The Mairie in France: What a Newcomer Does at the Town Hall

This guide is for internationals who have just moved to France and want to know what the mairie (town hall) handles for them. By the end, you will understand electoral registration, which elections EU citizens may vote in, how a host obtains an attestation d’accueil (hosting certificate) for a foreign visitor, and when the official pages send you to another authority.

• Who can vote, and in which elections
• Which commune to register in
• How and when to register
• Inviting a visitor: the attestation d’accueil
• Filing, waiting and appeals
• When the mairie is not the right office
• FAQ

Who can vote, and in which elections

To vote, a person must be on an electoral list, and people living in France register with a mairie, according to Service Public’s page on first registration. The general conditions are being at least 18 on the day before the election, being French and enjoying civil and political rights.

Citizens of other EU member states who live in France are the exception. Service Public’s page on European citizens states that they may vote in municipal elections and in European elections, where they elect France’s members of the European Parliament. They must be a national of an EU country other than France, live in France, be at least 18 on the day before the first round, and enjoy civil and political rights in both France and their home country. Registration is not automatic: the person must apply to join the listes électorales complémentaires (supplementary electoral lists).

Someone registered in France for European elections cannot also vote in another EU country’s European elections. They can give a procuration (proxy) to any voter registered in France, but can only receive one for European or municipal elections.

Which commune to register in

An EU citizen may register in only one of these communes:

• the commune of their home
• a commune where they have lived for at least 6 months
• a commune where they have paid local taxes for at least 2 years
• the commune of a company that has paid local taxes for at least 2 years and which they have managed, or owned as majority or sole shareholder, for at least 2 years

Anyone registering for both municipal and European elections must do so in the same commune.

How and when to register

Applications can be made online, in person at the mairie, through another person or by post. The page lists:

• a valid identity card, passport or titre de séjour (residence permit)
• a justificatif de domicile (proof of address)
• a written declaration, for which a template is provided
• for paper applications, cerfa forms n°12670 and n°12671, or n°12671 alone for European elections only
• when someone else applies, a signed document giving them that authority

The declaration states the applicant’s nationality and French address, their last place of registration in their home country if any, that they have not lost the right to vote there, and that they will vote only in France in European elections.

Registration is open all year, but each election has a cut-off. The European citizens page says that from 1 July 2026, under decree n°2026-493 of 12 June 2026, the deadline is the sixth Friday before the election, whatever the method. The carte électorale (voter card) is posted at the latest 3 days before the first round. If it has not arrived by then, it is kept at the polling station and can be collected on election day with proof of identity.

Inviting a visitor: the attestation d’accueil

According to Service Public’s page on the attestation d’accueil, anyone hosting a non-European foreign national for a private or family visit of under 3 months must apply to their mairie. The mairie must validate the certificate before the visitor applies for a visa, or before travel if no visa is needed. The host then sends it to the visitor before departure.

Exemptions include visitors holding a Schengen circulation visa or a visa marked “famille de Français”, and visits for humanitarian reasons, cultural exchange, medical emergency or a relative’s funeral.

The fee is €30, paid by timbre fiscal (tax stamp) bought online or from an equipped tobacconist. The tax is due even if the application is refused, and it is not refunded. A refund can be requested only for a stamp that was never used.

The host presents originals of:

• an identity card or passport, or a titre de séjour, depending on nationality
• proof of being the owner, tenant or occupant of the home
• a recent utility bill or rent receipt for the home
• proof of resources, such as the last 3 payslips and last tax notice, and a commitment to cover the visitor’s costs if needed
• evidence that the home is adequate in size, safety, sanitation and comfort
• proof of payment of the tax
• for an unaccompanied minor, a statement from those with parental authority giving the length and purpose of the stay

The host also needs each visitor’s passport number. Medical insurance covering at least €30,000 is required, taken out by either the visitor or the host.

Filing, waiting and appeals

The application goes to the mairie of the place where the visitor will stay. In Paris, Lyon and Marseille it goes to the mairie d’arrondissement (district town hall). Most mairies require an appointment. The host completes and signs form cerfa n°10798 at the counter, and must be there in person for the certificate to be validated. Each visitor needs a separate form, but a spouse and minor children can go on the same certificate.

The certificate may not be issued straight away. The mayor checks that the applicant is the host and that the housing is suitable, and may inspect the home. In that case the host receives a récépissé (receipt of filing).

The mayor can refuse if documents are missing, the housing is unsuitable, details are inaccurate or earlier certificates show misuse of the procedure. If the mayor does not reply within 1 month, the application counts as refused. The host then has 2 months to file a recours hiérarchique (appeal to a higher authority) with the préfet (the State’s representative in the department). If the préfet does not reply within 1 month, the appeal counts as rejected. Only after this appeal can the case go to the tribunal administratif (administrative court).

When the mairie is not the right office

The mairie does not issue visas. A visitor who needs a visa attaches the certificate to a short-stay visa application. A visitor who does not need one shows it at the Schengen external border. Appeals go to the préfet. For general questions, both pages list Allô Service Public, a free telephone service run by the Ministry of the Interior. It has no access to personal files. Questions about an individual residence situation are for the prefecture or a migration advice service.

FAQ

Can a non-EU foreign resident vote in French elections?

The pages describe voting rights for French nationals and, for municipal and European elections only, for citizens of other EU member states. They describe no route for other foreign nationals.

Is an EU citizen registered automatically?

No. The page states that the person must apply. Automatic registration covers French 18-year-olds who completed the recensement citoyen (citizenship census) and people who became French since 2019.

Is the €30 refunded if the attestation d’accueil is refused?

No. The tax is due even if the application is refused. Only an unused stamp can be refunded.

How long does the mairie take to issue the certificate?

The page gives no fixed processing time. If the mayor has not replied within 1 month, the application counts as refused, and the host can then appeal to the préfet within 2 months.

Sources: service-public.fr · service-public.fr · service-public.fr

Last verified: 20 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the responsible authority always has the final word.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your own situation, ask the prefecture of your département, a recognised migration advice service or a lawyer (avocat).