Accompanying family
The employee’s family mainly includes the spouse, married or not, children, whether adults or minors, as well as any ascendants.
We assist you with all procedures and formalities related to the family, which may be more or less complex, and may or may not be integrated into the employee’s immigration process.
Why entrust us with accompanying family procedures?
The family of the employee on international assignment is an extremely sensitive matter, well understood by specialists in international mobility. Our assistance helps maximise the chances of success for family cases and reassures the employee.
- The spouse and children are directly affected by the life change and international relocation, and this stress can significantly impact the employee’s availability and effectiveness when starting their assignment.
- Our support also aims to simplify the operational aspects of the family’s arrival as much as possible.
- We make every effort to facilitate the simultaneous arrival of the accompanying family, whenever possible.
Rely on our services to reassure your employees and optimise the formalities for their families!
All our services for accompanying family members
We manage thousands of family cases on behalf of our clients and have a thorough mastery of these procedures, boasting a 100% success rate.
We assist you with all formalities related to the family:
Key specificities for the accompanying family
The formalities related to the family are separate from those of the employee, which complicates the task for international mobility specialists.
- Simplified procedures exist for certain immigration statuses, such as Talent or ICT statuses, which also grant the right to work for the married spouse. This is known as the “accompanying family procedure” (the family cannot benefit from the “accompanying” procedure if the employee arrives in France under a standard employee status).
- Not all family procedures authorise the spouse to work in France.
- There are several types of residence permits for family members:
– Private and family life (work permitted and multi-year residence permit)
– Visitor (work not permitted and one-year residence permit) - Finally, it is important to request a Minor Child Travel Document (Document de Circulation) for children to allow them to travel abroad and return to France without difficulty.
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Your questions
The “Talent” visas, designed to attract foreign talent, also offer benefits to the accompanying family members of the posted worker.
Facilitated family reunification:
Family members (spouse and children) can benefit from an accelerated procedure for family reunification.
Generally, they obtain their residence permits almost simultaneously with the principal worker, which avoids lengthy processing delays.
Work rights for the spouse:
The spouse of the holder of the European Blue Card can work in the host country without needing to apply for a separate work permit. This provides great flexibility for the family, allowing the partner to pursue a professional career.
Freedom of movement within the European Union:
Family members can travel freely within the Schengen Area for short stays (up to 90 days within any 180-day period). This facilitates travel for personal or professional needs to other European countries.
A Document de Circulation for Minor Children (DCEM) is a specific travel document issued to foreign minor children residing in France. It allows the child to leave and re-enter French territory freely.
This document enables the child to travel abroad and return to France without difficulty. It can also be used to travel freely within the Schengen Area for a limited duration (up to 90 days per 180-day period).
The validity period is generally five years but may vary depending on the child’s and parents’ circumstances, as well as the passport’s expiry date.
Parents or legal guardians must apply for the DCEM at the prefecture or sub-prefecture.
Once the DCEM is obtained, what is required for travel?
The child must travel with both their passport and DCEM. If travelling without their parents, for example on a school trip, a parental authorisation for leaving the country is also required.
What happens when the child reaches the age of majority (18 years)?
Upon reaching majority, the child must submit a residence permit application at the prefecture during their 18th year, before their 19th birthday.
A Visitor Visa for France is an official document issued by the French consular authorities, allowing a foreign national to stay in France for a limited period, typically for tourism or family visits.
The applicant must demonstrate a clear purpose for their visit (tourism, family visit, medical reasons, or business without paid employment) and provide proof of sufficient financial resources to cover their stay.
They must also present proof of accommodation (hotel reservation or an invitation letter from a host) and obtain travel insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation in case of accident or illness.
The visa application is submitted at the French consulate or embassy in the applicant’s country of residence. Processing times vary, but it is advisable to apply several weeks in advance.
Note: This visa does not permit employment in France. For work or long-term stays, a different visa type, such as a work visa or long-stay visa, must be requested.