Australian & NZ Couples Getting Married in France

Australian and New Zealand couples marrying legally in France follow a simpler process than their American counterparts, but one that still requires careful timing and advance planning. The Australian Embassy in Paris issues a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) at a cost of AUD 181 with processing taking up to 10 working days. The full process with current 2026 fees verified against the Australian Embassy in Paris, as part of our complete guide to getting married legally in France. For a broader view of every step involved, see our complete guide to planning a destination wedding in France. Browse destination wedding venues in France.

Key Takeaways

• The Australian Embassy in Paris issues a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) for AUD 181 per document, with processing taking up to 10 working days.
• An Australian apostille on the birth certificate costs AUD 105 per document from DFAT.
• Birth certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time of submission to the French mairie (non-EU standard).
• Total cost for full ANZ paperwork: approximately AUD 500 to AUD 1,000 (€300 to €600) including CNI, apostille, and sworn translations.
• Based on destination weddings featured on French Wedding Style over 15 years, 80 to 90% of Australian couples marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in France, which eliminates all French paperwork.

What Documents Do Australian Couples Need?

Australian couples must submit the same core dossier de mariage as all foreign nationals, plus Australia-specific documents. The core requirements are a full birth certificate less than 6 months old (the non-EU standard), valid passport, proof of current address, and sworn French translations of all documents. The key Australia-specific addition is a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (Certificat de Coutume ou de non-opposition au Mariage), issued by the Australian Embassy or Consulate in France at a cost of AUD 181 per document as of 2026. The CNI is issued as a notarial service requiring an in-person appointment at the Embassy in Paris. Walk-ins are not accepted. Processing takes up to 10 working days from the appointment. The birth certificate requires an Australian apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) at AUD 105 per document before it can be submitted to the French mairie.

How Much Does the Full Process Cost for ANZ Couples?

The total cost for Australian and New Zealand couples is lower than for UK or US nationals because the Embassy CNI process is more direct and the apostille is issued by a single national authority (DFAT) rather than state-level offices. The major cost components are a state or territory birth certificate (AUD 50 to 70, must be less than 6 months old at mairie submission), a DFAT apostille at AUD 105 per document with standard processing, an Embassy CNI (Certificate of No Impediment) at AUD 181 per document with up to 10 working days processing, and sworn French translations at €30 to €60 per page for a typical dossier of 6 to 8 pages. The total lands between AUD 500 and AUD 1,000 (approximately €300 to €600) per couple. Payment at the Australian Embassy is by credit card only (Visa or Mastercard), charged in Australian Dollars. No cash or cheque is accepted. The table below provides the full cost breakdown for each document and service in the process.

What About New Zealand Couples?

New Zealand couples follow a similar process through the NZ Embassy or Consulate in France. The NZ Embassy issues a Certificate of No Impediment and can apostille NZ documents for use in France. Processing times and fees are comparable to the Australian process, though specific fees should be confirmed directly with the NZ Embassy as they are updated annually. The key documents are the same: a birth certificate less than 6 months old, a New Zealand apostille, the Embassy CNI, and sworn French translations of all documents. Couples from both countries benefit from the relatively straightforward Embassy CNI process compared to the United States, where no single federal authority can issue the equivalent document. The NZ Department of Internal Affairs handles apostilles centrally, making the process more streamlined than in countries where certification varies by state or region. Start the document gathering process at least 4 months before the wedding date to allow for postal processing times between New Zealand, the Embassy in Paris, and the French mairie.

Should ANZ Couples Marry at Home Instead?

For most Australian and New Zealand couples, marrying legally at home and holding a symbolic ceremony in France is the practical choice that approximately 80 to 90% of ANZ destination couples make. An Australian registry wedding costs AUD 300 to 500 depending on the state or territory and can be arranged within one month of filing a Notice of Intended Marriage. A New Zealand registry office ceremony costs NZD 150 to 200. Both eliminate the entire French paperwork process. The symbolic ceremony at the French venue is the event that defines the day for everyone present, offers complete creative freedom, and is what your guests experience and remember. The French legal process adds AUD 500 to 1,000 in costs, 6 months of paperwork management across international time zones, and the requirement for at least one in-person Embassy appointment in Paris before the wedding.

For couples already planning a multi-day destination wedding in France, the additional administrative burden is manageable. For couples who find the process stressful or who have limited time for planning, marrying at home first is the pragmatic and widely accepted approach. Across the 400+ venues listed on French Wedding Style, the vast majority of ANZ couples we feature chose the symbolic ceremony route.

What Every ANZ Couple Wishes They Had Known About Marrying in France

The mistake that wastes the most time is not accounting for the time zone challenge. Coordinating with a French mairie, a Paris Embassy, and a French sworn translator across a 9 to 11 hour time difference adds friction to every step of the process. Emails sent in the Australian evening arrive at the start of the French working day, but responses arrive in the Australian middle of the night. A single query that would take one business day to resolve domestically can take 3 to 4 days when the time gap limits each party to one exchange per day. Over a 6-month paperwork process involving the mairie, the Embassy, a sworn translator, and potentially a wedding planner, these delays compound significantly. A wedding planner based in France can absorb this friction entirely, handling local communication during French business hours while the couple sleeps. According to data from French Wedding Style's planner network, time zone management is the number one reason ANZ couples hire a local planner early in the process. See how these Australian sweethearts brought this to life at Château de Robernier in Provence.

Equally common is arriving in France without the in-person Embassy appointment completed. The CNI requires a physical appointment at the Australian Embassy in Paris. Read our guide to hiring a local wedding planner to manage French paperwork and time zones for the full breakdown. It cannot be done remotely, by post, or at a French consulate in Australia. Couples who plan to "do the paperwork when they arrive" discover that Embassy appointments may not be available at short notice and the 10 working day processing time does not leave room for last-minute scheduling.

What compounds this is assuming the birth certificate validity window is 3 months (the EU standard). As non-EU nationals, Australian and New Zealand citizens must provide birth certificates less than 6 months old. Our guide to choosing the best French wedding region for Australian couples breaks this down further. This is more generous than the 3-month EU rule, but couples must still time their order carefully. A certificate ordered 9 months before the wedding will have expired by the dossier submission deadline.

Related Articles

• Documents you need to get married in France: complete checklist
• Civil ceremony in France: what happens at the mairie
• Symbolic ceremonies: why most couples choose them
• American couples getting married in France

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Australian Embassy CNI cost?

The Certificate of No Impediment costs AUD 181 per document as of 2026. Payment is by credit card only (Visa or Mastercard). The fee is charged in Australian Dollars. An in-person appointment at the Australian Embassy in Paris is required, and processing takes up to 10 working days.

Can the CNI process be done remotely or by post?

The CNI requires an in-person appointment at the Australian Embassy in Paris. It cannot be done remotely, by post, or at a French consulate in Australia. Walk-ins are not accepted. Book the appointment 5 to 6 months before the wedding to allow for processing and subsequent sworn translation.

How long must my birth certificate be valid?

Australian and New Zealand birth certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time of submission to the French mairie. This is the non-EU standard (EU/UK citizens have a 3-month requirement). Order the certificate 7 to 8 months before the wedding, targeting a dossier submission window 3 to 4 months before the ceremony.

What is the total cost for ANZ couples?

Approximately AUD 500 to 1,000 (€300 to €600). This covers birth certificate (AUD 50 to 70), DFAT apostille (AUD 105), Embassy CNI (AUD 181), and sworn French translations (€180 to €480 for 6 to 8 pages).

Should we just marry at home and have a symbolic ceremony in France?

Approximately 80 to 90% of ANZ couples take this approach. An Australian registry wedding costs AUD 300 to 500. A NZ ceremony costs NZD 150 to 200. Both eliminate all French paperwork. The symbolic ceremony in France creates the same celebration your guests experience and remember, with complete creative freedom.

For the complete document checklist, see our guide to documents you need to get married in France. To understand the ceremony options, read our guide to symbolic ceremonies in France.