France: notarial and documentary services
How someone in France can get documents certified, united or legalised, have a document prepared in English or the local language and view informative notes.
Make a certified copy of a document
You will need to contact a local notary or English speaking lawyer.
The Consular services of the British Embassy Paris only provide certified copies of a British passport where the requesting authority and the applicant can provide written evidence that no other alternative notarial body can perform this act. We will only then consider your application for notarial services. If you cannot provide us with this proof, we are unable to conduct this service.
The British embassy cannot provide this service where the requesting authority is a bank or other financial organisation. We cannot certify a copy of a birth certificate. If you require a copy of a birth certificate, you need to apply via the General Register Office (GRO)
Services we provide in France
For documents relating to marriage and PACS
Self-declaration form for British nationals who need a certificate of custom for PACS (civil partnership) or marriage. If you need confirmation that your marriage in France is recognised by UK law or a confirmation of marital status, please download this informative note and show it to the requesting authority.
If you can’t find the service you are looking for on this page, please see other services provided by the British embassy in France.
Services provided elsewhere
Get your UK document legalised
Life certificates for British nationals claiming a British pension abroad can be provided by those on this list
If getting a life certificate in English will be difficult for you, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) will accept a French life certificate (certificat de vie), which you can obtain from the French authorities.
Data protection
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 1998. Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK government departments and public authorities.
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy / consulate by the relevant authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. Accordingly the FCDO and the British embassy / consulate will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
For all notarial and legalisation services it is the responsibility of the customer to ascertain the precise requirements of the person requesting the notarial or legalisation service and to satisfy themselves that the service provided by the embassy/consulate will be accepted.
Last updated 9 March 2023 + show all updates
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Removal of two sentences and an obsolete section regarding services no longer provided by the Consulate. Clients must now make a self-declaration in accordance with the Getting Married Abroad tool. Added a link to 'how to get your UK document legalised' in the section called "Services provided elsewhere".
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Updated guidance on requesting a copy of a birth certificate.
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Now processing Certificates of Custom
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Changes to notarial and marriage work due to Covid-19 situation
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Published Informative Notes on Name Change
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Added information about documentation for children´s documentation
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update to Application for a Certified Copy of a Valid British Passport attachment
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Updated application form for Certified copy of valid British passport
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We provide certified copies of British passport by postal application and by appointment.
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Certified copy of a British passport service has changed from an appointment to postal service.
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The article was fully re-written in line with the new appointment booking system put in place in Paris in December 2015.
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Update to appointments information for notarial services.
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Update on how to book an appointment for a notarial act or certificate.
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Update to legalisation service (now a postal service only)
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Removed Clickbook links for Bordeaux and Marseille.
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Added Clickbook links for Bordeaux and Marseille.
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Appointment booking now back to Clickbook system.
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Booking appointment process for notarial acts and certificates has changed at British Consulate General in Paris.
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Appointment booking process updated for centralised notarial services in Paris.
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Hyperlinks added for online booking for Marseille and Bordeaux consulates
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Updated link for notaries and removal of life certificate service for Pension Service.
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Added Giving notice of marriage as a service
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First published.