French naturalization by decree

One video explains the conditions to be met to obtain french nationality by naturalization:

Age

You must be major.

You can submit your application from the age of 17. If your application is accepted, you will obtain naturalization from the age of 18.

Naturalization may be granted to a minor child who has remained a foreigner even though one of his parents has become a Frenchman. However, the child must have resided in France with this parent for 5 years before the application for naturalization was submitted.

Place of residence

You can be naturalized by decree provided you complete one the following conditions:

• You are engaged in a public or private professional activity on behalf of the French State or an organization whose activity is of particular interest to the French economy or culture
• You live in Monaco
• You do your national service or are engaged in regular training of the French army
• You're a national service volunteer

If you meet any of these conditions, it implies that your spouse and minor children who live with you also meet them.

Regularity of the stay

You must have a valid residence permit at the time of filing your application.

However, you don't need it if you are European (EEA) or Swiss.

You must not have been the subject of a deportation order or a prohibition of french territory still in force.

Assimilation to the French community

You must prove your assimilation to the French community, in particular in the following way:

• You must agree with the essential principles and values of the Republic
• You must have knowledge about history, the culture and the French business.

The citizen's booklet indicates the required knowledge.

You can download this booklet or consult it at the reception of the prefectures.

Knowledge of the French language

You have to prove a sufficient knowledge of the french language.

Professional integration

Professional integration is an essential condition for assimilation and integration in France.

Professional integration means that you must have stable and sufficient income to support you and your family tax home.

Morality and absence of criminal convictions

You must be good lives and morals.

This means in particular that you must not have committed acts contrary to public order.

The application for naturalization costs €55.

Payment is made to the consulate.

Documents to be provided

One video explains the documents to be provided:

You can use a simulator to have the custom list of documents to be provided :

What documents are required for my naturalization file?

Prepare the following documents to build your file (attention, if the 2 members of a couple want to apply for naturalization, they must constitute 2 files):

• Form cerfa no. 12753 in 2 copies, completed, dated and signed. Consult the information leaflet attached to the form before filling it out.
• Tax stamp of €55 (except in the case of an application made abroad)
• Duplex copy of your valid residence permit, unless you are a Swiss citizen or a European State (EU/EEA)
• 2 photo ID format 35 x 45 mm, bare head. Indicate your surname, first name and date of birth on the back
• Official identity document (passport or residence permit)
• Proofs of your civil status and nationality
• Proofs of your domicile
• Proof of your resources and taxes
• Diploma or certificate justifying your level of knowledge of the French language
• Supporting documents if you live as a couple
• Supporting documents if you have already been married (divorce or widowhood)
• Supporting documents if you have minor children
• If you are veteran or legionnairestatus of services, decorations and quotes obtained
• If you have been living in France for less than 10 years, original extract from a criminal record, foreigner or equivalent document. It must be issued by a competent authority of the country or countries in which you have lived, or failing that, the country of your nationality. This document is not required, concerning your country of origin, if you are a refugee or stateless person protected byOfpra: titleContent.
• If you are a national of a non-EU country European (EU) and that you went into the Schengen area from a State that is not part of this space for a period of less than 3 months during the 5 years preceding the filing of your application, provide your passport or any equivalent document (e.g. a Schengen visa), and those of your minor children who could become French by their majority

If you wish, you can complete your request with information that seems to you to be of particular interest. Enter this information on free paper. For example, your participation in community life in France.

One receipt you are issued when you have provided all the requested documents.

Francization of surname and/or first name

During your request, you can ask the francization of your surname and/or first name(s), and the francization of your children's first names.

You can also ask for a French first name, if you or your children do not have one.

Instructions on the documents to be provided

Deed of civil status

One deed of civil status must be provided in full and in original in the language of the country of origin.

A French civil status document must be issued within 3 months.

A copy of a foreigner civil status document must be accompanied, if necessary, by a copy of the decision in execution of which it has been drawn up, rectified or amended.

Copy or original of a document

You can provide copies of the requested documents with the exception of civil status documents.

However, you must be able to present the originals of the documents if necessary.

A copy of a foreigner act must be accompanied, if necessary, by a copy of the decision in implementation of which it has been drawn up, rectified or amended.

Translation

You must attach a French translation of each document written in a foreign language. You must provide the original translation. The translation must be done by a certified translator or authorized to intervene with the judicial or administrative authorities of another european countries. If you are abroad, contact the French Embassy or Consulate for a list of accredited translators.

The translation of a multilingual extract of a birth certificate or marriage certificate in which one of the languages is french is not necessary for a person of full age.

In addition, to avoid having to translate certain documents issued by a the European Union, one multilingual form can be joined. Consult the e-justice site for further information.

Legalization or Apostille

Certain documents issued abroad must be legalized or apostillate to be accepted in France. Ask the French embassy or consulate in the country concerned for legalization, and the embassy or consulate of the country concerned for the apostille.

You must file your application for naturalization with a french consulate.

If your situation changes after the receipt is issued, you must inform the department that received your request.

For example, if your family or professional situation has changed or if you have changed your address.

You must complete the declaration of change of situation attached to cerfa form n°12753. Join them supporting documents.

Application for acquisition of French nationality by naturalization or reintegration

The change of situation declaration must be sent to the naturalization platform that received your application.

One receipt the filing of documents will be issued to you.

You are summoned to an interview if the following 2 conditions are met:

• Your request is admissible
• No reason other than verification of the condition of assimilation to the French community prevents the obtaining of French nationality.

The purpose of the interview is check your assimilation to the french community, including your adherence to the principles and core values of the Republic. The charter of rights and duties of the french citizen indicates these principles and values.

To prepare for the interview, you can consult the citizen's booklet.

You must bring the originals of documents necessary for the examination of your application.

At the end of the interview, you must sign the charter of rights and duties of the french citizen.

To inquire about the progress of your application or provide additional documents, you must contact by mail the department responsible for examining applications for acquisition of French nationality.

You receive a mail to inform you of your registration in the naturalization decree, after its publication in the Official Journal.

The naturalization decree shall take effect on the date of its signature.

Your unmarried minor children who usually reside with you also become French if their name is mentioned in the naturalization decree. The minority of the child is assessed on the date of signature of the decree.

The approach varies depending on the document to be corrected.

The administration can make a decision unfavorable if your request is inadmissible or untimely. The decision of the administration must be reasoned.

Your request is inadmissible if the conditions laid down by law are not met. If the grounds for inadmissibility disappear, you can make a new application.

Your request is inappropriate if the acquisition of french nationality is not, or not yet, possible: your application may be refused (rejected) or postponed (postponed). In case of postponement, a deadline is imposed, for example to allow you to improve your professional integration. Once this deadline has passed, you can make a new request.

The unfavorable decision is yours notified by registered mail with AR: titleContent or when summoned to the consulate.

You have a 2 months delay from notification the unfavorable decision to make an administrative appeal (hierarchical appeal) to the minister responsible for naturalizations.

If you receive a negative answer, or in the absence of a response in a 4 months delay from the date of receipt of your appeal, you have a 2 months delay to make a contentious remedies before the Administrative Court of Nantes.

The deadline runs from the notification of the negative decision (in the absence of a response, consult theAR: titleContent of your administrative appeal to know the remedies and deadlines).

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