French nationality by marriage

French nationality of your spouse

Your spouse must be of French nationality on your wedding day and have retained French nationality since that date.

Duration of marriage

The rules vary depending on your situation.

Place of the wedding

If your marriage was celebrated abroad, it must have been transcribed on the registers of the french civil status.

Situation on French territory

You must have a valid residence permit at the time of filing your application, unless you are a national of countries of the European Economic Area or if you are swiss.

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

Community of life

The community of life with your husband must be continue since your marriage. The community of life means living together, materially and emotionally.

Knowledge of the French language

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

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 the event of rehabilitation or exclusion of the mention of the conviction of the bulletin n°2 of your criminal record.

Documents to be provided

Prepare the following documents to build your file:

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

• Form cerfa no. 15277 in 2 copies. You must complete, date and sign it. Your spouse must also sign it.
• 2 recent identity photos. You must paste the photos on the 2 copies of the form.
• Electronic tax stamp from €55
• Copy of an identity document (passport or residence permit)
• Copy of a recent proof of address mentioning name, first name and full address
• 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 submission 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. Your marital status

• Your original birth certificate. It 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 can ask for your parents' birth certificates. If it is not possible to provide your birth certificate or if a multilingual extract is presented, other documents will be requested.
• Your original marriage certificate from less than 3 months. If your marriage was celebrated abroad, copy of its transcription on the French consular registers, issued less than 3 months ago and proving a marriage contracted for 4 years or more
• In case of previous marriages, marriage certificates and any document justifying their dissolution. For example, copy of divorce judgment, death certificate.

3. If you have children

• Birth certificates of your children, adults or minors, born before or after your marriage. A birth certificate issued in France must be less than 3 months old.

For your minor children foreigners who 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 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.
• If you wish to make a joint declaration of choice of name for your minor children, form cerfa no. 15286 filled and signed.

4. Your spouse's French nationality

You must provide one of the following documents:

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

5. Regular residence and community of life since marriage

• Copy of your valid residence permit, or passport if you are a European who is not required to hold a residence permit
• Any document proving that the community of life both emotional and material has not stopped since your marriage. Examples: common tax notice for spouses, birth certificates for your common children
• Any recent document with 2 names bearing your current address. Examples: recent electricity, water or landline telephone bill, recent bank attestation of a joint account in operation

If you have been married for less than 5 years :

• Proof of regular and uninterrupted residence in France for at least 3 years since the marriage. For example, residence permits, receipts for residence permits or asylum applications, temporary residence permits, employment contracts, France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) certificates, electricity bills, salary slips.
• If you have resided abroad, certificate of registration of your French spouse in the register of French living outside France for the duration of your community living abroad.

6. Knowledge of French

You must provide a diploma or certificate regarding your level in French.

7. If you have resided abroad in the last 10 years

You must provide a criminal record extract foreigner, or equivalent document issued, after your arrival in France, by a judicial or administrative authority of the country or countries where you have resided. This document must be provided for all countries in which you have resided more than 6 months in the last 10 years. The criminal record of your country of origin is not required if you are a refugee or stateless person protected by theOfpra: titleContent.

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 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 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.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement