Lawyer in France for Ukrainians

Residence permits, family, employment, business and property. An office in Paris and online consultations across France.

In person and online

Zahist Bar Association provides legal services to Ukrainians in France in Ukrainian: from extending Protection Temporaire and challenging préfecture refusals to divorce, employment disputes, and company registration. Our office is in Paris at 27 avenue de l'Opéra. If you live in Lyon, Marseille, Nice or another city, the consultation takes place online, and we prepare the documents in French.

When you need a lawyer in France

People come to us when they cannot resolve an issue with French authorities on their own, or when the risk of a mistake is too high:

the préfecture refused to extend your Protection Temporaire or to issue a titre de séjour, or you received an OQTF;
your employer is not paying your salary, dismissed you without due procedure or is pushing you into a rupture conventionnelle;
you need a divorce, child support or arrangements for contact with your child — in France or in Ukraine at the same time;
your landlord will not return the deposit or is threatening eviction, or you are buying property;
a road accident, a fine, administrative or criminal proceedings;
you are starting a business or moving a Ukrainian company to France.

At the first consultation, the lawyer reviews your documents, explains your options and gives you the timeline and budget.

Ukrainian lawyer in Paris — no interpreter needed

French law and préfecture procedures are complex even for the French. When your lawyer explains the situation in Ukrainian, you do not miss any details and know exactly what you are signing. We know how Ukrainian documents work — certificates, court decisions, powers of attorney — and how to legalize and translate them for French authorities.

We handle cases involving both countries — divorce, inheritance, child support, debt recovery — from start to finish: in France through our Paris office, in Ukraine through our Ukrainian branches.

Legal consultation in France: in person or online

At the Paris office. A face-to-face meeting where you can bring your original documents. The office is in the 1st arrondissement, between the Louvre and the Opéra Garnier, near Pyramides metro station (lines 7 and 14). More about the office on the lawyer in Paris page.

Online. A video call for clients anywhere in France. You send scanned copies of your documents, and all correspondence is in Ukrainian.

The fee depends on the complexity of the case and is agreed before work begins.

Need to renew your status or residence permit?

We help you understand your residence options, prepare documents and appeal a refusal.

Extending Protection Temporaire (temporary protection)
Transitioning to a Titre de séjour (various grounds: employment, study, family, business)
Appealing Préfecture refusals to issue or extend a residence permit

Immigration Law

The French immigration authorities (Préfecture, OFII, OFPRA) are known for their formality. Several routes to legalization are available to Ukrainians: Protection Temporaire, Titre de séjour, Passeport Talent, asile (refugee status), and regularization.

Passeport Talent for highly qualified professionals and entrepreneurs
Carte de Résident (10-year residence permit) after 5 years
Family reunification (regroupement familial)
Asile through OFPRA (refugee status)
Regularization for those without legal status
Challenging an OQTF (obligation to leave French territory)
Naturalization — French citizenship

Divorce, maintenance or child arrangements?

We handle family matters in France and related legal issues in Ukraine.

Divorce from a Ukrainian spouse
Cross-border collection of child support (pension alimentaire)
Parental authority (autorité parentale), visitation rights (droit de visite)

Family Law

French family law (Code civil, Livre Ier) is among the most complex in Europe. Divorce can proceed by mutual consent, by acceptance of the breakdown of the marriage, on grounds of fault, or after more than one year of separation. There are no fixed support amounts — each case is decided individually by the JAF (juge aux affaires familiales).

Divorce from a French citizen or a citizen of another EU country
Divorce without the other spouse's consent
Division of property (liquidation du régime matrimonial)
Marriage contracts (contrat de mariage)
Recognition of a Ukrainian divorce in France
PACS (civil union) for Ukrainians
Court permission to leave Ukraine with a child without the other parent's consent
Child abduction cases under the Hague Convention
Establishing or contesting paternity
Adoption of a child from Ukraine

Unpaid wages or a dismissal?

We review your contract, assess the dismissal and prepare claims against your employer.

Recovery of unpaid wages
Challenging unlawful dismissal (licenciement abusif) before the Conseil de prud'hommes
Reviewing and translating an employment contract

Labor Law

French labor law (Code du travail) is renowned for its strong protection of employees. Dismissal must follow a strict procedure, severance pay is guaranteed, and unions are powerful. Ukrainians often have to deal with the differences between CDI (open-ended) and CDD (fixed-term) contracts.

Disputes regarding CDD, CDI, and rupture conventionnelle
Protection from workplace harassment and discrimination
Compensation for workplace injuries
Working time (durée du travail) and paid leave (congés payés)
Preserving residence status when changing employers
Auto-entrepreneur (self-employment) matters

Starting a business in France?

We help you choose a company structure, prepare registration and draft agreements with partners.

Registration of SAS, SARL, SA, and SCI entities
Relocating a Ukrainian business to France
Supply, distribution, and agency agreements

Commercial Law Relocation of Ukrainian Business to the EU

France is the second-largest market in the EU. Registering an SAS or SARL takes 1–2 weeks. Businesses can choose between several tax regimes and use public support programs (Bpifrance) and the research tax credit (Crédit d'impôt recherche). Paris is a global arbitration hub (ICC).

Auto-entrepreneur status (for the self-employed)
Business residence permits (Passeport Talent — entrepreneur, business angel, innovation)
M&A: due diligence, SPA, registration of changes
Corporate advisory
Debt collection from French counterparties
Debt collection from Ukrainian counterparties
ICC arbitration in Paris
Representation before the Cour internationale d'arbitrage (ICC International Court of Arbitration)
Trademark registration with the INPI and the EUIPO

A housing, inheritance or fine dispute?

We review your documents and identify the steps to protect your rights.

Real estate: purchases of apartments and houses (Paris, the French Riviera), transaction due diligence, notarial deeds, landlord disputes
Inheritance: handling Ukrainian estates for those living in France, the European Certificate of Succession, minimizing droits de succession
Criminal cases: defense in proceedings, challenging fines, OQTF risk arising from criminal offenses

Real Estate and Housing Law Criminal and Administrative Cases

Foreigners can buy real estate in France without restriction. Transactions are executed before a notaire and recorded in the land register (publicité foncière).

Mortgage financing for foreigners
Financial law: bank disputes, FICP (national register of credit defaults) issues, personal bankruptcy

How to Get Started

01
Consultation. A 15–30-minute session in which we review your situation together and propose an action plan with a timeline and budget estimate.
02
Strategy. A clear action plan, timelines, risks, and budget. You know exactly what comes next.
03
Execution. The team handles the case with full oversight at every stage through our CRM system.
04
Reporting. Case closure, signed completion certificates, and a full report on the work performed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a consultation with a lawyer in France in Ukrainian?

Yes. Consultations, correspondence and explanations of documents are in Ukrainian; documents for French authorities are prepared in French.

How much does a lawyer in France cost?

The price depends on the case. At the first consultation, the lawyer assesses the scope of work and quotes a budget, which is fixed before work begins.

I don't live in Paris. Can you help me?

Yes. We consult online throughout France and accept scanned copies of documents.

The préfecture refused my residence permit or issued an OQTF. What should I do?

Act without delay: the deadline to appeal an OQTF can be just a few days. Send us the decision — a lawyer will assess the deadline and the grounds for an appeal to the administrative court.

Can my case in Ukraine be handled while I'm in France?

Yes. Divorce, inheritance, child support or debt recovery in Ukraine are handled by our Ukrainian branches under a power of attorney, without you having to travel.