Declaration of French nationality of the brother or sister of a Frenchman

Verified 18 July 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You have a brother or a sister which is become french and you want to have french nationality? You can, by your majority and under certain conditions, make a declaration of french nationality. We tell you the steps to follow to make the request.

Step-by-step approach

Your brother or sister must meet all of the following conditions:

Born in France

Your brother or your sister must be born in France of foreigner parents.

Acquisition of French nationality

Your brother or your sister must have acquired French nationality in one of the following 3 ways:

  • By his majorityby reason of his habitual residence in France on that date and for a continuous or discontinuous period of at least 5 years since he was 11 years old
  • Or from the age of 16, by reason of his habitual residence in France at the time of his declaration of nationality and during a continuous or discontinuous period of at least 5 years since the age of 11
  • Or from the age of 13, at the request of his parents, due to his habitual residence in France for a continuous or discontinuous period of at least 5 years since the age of 8 years

Please note

All these conditions must be completed at date of your return of French nationality. If not, check if you can become french by another procedure.

You must meet all of the following conditions:

Age

You must be of age (18 years or older).

Residence in France

You must reside in France since age of 6 years in a usual and regular (you must have a valid residence permit).

In addition, you must not have been the subject of a deportation order or a prohibition of french territory still in force.

Schooling

You must have completed compulsory schooling in France in a institution subject to State control.

Lack of criminal conviction

You must not be in one of the following situations:

  • Have been sentenced in France to a prison term without reprieve 6 months or more
  • Have been convicted for a crime or a offense constituting an attack on the fundamental interests of the Nation or a act of terrorism.

However, this obligation does not apply to you in case of rehabilitation or exclusion of the mention of the conviction of the bulletin n°2 of your criminal record.

Please note

All these conditions must be completed at date of your return of French nationality. If not, check if you can become french by another procedure.

General case

The process costs €55.

This tax is paid with a fiscal stamp.

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

In French Guiana

The process costs €27.50.

This tax is paid with a fiscal 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 approach.

Documents to be provided

Prepare the following documents to build your file:

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

  • Form cerfa no. 15562 in 2 copies
    You have to fill it out, date it and sign it.
  • 2 recent identity 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 country that is not 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 at 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 to birth certificates of your parents.
    If it is not possible to provide your birth certificate or if a multilingual extract is presented, other documents will be requested.
  • Documents showing the date, place of birth and marriage of your parents if they were married.
  • If you are married, your marriage certificate
  • If you have entered into a CIVIL PARTNERSHIP, the registration receipt issued by the court, mayor or notary
  • In case of previous marriages, marriage certificates and any documents justifying their dissolution.
    For example, copy of the 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 may 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 alternating residence with you in the event of separation or divorce
    For example, certificate of attendance in nursery, certificate of schooling of the current year

4. Family relationship with your French brother or sister

  • Birth certificate of your brother or sister including parentage (surname, first name, date and place of birth of his parents) issued by the municipality holding the deed
  • If you were born to the same parents, copy of their family record book
  • If you have only one common parent, a full copy of that parent's birth certificate

5. French nationality of your brother or sister

You must provide proof that your brother or sister has acquired French nationality by providing:

  • a certificate of French nationality,
  • or a full copy of his birth certificate mentioning his French nationality,
  • or a copy of his registered declaration of French nationality.

6. Schooling in France in an institution that has signed an agreement with the State

You must provide school certificates covering, without any interruption, the period of compulsory schooling (from September of the year of 6 years to the anniversary date of 16 years).

7. Residence in France on the day of declaration of French nationality

  • Copy of your residence permit, or if you are European, copy of your valid passport
  • Any recent document in your name with your current address
    For example, recent electricity, water or landline telephone bill, last rent receipt

8. Habitual residence in France after the age of 16

  • Documents proving the continuity of your regular and habitual residence in France since the age of 16.
    You can provide different documents to cover this period.
    For example, certificates of payment of benefits by the Caf: titleContent, career or individual status reports, apprenticeship contracts, probationary certificates, work certificates, registration certificates at France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi)
  • If you are supported by your CIVIL PARTNERSHIP partner, proof of income
  • If you are married, a copy of your spouse's residence permit or, if he/she is European, any document proving his/her residence in France
  • If you have minor children, documents proving their residence in France

9. foreigner criminal record

You must provide a foreigner criminal record extract or equivalent document issued by a competent judicial or administrative authority.

This document must be provided for any country in which you have resided for more than 6 months in the last 10 years.

If you cannot provide these documents, you must provide an extract of the criminal record of the country of which you are a national.

Please note

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

If your file is not complete, the instructor service may give you formal notice to provide the missing documents and set a deadline for you to provide them.

If you do not provide the requested documents within the set deadline, your file may be closed without further action.

This means that it is not being studied.

The instructor service will help notified the decision to dismiss without further action.

You can appeal against this decision within 6 months before the court.

The decision to dismiss does not prevent you from making a new declaration of French nationality.

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 for 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.

In France

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

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

Click on the interactive map to find out what steps you need to take.

Please note

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

Who shall I contact

It is given to you or sent to you receipt as soon as your file is full.

Abroad

You must apply to a French consulate.

It is given to you or sent to you receipt as soon as your file is full.

Warning  

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

You're being called for an interview.

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

This interview does not cover the level of knowledge of the French language.

You must provide the originals of your official identity documents.

Once the interview is completed, a receipt is handed over to you.

Assimilation to the French community implies being in accordance with the fundamental principles and values of the Republic.

Thus, evidence showing a discriminatory attitude based, inter alia, on criteria of sex, race, religion or nationality constitutes a failure to assimilate.

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 will be sent to the Ministry in charge of naturalizations, with a reasoned opinion, within 6 months following the subscription date of your statement.

The Ministry in charge of naturalizations may arrange for any further investigation to be carried out if it deems it useful to verify your situation and the grounds which may prevent the obtaining of French nationality.

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

Who shall I contact

The department has 1 year to refuse to register your return or 2 years if proceedings have been initiated to oppose your acquisition of French nationality.

The period runs from the issue of the receipt given at the end of the interview.

On the foreigner

Your file is sent to the Ministry in charge of naturalizations, with a reasoned opinion, within 6 months following the subscription date of your statement.

The Ministry in charge of naturalizations may arrange for any further investigation to be carried out if it deems it useful to verify your situation and the grounds which may prevent the obtaining of French nationality.

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

Who shall I contact

The department has 1 year to refuse to register your return or 2 years if proceedings have been initiated to oppose your acquisition of French nationality.

The period runs from the issue of the receipt given at the end of the interview.

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

Your statement states that it was recorded.

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

You must keep this document which prove your nationality.

Once you become French, you can request a national identity card and/or a passport.

If your children became French at the same time as you, you can apply for a national identity card and a passport for each of them.

FYI  

A young man turned French between 16 and 25 years old, shall get a census within one month of obtaining French nationality.

Check the declaration of French nationality for report an error :

  • In case of error in the information mentioned on the declaration, 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 naturalizations refuses registration of your declaration of French nationality.

The department has 1 year to refuse to register your return or 2 years if proceedings are initiated to oppose your acquisition of French nationality.

The period runs from the issue of the receipt given at the end of the interview.

The ministry will notified its reasoned decision.

You have a 6 months delay to challenge the decision before the competent court of your place of residence if registration has been refused.

The lawyer is mandatory. He is responsible for the process.

Opposition to you becoming French

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

You have a 2 months delay for challenge the decision before the Council of State.

The lawyer is mandatory. He is responsible for the process.

Declaration of French nationality (brother or sister of French)

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