Certified translations for visas and residence permits
Long-stay visa (VLS-TS), residence card, resident card, talent passport, student, employee, family reunification, private and family life: all your documents translated by court-registered experts for a compliant consulate or prefecture file.
French immigration law (the CESEDA, the French Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and the Right to Asylum) distinguishes several categories of permits, each with specific supporting documents to provide · and to translate if they are drafted in a foreign language.
Long-stay visas (over 90 days)
VLS-TS (long-stay visa acting as a residence permit) · valid for 4 to 12 months, to be validated online on the ANEF within 3 months of arrival. Avoids the need to apply for a residence permit at the prefecture during the first year.
VLS-T (temporary long-stay visa) · 4 to 12 months, non-renewable, with no subsequent residence permit (e.g. internships, short-term visitors).
Student visa · for non-EU students enrolled in a course at a French higher education institution.
Employee / temporary worker visa · with an employment contract approved by the DREETS (regional labour authority).
Private and family life visa (VPF) · spouse of a French national, parent of a French child, family member of an EU national, or longstanding private and family ties in France.
Residence permits (application at the prefecture)
Temporary residence card (1 year) · renewable, issued on various grounds (student, employee, VPF, scientist-researcher).
Multi-year residence card (2, 3, or 4 years) · obtained after one year holding a valid temporary residence card.
Resident card (10 years) · after 5 years of lawful residence, or as of right (spouse of a French national for 3 years, refugee, parent of a French child).
EU long-term resident card · facilitates travel within the European Union.
Special statuses
Family reunification · a procedure handled via the OFII and then the consulate.
Asylum and subsidiary protection · see our asylum / OFPRA page.
Exceptional leave to remain (AES) · a full application at the prefecture with proof of 5 to 10 years of presence in France.
Documents to translate depending on the permit requested
The documents required vary by permit type, but some come up systematically. Here is the detail by procedure.
Proof of cohabitation, sworn statement from the French spouse.
Family reunification
Birth certificates of the children, marriage certificate, divorce judgment if applicable.
Payslips of the applicant (the last 12 if foreign).
Certificate of compliant housing (DREAL / DDTM, assessed by the OFII).
Health insurance.
Good to know: since February 2019 (EU Regulation 2016/1191), civil status documents from EU Member States can be presented without translation if accompanied by a multilingual form. Remember to request it from the town hall when collecting the document.
French consulate abroad · for any initial visa application filed before arriving in France.
ANEF platform (administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr) · for validating the VLS-TS, renewals, status changes, naturalisation applications, and certain exceptional admissions.
Prefecture / sub-prefecture · for the first temporary residence card after a VLS-T, regularisations, the AES, and the issuance of multi-year permits and resident cards.
OFII (French Office for Immigration and Integration) · VLS-TS validation, family reunification, the republican integration contract.
DREETS · processes work authorisations (formerly Direccte).
Administrative processing times range from 15 days to 6 months depending on the permit and the platform. A long-stay visa is generally processed in 2 to 6 weeks by the consulate. A multi-year residence permit can take 4 to 6 months at the prefecture.
Permit refusal, OQTF, and legal appeals
In the event of a refusal, the authorities issue an Obligation to Leave French Territory (OQTF). The time limits for appealing to the administrative court are very short:
48 hours: OQTF with detention or house arrest.
15 days: OQTF with no period for voluntary departure.
30 days: OQTF with a period for voluntary departure (the most common case).
All foreign documents submitted in support of the appeal must be translated by a sworn translator. Transdoc offers a 10h urgent service for litigation procedures, with priority PDF delivery and the option of in-person collection in Paris.
OQTF appeal: the time limit runs from the date of the administrative notification. Do not delay in gathering your documents · otherwise, the court will rule without your evidence. That is exactly what our 10h service is for.
Birth certificate + marriage certificate + criminal record
€109
-15%
Family Reunification Pack
Marriage certificate + 2 children's birth certificates + 12 payslips
€229
-25%
10-Year Resident Card Pack
Birth certificate + marriage certificate + criminal record + foreign tax notice
€149
-17%
10h OQTF Urgency
Supplement on any order
+€79
PDF delivery within 10 working hours
Order your translations in 4 steps
1
Identify your permit and your documents
Check the list of required documents for your permit (student, employee, VPF, reunification) on service-public.fr or our guide. Gather the foreign documents that need translating.
2
Choose your pack and language
On our configurator, select the appropriate pack. Specify the source language and upload your scans. The all-inclusive price is shown instantly.
3
Receive your certified translations
PDF delivery within 48h (24h express / 10h urgent). Paper originals by tracked post within 72h.
4
File your application
Upload the PDFs to the ANEF, or present the originals to the consulate or prefecture on the day of your appointment.
Expert tip: plan ahead for the apostille/legalisation in the country of origin. It must be affixed before translation, and these formalities can take several weeks. See our apostille & legalisation page.
Transdoc guarantee: in the rare event that a French authority rejects one of our translations, we redo it free of charge and cover the shipping costs.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents must be translated for a long-stay visa?
Depending on the type of visa: birth certificate, marriage certificate, criminal record, diploma, proof of university enrolment, employment contract, employer's certificate, payslips, proof of resources, proof of accommodation, travel or health insurance.
The documents required vary by visa category (student, employee, talent passport, VPF, family reunification). Check the list on the website of the relevant consulate.
Will the consulate accept a translation done in my country?
Some consulates locally approve sworn translators, but legal certainty is only guaranteed with a translator registered with a French Court of Appeal. If your file is re-examined at a prefecture (for your first CST or a change of status), a local translation may be refused.
How much does a translation pack cost for a student visa?
Our student visa pack starts at €99 all-inclusive and covers the birth certificate, the diploma or transcript, and proof of resources or a sponsorship certificate. The talent passport / employee pack is €139.
What is the difference between a VLS-TS and a VLS-T?
The VLS-TS (long-stay visa acting as a residence permit) means you don't need to apply for a residence permit in the first year: you simply validate it online on the ANEF after arrival. It is renewable at the prefecture before it expires.
The VLS-T (temporary long-stay visa) is non-renewable and does not lead to a residence permit. It is used for internships, temporary visitor stays, and similar situations.
Is my translation valid for renewal?
A certified translation does not expire. However, some source documents (criminal record, birth certificate) must be recent (less than 3 months old). A new translation will therefore be needed for these updated documents.
Can I appeal an OQTF?
Yes, you have between 48 hours and 30 days, depending on the grounds, to bring your case before the administrative court. All foreign documents supporting the appeal (birth certificate, medical certificates, integration certificates, judgments) must be translated. Our 10h urgent service is designed specifically for these tight deadlines.
Translation for a talent passport: which documents?
The talent passport (qualified employee, researcher, artist, investor, business creator) requires: the French employment contract, a Master's degree or higher, a detailed CV, certificates of professional experience, and the usual civil status documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate if applicable).
Must payslips be translated?
Yes, foreign payslips submitted to prove resources (particularly for family reunification, a resident card, or a talent passport visa) must be translated by a sworn translator. We apply a reduced rate from 3 payslips onward.