Marrying in Morocco when one spouse is French

For a marriage celebrated in Morocco to be entered in the French civil register, there are two steps: the CCAM before the wedding, transcription after. A summary of the official pages.

Updated 28 October 2026

Before the wedding: the CCAM

• The certificate of capacity to marry (CCAM) is requested from the French embassy or consulate of the place of marriage (service-public.fr).
• The banns are published for 10 days, and the future spouses are interviewed.
• In Morocco, the file goes to the consulate general covering the place of the adoul marriage. The embassy gives a minimum of 3 months from lodging a complete file.
• The embassy also states that at least one spouse must live in Morocco or in the commune of the marriage, and that for a marriage before adouls the spouses must be Muslim.
• A marriage contract (matrimonial regime) is signed before the marriage, with a notary, not with the adouls.

After the wedding: transcription

• For Morocco, the transcription request goes only by post to the Service central d'état civil, Département Transcription, 44941 Nantes Cedex 9.
• There is no deadline to ask for it.
• Transcription gives a livret de famille; it is essential for the foreign spouse's visa.
• Without transcription, the marriage's effects in France are limited to the spouses and their children.

And without a CCAM?

Transcription is still possible, but it comes after an interview of the spouses. The consulate may refer the case to the public prosecutor, who can oppose the transcription within 2 months.

Sources

service-public.fr: marriage of a French national abroad (checked 18 June 2026, in French)

French embassy in Morocco: marriage and transcription (in French)

Read on 28 October 2026. The consulate's own document lists prevail over this guide.