VISAHJELP

Family of foreign resident (Regroupement familial — sponsor-initiated)

Family-reunification pathway under the **regroupement familial** procedure (CESEDA L434-1 et seq) for spouses and minor children of foreign nationals legally resident in France. **Structurally distinct from all other family-immigration paths**: the SPONSOR (foreign resident in France) initiates the procedure with the OFII (Office français de l'immigration et de l'intégration) BEFORE any visa application by the applicant in Vietnam. The applicant cannot file directly from Vietnam — the sequence is: (1) sponsor files OFII regroupement-familial request → (2) mayor of sponsor's commune verifies housing + resources → (3) OFII territorial delegation completes instruction → (4) prefect decides within 6 months → (5) only after prefect's positive decision does the applicant in Vietnam apply for the long-stay visa at TLS Contact. Per F11166, eligible family = sponsor's spouse (≥18, legally married) + minor children (<18) — **ascendants are NOT eligible** under regroupement familial and must go through visiteur (F302) instead. Distinct from family-of-french (spouses of French citizens use VLS-TS « vie privée et familiale ») and from family-of-eu (spouses of EU citizens use Directive 2004/38 path with Schengen short-stay entry + free carte).

LAST VERIFIED · 2026-05-14 SOURCE: France-Visas · Independent · not affiliated

From the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“**Two-stage procedure**: (1) The OFII/préfet stage in France — sponsor files the regroupement-familial request via the online OFII portal; mayor verifies housing + resources (may include a home visit); OFII transmits to préfet; **préfet decides within 6 months** of complete file submission. (2) The visa stage in Vietnam — only after prefect's positive decision can the applicant in Vietnam file for the long-stay visa at the Embassy of France in Hanoi or Consulate-General in HCMC via TLS Contact. The applicant receives a long-stay visa valid 3 months, followed by a carte de séjour application at the préfecture of the sponsor's residence in France. Post-arrival: ANEF validation + carte de séjour issuance. EES does NOT apply (long-stay regime).”
— French Ministry of Foreign Affairs · French consulates

What you need

  • Sponsor-side conditions (per F11166, before the applicant in Vietnam can do anything): (a) **legal residence in France for ≥18 months** (12 months for Algerian sponsors); (b) **residence permit of ≥1 year** — categories like salarié, vie privée et familiale, étudiant, visiteur — categories like passeport talent, retraité, and seasonal-worker permits are NOT enumerated in F11166's eligible-permit list; (c) **stable and sufficient resources** averaged over the last 12 months: at least the SMIC monthly (per F11166 verbatim: €1,823.03 for 2-3 persons — verify current SMIC on Légifrance before each filing). Family allocations are EXCLUDED from the resources calculation; (d) **suitable housing** with minimum surface depending on geographic zone (e.g. 22 m² for 2 persons in Zone A bis / A). Family-side conditions: spouse aged ≥18, legally married; minor children (<18) with established filiation or adopted by judicial decision. All eligible family members must arrive together (partial regroupement only by exception). Once the prefect approves: the applicant in Vietnam files for a 3-month long-stay visa at TLS Contact.

Checklist

13
01

Sponsor side (OFII pre-authorisation, in France)

  • Sponsor's residence permit (≥1 year validity, eligible category) — sponsor-side, in France *
  • Sponsor's 18-month legal-residence evidence in France (12 months for Algerian sponsors) *
  • Sponsor's stable + sufficient resources (≥ SMIC per family-size band, 12-month average) *
  • Sponsor's housing — minimum surface per geographic zone (e.g. 22 m² for 2 persons in Zone A bis/A) *
  • OFII regroupement-familial application (Cerfa 11436-05) — filed by sponsor online *
  • Prefect's regroupement-familial decision (6-month decision window) *
02

Applicant side (Vietnam — after OFII approval)

  • Long-stay visa application form (Cerfa 14571-05) — Vietnam stage AFTER OFII approval *
  • Two recent identical biometric photos (35mm × 45mm, ICAO standard) *
  • Original passport (validity covering planned stay + 3 months) *
  • Vietnamese documents — notarised + sworn translation + legalisation *
  • Copy of OFII/prefect's positive regroupement-familial decision *
03

Fees

  • Visa fee — verify current amount on france-visas before each filing *
  • TLS Contact service fee — EUR 25 per applicant *

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