Become a French National
Get French citizenship through residence (naturalization), through marriage or through ancestry
There are several ways to obtain French citizenship. Our team of immigration lawyers will guide you through the process step-by-step so that you never get lost in translation.
What is French citizenship?
Citizenship is a legal bond. It ties a person with a nation-state, which then gives them both the fundamental rights and individual legal status that the country values. This legally-binding relationship gives individuals certain rights that they are entitled to from the state and in return they are obliged to fulfil specific requirements and duties requested by the state.
How to obtain French citizenship in France?
There are two main ways to obtain French citizenship: through naturalisation or by declaring new nationality.
If you receive a favourable outcome, you can apply for a French passport or French ID card.
Your application can take up to a year, and, if you receive a favourable outcome, you can apply for a certificate of French citizenship and a national identity card.
Process of getting Citizenship through naturalisation
Prove your French ancestry
To begin the process of applying for French citizenship, the applicant must prove he is a descendant of a French citizen. If you have French ancestors, born in France or in one of the former colonies, you may be eligible to apply for French citizenship, provided that the ascendants of each generation and you have been revoked of this nationality.
Gather the documentation
Based on your personal and family situation, the applicant will need to gather specific documents to support the application. This could include documentation regarding the civil status and nationality. Additional documents may be submitted at the applicant’s discretion, such as paperwork that displays ties to the French community.
Submit your application
The application is submitted to the competent Court.
Resolution of the application for citizenship
The application resolution deadline is usually 18 months. However, this can be reduced to 3-6 months if the applicant moves to France under a specific type of visa.
Passport and National Identity Card application
Once you obtain French Nationality Certificate (CNF), the applicant can apply for the National Identity Card and a French passport.
Requirements for French Citizenship
French Citizenship through Residence
If you have legally resided in France for at least 5 years, you can be eligible to apply for French citizenship through Residence.
This approach to citizenship requires a person to have legally resided in France for at least 5 years.[PC1]
French Citizenship through Marriage
If you have been married to a French national for at least 4 years, you can apply for French citizenship through marriage at a French consulate.
French Citizenship by being an ascendant of a French national
If you are over 65 years old, have legally resided in France for at least 25 years and are either the parent or another ascending direct from a French national, you can apply for the acquisition of the French citizenship.
French Citizenship by birth
If a child was born in France by parents of foreign citizenship, has resided in French since the age of 8 and is residing in France at the moment of the application, his/her parents can apply for the child’s French citizenship since the age of 13.
Reintegration into French citizenship by declaration
If you have lost your French citizenship because you married a foreigner or because you reside abroad, you can apply for reintegration into French citizenship by declaration.
French citizenship by being a brother or sister of a French national
If your brother or sister has acquired French nationality under certain conditions and you have been residing in France since the age of 6 and are currently legally residing in France, you can apply for the acquisition of French citizenship.
Find your Immigration Lawyer
We are a department formed by qualified legal experts who have been trained in the field of immigration law. We work on these requests every day and it’s our passion. For us, Lexidy is a way of life and what excites us the most is to be able to deliver the happiness and satisfaction of a successful immigration process. We want to help you achieve your goals and dreams.
French services are provided in the context of a collaboration between Lexidy, Ms. Eleonore Tavares and Ms. Yuliana Colorado, lawyers registered in France.
Eléonore Tavares de Pinho
Lawyer | Avocate à la Cour
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in France it is possible to have dual citizenship or even three citizenships. Furthermore, French law does not require those acquiring French citizenship to renounce their original citizenship.
When submitting the application for French citizenship, you can choose to apply for the francization of your last and/or first name.
In some cases, in order to apply for French citizenship, you must prove to have lived regularly and legally in France for a certain number of years. This means that you must be holding a valid residence permit at the time of the submission of the application. There are exemptions for citizens of a country wthin the European Economic Area or a Swiss citizen.
If your registration as a French national has been refused, it may be because one of the requirements was not met. In this case, you have six months to challenge the refusal in court. However the process differs if application was by nautralisation or delaring nationality. Naturalisation involves appealing to the Ministry of Interior within two months of a negative decision and then waiting up to four months for a reply. For declaring nationality, there is no time limit for the appeal but both types of applications require expert legal support.
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