Declaration of French nationality of the ascendant of a French national

Verified 06 June 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You are old 65 years or older, you have a child or a French grandchild, and you want to have French nationality? If you live in France for at least 25 years, you can make a declaration of french nationality. We will tell you the steps to follow to make the request.

Step-by-step approach

Age

You must have 65 years or older.

Offspring

You must have a descendant direct of French nationality, i.e. a child, one grandchild or a great grandchild.

Residence in France

You must reside in France for 25 years or more in a manner that usual and regular (you must have a valid residence permit).

In addition, you must not have been expulsion order or a prohibition of French territory still in force.

No criminal conviction

You should not be in any of the following situations:

  • To have been sentenced in France to a sentence of at least 6 months' imprisonment without suspension
  • Having been convicted of a criminal offense crime or a offense constituting an infringement of the fundamental interests of the Nation
  • Having been convicted of a criminal offense act of terrorism

However, you are not concerned in case of rehabilitation or erasure of the conviction of Bulletin No. 2 of your criminal record.

Please note

You must complete all these conditions to the date of your return of French nationality. If not, check if you can to become French by another procedure.

General case

The process costs €55.

This tax is paid with a tax stamp.

However, if you file abroad, the payment is made to the consulate.

In Guyana

The process costs €27.50.

This tax is paid with a tax stamp.

Warning  

Private websites offer a paid service for the acquisition of French nationality. For example, to get an appointment in the prefecture. However, except for the tax stamp, know that the acquisition of the French nationality is a free process.

Documents to be provided

Prepare the following documents to build your case:

1. Form, photo, electronic stamp, identity, home

  • Form cerfa no. 15561 in 2 copies
    You have to fill it out, date it and sign it.
  • 2 recent ID photos
    You must paste the photos on the 2 copies of the form.
  • Electronic tax stamp of €55 (except in the case of an application made abroad)
  • Copy of an identity document (passport or residence permit)
  • If you are a national of a non-EU country European (EU) and that you went into the Schengen area from a state not forming part of this area 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 (for example a Schengen visa), and those of your minor children who could become French by their majority

2. Civil status

  • Your original birth certificate
    The birth certificate issued in France must be less than 3 months old.
    The birth certificate must be issued by the registrar of the place where the birth certificate is kept.
    The birth certificate must indicate the surname, first name, date and place of birth of your parents.
    If any of this information is missing, the instructor service may ask you for the birth certificates of your parents.
    In case of impossibility to provide your birth certificate or in case of presentation of a multilingual extract, other documents will be requested.
  • Documents with the date, place of birth and marriage of your parents if they are married.
  • If you are married, your marriage certificate
  • If you have a CIVIL PARTNERSHIP, the registration receipt issued by the court, mayor or notary
  • In the case of previous marriages, marriage certificates and any documents justifying their dissolution.
    For example, copy of divorce judgment, death certificate.
  • In case of previous CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS, proof of registration of the CIVIL PARTNERSHIP(s)

3. If you have children

  • Birth certificates of your minor children
    A birth certificate issued in France must be less than 3 months old.

For your minor children foreigners can become French at the same time as you:

  • Civil status documents or court decisions establishing the parentage children with you
  • Documents proving their habitual residence with you, or their alternate residence with you in the event of separation or divorce
    For example, proof of attendance at nursery, school certificate for the current year.

4. Affiliation with your French descendant

  • If this descendant is your son or daughter, with a birth certificate of less than 3 months of age including parentage
  • If this descendant is your grandchild, his birth certificate of less than 3 months + the birth certificate of his ascendant of which you are the father or mother, with his or her parentage

5. French nationality of your descendant

You must provide one of the following:

  • the birth certificate of your descendant if he/she was born in France to 2 parents born in France
  • or his birth certificate stating that he is a French national,
  • or the court decision recognizing him as a Frenchman,
  • or any document issued by the French authorities indicating that he/she has acquired French nationality,
  • or a certificate of French nationality.

6. Residence in France on the date of the declaration of French nationality

  • Copy of your residence permit, or your valid passport if you are European and not required to hold a residence permit
  • Any recent document in your name with your current address.
    For example, recent electricity, water, or landline bills, last rent receipt

7. Regular and habitual residence in France for 25 years

  • All documents proving the continuity of your regular and habitual residence in France for 25 years.
    You can produce different documents to cover this period.
    For example, a career statement issued by a social security organization or an individual status statement, an income tax notice.
  • If you are married, a copy of your spouse's valid residence permit or passport if he or she is European and not subject to the obligation to hold a residence permit
  • If you have minor children, documents proving their residence in France

Please note

depending on your situation, the instructor service may request other documents and gives you a time limit to provide them.

Francization of surname and/or first name

To facilitate your integration, you can request francization of your surname and/or first names when you apply for acquisition of French nationality.

Guidelines for documents to be provided

Civil status record

One civil status document must be supplied in full and in original in the language of the country of origin.

A French civil status certificate must have been issued less than 3 months ago.

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 except for civil status records.

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

A copy of a foreigner act shall 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 translation of each document written in a foreign language.

You must provide the original translation.

The translation must be done by a translator on the list of experts approved by the courts of appeal.

However, translation is not required for a multilingual birth certificate extract one of whose languages is French.

In addition, to avoid having to translate some documents issued by a the European Union, one multilingual form can be attached. See the e-justice site for more information.

Legalization or Apostille

Certain documents established abroad must be legalized or apostilles to be accepted in France.

Inquire at the embassy or consulate of the country concerned.

In France

You have to go to the platform for access to French nationality, which depends on where you live.

According to the platforms, the file must be deposited at the counter or sent by post in RAR: titleContent.

Click the interactive map to find out what you need to do.

Please note

if your request is to be sent by mail, add a stamped envelope to your file at your address and a blank 500-gram "followed" letter.

Who shall I contact

It is delivered to you or sent a receipt as soon as your file is complete.

Abroad

You must submit your application to a French consulate.

It is delivered to you or sent a receipt as soon as your file is complete.

Warning  

you must report any change in situation occurred after you submitted or submitted your application. For example, change of address, marriage, CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS, divorce, dissolution of CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS, birth.

You're called in for an interview.

This interview is used to verify whether the acquisition of French nationality should be refused for indignity or lack of assimilation.

This interview is not about the level of knowledge of the French language.

You must provide originals of your official identity documents.

Once the interview is over, a receipt it's given to you.

In France

The naturalization platform studies your declaration of French nationality.

Your declaration of French nationality is registered (accepted) if all the conditions are met.

Otherwise, your file is sent to the ministry in charge of naturalization, with a reasoned opinion, within a period of 6 months following the date of subscription of your statement.

To find out more about the progress of your application or to submit additional documents, you need to address by email to the department responsible for examining applications for acquisition of French nationality.

Who shall I contact

To the foreigner

Your file shall be forwarded to the Ministry responsible for naturalization, with a reasoned opinion, within a period of 6 months following the date of subscription of your statement.

To find out more about the progress of your application or to submit additional documents, you need to address by email to the department responsible for examining applications for acquisition of French nationality.

Who shall I contact

Your prefecture will give you a copy of your declaration of French nationality.

Your statement mentions that it has been recorded.

The effective date of your French nationality is the date of subscription of your statement.

You must keep this document who proves your nationality.

Check the declaration of french nationality for report a possible error :

  • If there is an error in the information on the declaration, please send a letter to the Ministry of the Interior.
  • In case of error on the civil status document (birth and/or marriage), send a letter to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Who shall I contact

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Refusal to register your return

If one of the conditions laid down by law is not met, the Minister responsible for naturalization denies registration of your declaration of French nationality.

The department has 1 year to refuse to register your return, or 2 years if a procedure is initiated to oppose your acquisition of French nationality.

The period runs from the delivery of the receipt delivered at the end of the interview.

The department will notify its reasoned decision.

You have a six-month period to challenge the decision before the competent court of your place of residence if registration has been refused.

The lawyer is obligatory. He's the one who does the walk.

Opposition to you becoming French

The minister in charge of naturalizations can oppose your acquisition of French nationality for indignity or lack of assimilation other than linguistic.

You have a two-month period for challenge the decision before the Council of State.

The lawyer is obligatory. He's the one who does the walk.

Declaration of French nationality (French ascendant)

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