Applying for French Nationality

The process for applying for French nationality can be long and arduous, and horror stories abound, but if you fulfil all the criteria and are prepared to tackle the paperwork required, then it is entirely doable, writes Catharine Higginson…

Many people who have been French residents for a number of years and plan to make France their permanent home, take the next logical step and decide to apply for French nationality. For some, gaining French nationality is important on a personal level. It reflects their commitment to life in France and cements their relationship with their adopted country. For others, it may be a more practical decision and certainly, having a French ID card does make many administrative processes much simpler. But whatever your reasons, it is important to understand the process and qualifying criteria before you start.

The first step is the French government website, which has a dedicated portal for those seeking French nationality. Spend some time reading through all the appropriate information before you even start to think about getting the paperwork together; you can find all the information online here: service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N111.

There are two main ways to obtain French nationality, known as la déclaration de nationalité and naturalisation. The déclaration applies if you are married to a French citizen or have a family relationship with a French national, a sibling, child or grandchild. The procedure of naturalisation is subject to various conditions, in particular, the length of residence in France. Specific rules also apply if you were born in France but your parents were not French nationals, and you can also ‘re-apply’ for French citizenship if for some reason you have ‘lost’ your French nationality – for example, a child born to a French mother who never applied for nationality for the child at the time of birth. In these cases, the exact procedure will vary depending on whether the child was born in France or overseas.

To acquire nationality by reason of marriage you must have been married for four years or more, your spouse must have had (and still have) French nationality on the day of the marriage, and you should ideally have lived in France continuously since the date of the marriage. You can still apply if you have lived overseas since the marriage, however, different conditions apply so check these carefully on the government website.

If you were married overseas, this must be registered with the registres de l’état civil francais to ensure that the marriage is recognised. Unless you have a European passport, you will need a valid residence permit, a clean criminal record, have lived with your spouse continuously and prove that you have the required knowledge of the French language. This is currently B1 but is scheduled to increase to B2 in the very near future.

For those aged 65 and over who have a French child or grandchild, and have lived in France for over 25 years, the language criteria does not apply. However, for the vast majority of people seeking French nationality, naturalisation is the procedure that will apply and this is, unfortunately, probably the most onerous in terms of paperwork to be supplied!

To comply with all the requirements of naturalisation you must be aged 18 or over, although you can apply from the age of 17; if accorded, your nationality will apply from the age of 18. Overseas-born minors can obtain nationality if one of their parents has become French and the child has lived with their parents in France for at least five years.

You must also be a French resident when the application decision is made and France must be the place where your professional and family interests are based. If, for example, you live in France but your spouse and/or children live overseas, the request may be refused. You should have lived in France for at least five years although exceptions can be made. You will need a valid residence permit (unless you are an EU citizen) and clean criminal record.

You will also need to prove what is referred to as your assimilation à la communauté française. In other words, you need to demonstrate that you agree with the essential values and principles of the French Republic and that you have a decent knowledge of French history, culture and society.

It is a really good idea to do some homework where this is concerned as you will be asked specific questions about this during the interview stage. There is a downloadable booklet which contains everything you need to know and you can access it online (immigration.interieur.gouv.fr/content/download/131060/1042292/file/Livret_du_citoyen_V2fev2022.pdf); a copy is also available in the regional préfectures.
In addition to showing that you have a sufficient grasp of the French language (again, currently B1 level), you will also need to prove your insertion professionnelle and this is absolutely key. Essentially, this means being able to demonstrate that you have sufficient regular income to meet the needs of yourself and your family. And last but not least, you need to show that you are of good moral standing or être de bonnes vie et mœurs! This part is generally covered during the police visit to your home; this usually happens shortly after your file or dossier has been accepted. For most people this is absolutely nothing to worry about, but if your neighbours have made repeated complaints about wild parties or domestic disturbances, then these may well affect your application.

Having ensured you fulfil all the criteria, you can start getting the paperwork together. Every situation is slightly different and even once you have sent off everything listed, further documents may be requested; generally you will need to include a timbre fiscale, copies of your ID, residence permit, officially translated copies of your birth certificate, those of your parents, their marriage certificate, proof of address (utility bill), proof of income and tax return, a language certificate, marriage certificate if married, your spouse’s ID and residence permit, divorce papers if you have been previously married, birth certificates if you have children, valid certificats de scolarités if they are of school age and a police ‘record’ certificate if you have lived in France for less than 10 years. It’s important to remember that (other than paying for a timbre fiscal), the procedure is entirely free of charge so beware any third-party sites offering services claiming to speed up the process.

With the paperwork filed, once the dossier has been accepted and the police visit completed, you can concentrate on preparing for the interview at the prefecture. Waiting times vary enormously from region to region but you can expect the response time to be between 12 and 18 months before you hear whether or not your file has been accepted.

Another couple of months may elapse before yo your interview and the final decision may take up to a year to come through. It’s a long process, but this makes the moment when you finally get to attend the ceremony at the local prefecture and receive your official ‘I am now French’ paperwork all the more exciting!