union or domestic partnership available to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. Established in 1999, PACS provides legal recognition and protection for couples who choose to live together without getting married.

This allows partners to share certain rights and responsibilities, such as joint tax filing, inheritance rights, and access to social security benefits. PACS has become increasingly popular as an alternative to marriage, offering flexibility and legal security for couples who wish to formalize their relationship without the constraints of traditional marriage.

• It allows you and your partner to declare taxes together and legally split possessions.

• Roommates can also apply for PACS - it's not just for romantic relationships.

• PACS can allow a non-French partner to apply for the Private or Family Life visa (Visa Vie Privée et Familiale) if both partners can prove they've been living together for 1 year. This is similar to a regular carte de séjour.

• It is possible for two non-French citizens to get PACSed in France. However, one of the partners must already have a valid CDS (or be an EU citizen).

Contact us At TRCI, we handle PACS applications regularly for our clients, taking the headache out of assembling the extensive PACS dossier to submit to the French authorities.

If you're interested in finding out more about PACS or are looking for assistance with submitting your application, get in touch.