Why Your French Nationality/Citizenship Application Could be Refused, Adjourned, or Dismissed

There are five potential responses that you may receive when applying for French citizenship.

Classée sans suite (Dismissed/closed without further action)

Classement sans suite essentially means that your file has been closed without being processed; in other words, it has been dismissed without an immigration agent assessing your application. It is therefore not a reflection of the strength of your application itself, but usually relates to a procedural error or a failure to meet the application requirements. These types of dismissals most typically happen early on in the process, although they can happen at any time if you fail to meet the requirements of the application process within the timeframe required.

Common reasons that your application could be classée sans suite include: 

• Failing to meet the requirements for Nationality. For example, if you try to apply before you have lived in France for a minimum of five years, or if your language test results do not show the required level.
• Failing to include all of the required documents in your application. If you are missing documents, it’s likely that you will be asked for a “demande de complétude” – a request for extra documents to complete your dossier first.
• Failing to respond to official requests within the allotted time: if you are asked for a demande de complétude or other requests, you are generally given two months to respond; otherwise, your application will be classée sans suite.
• Not meeting the procedural requirements: for example, if you don’t show up to your interview at the prefecture or refuse a home visit. Equally, this can happen if you show up to the interview but don’t bring the requested documents.
• If you have previously received a refusal or adjournment, and attempt to reapply without waiting the minimum amount of time required.

To avoid this, it’s recommended to rigorously adhere to all of the formalities throughout the entire French citizenship application process and ensure you respond to all requests, even if you believe them not to be relevant or are not able to produce the required documents.

Irrecevable (Inadmissable)

An “irrecevable” decision is the first kind of refusal and means that you haven’t met the legal terms of the nationality application. Examples could be ties to a foreign country, such as having a partner or minor children in another country; if you have a criminal record; or if you have not fulfilled the residency or tax requirements (a history of late tax returns or a period of residence without a carte de séjour). This could also happen if you lied or withheld information during your initial application or because something is uncovered during the investigation that deems you ineligible.

An “irrecevable” decision leaves little room for appeal, unless a mistake has been made by the prefecture/interior ministry or if the situation in question is rectified.

Rejetée/Refus (Rejected/Refused)

A rejection is usually made for applications where there is a serious question about your eligibility for French Nationality. It typically happens after the interview stage and may be due to failing to meet the requirements of the interview, not demonstrating sufficient resources or integration into France, not speaking the language well enough, or failing to adhere to French values.

You typically have to wait for a minimum of five years to reapply after a refusal, and if your situation hasn’t changed/evolved, it may not be worth it.

Ajourné (Adjourned)

An “ajournement” usually means that your application meets all but one of the requirements for French citizenship, but that you require more time to reach the standard. In this instance, a two-year (occasionally longer) adjournment period is imposed, after which you may resubmit your application. Unfortunately,  you will still have to undergo the entire application process again; there are no shortcuts. However, this is a good sign that you are on the right track, especially if you focus specifically on the area of improvement required.

Common reasons for an adjournment include not meeting the requirements for professional integration, such as not having stable and/or sufficient earnings or having the center of your economic interests outside of France, and a lack of integration, for example, maintaining close family and economic ties outside of France that indicate a lack of integration.

Remember, each individual application is considered in its entirety, so there may be some candidates who don’t meet these requirements exactly but still receive a positive outcome.

Accepté (Accepted)

The response that we’re all hoping for! If your citizenship application has been accepted then you are now officially French and your name will be listed in the Journal Officiel.

The process of applying for French citizenship is long (I’m already almost two years in at the time of writing this!) and, if you’ve been following our French citizenship series, you’ll know that it includes several different phases. Your application may be rejected at any one of these stages for various reasons, but different types of refusal are most common at certain stages.

The most common time for a classement sans suite or an irrecevable decision is usually early on, prior to the interview at the prefecture. However, if new information comes to light or you fail to follow the requested procedures, it could happen at any time.

If your application is refused or adjourned, the most common time for this to happen is after the interview at the prefecture. This is arguably the step that holds the biggest sway in the approval process, and if there are any questions over your viability as a candidate for citizenship, they are likely to come up at this stage. Unfavourable decisions are usually processed quite quickly, so unsuccessful applicants often receive a letter within a few weeks or months of their interview. No news is usually good news at this stage, but occasionally, a rejection may happen later, especially if new information comes to light or new criteria for assessment are brought in.

If your application is approved by the prefecture, it will then pass to the interior ministry (SDANF), where your application will be assessed again and a full investigation undertaken to verify all of the information. While SDANF decisions more often than not follow the decision of the prefecture, if there is any further reason to reject or adjourn your application, it is almost sure to come out at this stage.

As for the eagerly awaited announcement that your French citizenship application has been “accepted”, you’ll unfortunately have to wait right until the end. In most cases, once you have reached the SCEC or second SDANF stage of the ANEF timeline, it’s safe to say that your application will be approved, but remember: it is still possible to be refused or adjourned even at this late stage. Until your name appears in the Journal Officiel, you have not formally been approved for French citizenship.

Yes, in most instances, applicants for French citizenship/Nationality have a legal right to appeal the decision of the prefecture or the interior ministry within two months of receiving the refusal or adjournment. While this course of action can be successful, it can be a long process, and it’s important to note that the decision will only be overturned if you can provide sufficient evidence to disprove the reasons given for your refusal/adjournment. It’s highly recommended to seek legal advice if you wish to go this route.

Note that if your application was “classée sans suite,” there is no way to appeal this, and you will have to submit a new application. However, you can resend your application at any time.

If you missed the other articles in this series, you can find them here:

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Eligibility and Requirements

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Application Process & Timeline

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Your Dossier & Paperwork

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Passing the TCF French Test

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Online Application via ANEF

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Interview at the Préfecture

Apply for French Nationality/Citizenship STEP-BY-STEP: Preparing for your Interview (Entretien d’assimilation)

French Nationality/Citizenship: Will I Have a Police Interview/Home Visit?

French Citizenship: How to Track Your Application Online (ANEF Timeline)

Disclaimer: Please note that any screenshots or specific details of my own French nationality application apply to my situation only and are provided only to give you an insight into the process and what to expect. These are not intended as a blueprint for your own application, as your situation may be completely different from mine! 

Also, please remember that I am taking you through the process with me in real time! This means there is the possibility that I have made errors on my application form, or will be asked to submit extra documents as I continue in the process. There is also (unfortunately!) no guarantee that my application will be accepted and that I will be granted French Nationality.