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Family reunification

Current policies in this category for France. Each policy page holds the rules in force today plus every recorded version and before/after comparison.

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Policies in this category

Family reunification

Recognition of filiation for children born abroad via surrogacy (GPA)

The 3 July 2026 ruling introduces a different route where a foreign court judgment has established parentage. Where a foreign court has issued a judgment establishing the intended parents' filiation, France cannot refuse recognition solely because GPA is prohibited in France, provided the foreign judgment meets the required safeguards. And if recognised: the foreign filiation remains filiation. It does not become an adoption merely because French law prohibits GPA.

🇫🇷 France1 versionUpdated 12 Aug 2026

Recent changes in this category

FranceCourt DecisionsCourt DecisionAmended 31 Dec 2026

Recognition of filiation for children born abroad via surrogacy (GPA)

What changed

The French Court of Cassation issued a significant judgment on 3 July 2026, mandating the recognition of parentage for children born abroad via surrogacy (GPA) in France. This decision applies when a foreign court ruling, designating intended parents, presents guarantees compliant with international public policy. It overrides prior interpretations that would have limited such recognition to the effects of an adoption, ensuring that established filiations are acknowledged as such in France. This clarification aims to uphold the child's best interests, even though surrogacy remains prohibited domestically.

Published 20 Jul 2026Service-Public.fr — Actualités (droits et démarches)