Acknowledge the baby before the birth (reconnaissance anticipée)
If you are not married, the mother's link to the baby is automatic and the other parent's is not. The other parent establishes it by making a reconnaissance — a short declaration at any mairie, with photo ID and proof of address less than 3 months old. Checked against justice.fr on 22 September 2026.
- Who it applies to
- People who are not married, PACS included and have a partner going through it with them
- On your timeline
- Paperbump schedules this from around week 10 of the pregnancy until the birth
- Official source
- justice.fr
- Last checked
- 22 September 2026
What else to know
A notary can also do it. You can do it before the birth, at any town hall in France, not only your own, and the mother does not need to be there or to consent. Do it before the birth and both parents are legal parents from the moment the baby arrives. This is not the route for a female couple who conceived through assisted reproduction with a donor: there the second mother's parenthood comes from a reconnaissance conjointe anticipée signed before a notary, at the same time as the consent to the donation and before conception, and it cannot be done afterwards. If you are already pregnant and that was not done, take legal advice rather than going to a mairie.
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