French naturalization by decree

Verified 16 juillet 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

Your situation

  • Birth abroad
  • You have been a foreign national since birth
  • You are single, common-law, former, divorced, widowed
  • You're in a different situation
  • Your brother or sister has become French
  • You're in a different situation
  • You have been living in France for 5 years or more
Edit

You live in France

Step-by-step approach

FYI  

If you do not meet all the conditions, check if you can become french by another procedure.

Age

You must be 18 years of age to be naturalized french. However, you can apply from the age of 17.

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

Place of residence

You must reside in France at the time of signature of the naturalization decree (decision). This means that you must have in France the center of your material interests (including professionals) and your family ties.

If you reside in France but your spouse and/or children reside abroad, you may be refused French nationality.

Minimum length of residence in France

One minimum duration of 5 years of residence in France is required.

However, there are exceptions.

Regularity of stay in France

You must have a valid residence permit at the time of filing your application. However, you don't need it if you are European Union (EEE) 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 justify your assimilation to the French community.

Your assimilation to the French community will be verified by:

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 of good life and morals. This means in particular that you must not have committed acts contrary to public order.

You must not be in any 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 condemnation of the bulletin n°2 of your criminal record.

The process costs €255 (€127.50 in Guyana).

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 approach.

Documents to be provided

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

Shipping online

If you wish, you can complete your application online with information that seems to you to be of particular interest.

Sending by post

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.

Depending on your situation, other documents may be asked of you.

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

The instructor service may ask you to provide additional documents or do administrative formalities which are necessary for the examination of your application. The instructor service will help you set a deadline for taking these steps. If you do not meet the deadline, your file may be closed without further action. This means that it is not being studied. The instructor service will help you notified the decision to dismiss the case. The decision to dismiss the case indicates the remedies and time limits for appeal.

Francization of surname and/or first name

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

You can also request the attribution of a French first name, if you, or your children, do not have any.

Instructions on the documents to be provided

Even if you use the online service to send your file, you must prepare the originals of documents. You will need it when you are called for an interview.

Deed of civil status

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

A French civil status certificate 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 country. 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 l', one multilingual form can be attached. 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.

The approach varies depending on where you live.

General scenario

You can send your request online.

At each stage of the processing of your request, you will receive an email to the email address you have provided.

Online application for French naturalization or reintegration into French nationality

In case of difficulties, you can benefit from support from the contact center of the citizensANTS: titleContent.

Who shall I contact

You can also get help from a digital hotspot in each prefecture and most sub-prefectures. Ask your prefecture for information on how to make an appointment.

Who shall I contact

If you are unable to submit your application via the online service, you can submit your application by post to the naturalization platform of your home.

However, you must provide either an email from the citizens contact center ANTS: titleContent , or a document from the prefecture or sub-prefecture, attesting to the impossibility of submitting your application online.

Add to your file a stamped envelope at your address and a letter « followed » 500 g blank.

Who shall I contact
You live in French Guiana

You must file your file with the prefecture of Guyana if you are not currently a legionnaire.

Click on the interactive map to access the information of the Guyana naturalization platform (address of the public reception desk, postal address, opening hours, telephone numbers, email...).)

Who shall I contact

FYI  

Users residing in Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, the Wallis and Futuna islands, French Polynesia and New Caledonia may not use the online service.

The process varies depending on whether you sent your file online or by mail.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Sending the file online

If your situation changes after the receipt is issued, you must inform the administration via your personal online space. For example, if your family or work situation has changed, or if you have changed your address.

Attach the supporting documents in photographed or digitized format.

Online application for French naturalization or reintegration into French nationality

One receipt of the sending of the documents will be notified to you by email on your personal space.

Sending the file by mail

If your situation changes after the receipt is issued, you must inform the department that received your request. For example, if your family or work 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 the 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.

Who shall I contact

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

If your request is admissible, you will be called for an interview.

The purpose of the interview is check your assimilation to the french community, including your adherence to the fundamental principles and 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 as indicated on your notice.

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

Please note

If you do not show up for the interview, without a legitimate reason, your request may be filed without follow-up.

An investigation is made into your civic behavior (manifested for example by paying taxes).

The survey may be supplemented by consultation with consular and social bodies.

The administration also checks your possible criminal record in France and abroad.

The process varies depending on whether you sent your file online or by mail.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Sending the file online

You can track the progress of your request on your personal online space and respond to any additional requests. For example, if a document is missing or in case of non-conformity of the civil status.

At each stage of processing your application, you will receive a email notification on your personal space.

Online application for French naturalization or reintegration into French nationality

The administration has 18 months maximum from the issuance of the receipt to respond to a request for naturalization or reintegration into French nationality.

This period shall be reduced to 12 months when you prove that you have been habitually resident in France for at least 10 years on the date of the receipt.

Response times can be extended 1 time for a period of 3 months.

In this case, the administration must justify its decision, i.e. explain why it needs more time to respond.

Sending the file by mail

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

Who shall I contact

FYI  

When the instructor service registers your request, you receive a mail informing you of the allocation of a ministerial number. You also receive a mail to the end of the procedure to inform you of the date of naturalization decree and date of publication of the decree in JO: titleContent.

The administration has 18 months maximum from the issuance of the receipt to respond to a request for naturalization or reintegration into French nationality.

This period shall be reduced to 12 months when you prove that you have been habitually resident in France for at least 10 years on the date of the receipt.

Response times can be extended 1 time for a period of 3 months.

In this case, the administration must justify its decision, i.e. explain why it needs more time to respond.

You are informed by email of your registration in the decree of naturalization after its publication in the Official journal of the French Republic (or by mail if you have not communicated an email when compiling your file).

You must download your naturalization decree on the Legifrance website.

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 naturalization decree may be withdrawn within 2 years of its publication in the JO: titleContent, with the assent of the Council of State, if the administration finds that you do not meet the conditions.

The naturalization decree can also be withdrawn in case of fraud, within 2 years from the discovery of the fraud.

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 registered within one month of obtaining French nationality.

The approach varies depending on the document to be corrected.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Transcription error in the Official journal of the French Republic

The approach varies according to that you have sent your file online or by mail.

Sending the file online

When your name appears in a naturalization decree, you receive a mail.

You are invited to consult the naturalization decree from personal space created during your online application for access to french nationality.

If you notice an error, an oversight, etc. in the French naturalization decree, you can request a correction if the order contains one or more errors, or a change if the decree does not take into account an event that occurred before its signature.

One online service allows you to do the process online:

Apply online for a modification or a correction of a French naturalization decree

Sending the paper file

If you notice a transcription error relating to your civil status in the naturalization decree published in the Official journal of the French Republic, report it by post or by email to the Ministry of the Interior.

Who shall I contact

Error on a civil status certificate

If you notice an error on a civil status certificate (birth and/or marriage), you must send a letter to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Who shall I contact

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

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 request.

Your request is inopportune if the acquisition of french nationality is not, or not yet, conceivable: your request may be denied (rejected) or deferred (adjourned). In case of postponement, a deadline is imposed, for example to allow you to improve your professional integration. Once this time has passed, you can make a new request.

A closed application means that it is not being considered.

If your application has been declared untimely and refused (rejected), a new application submitted less than 5 years after the notification of the refusal, may be discontinued without further action, after consideration of any new circumstances indicated.

If your request has been declared untimely and postponed (adjourned), a new application submitted before the end of the prescribed period may be dismissed.

The decision to dismiss the case indicates the remedies and time limits for appeal. Prior administrative recourse to the Minister responsible for naturalizations is not mandatory. You can appeal directly litigation.

The appeal against an unfavorable decision varies according to that you have sent your file online or by mail.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Sending the file online

The adverse decision is yours notified online on your personal area (section My Notifications).

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

Your appeal must must be presented via the form available on your personal space (section My Notifications). Otherwise, except in case of justified technical impossibility, your appeal may be declared inadmissible.

If you receive a negative answer, or in the absence of a reply within 4 months from the date of receipt of your appeal, you have 2 months 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 the: titleContent of your administrative appeal to know the remedies and deadlines of appeal).

Warning  

The administrative appeal must be made before a contentious remedies.

Sending the paper file

The adverse decision is yours notified by registered mail with : titleContent or during a summons to the prefecture.

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

Who shall I contact

If you receive a negative answer, or in the absence of a reply within 4 months from the date of receipt of your appeal, you have a 2 months 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 the: titleContent of your administrative appeal to know the remedies and deadlines of appeal).

.

Warning  

The administrative appeal must be made before a contentious remedies.

You live abroad

Step-by-step approach

FYI  

If you do not meet all the conditions, check if you can become french by another procedure.

Age

You must be 18 years of age to be naturalized french. However, you can apply from the age of 17.

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

Place of residence

You can be naturalized by decree provided you complete one of 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 your 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 Union (EEE) 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 justify your assimilation to the French community.

Your assimilation to the French community will be verified by:

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 of good life and morals. This means in particular that you must not have committed acts contrary to public order.

You must not be in any 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 condemnation of the bulletin n°2 of your criminal record.

The process costs €255.

Payment is made at the consulate, when you submit your file.

Check the website of your consulate to find out which payment methods are accepted (cash, credit card or bank transfer).

Documents to be provided

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

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.

Depending on your situation, other documents may be asked of you.

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

The instructor service may ask you to provide additional documents or do administrative formalities which are necessary for the examination of your application. The instructor service will help you set a deadline for taking these steps. If you do not meet the deadline, your file may be closed without further action. This means that it is not being studied. The instructor service will help you notified the decision to dismiss the case. The decision to dismiss the case indicates the remedies and time limits for appeal.

Francization of surname and/or first name

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

You can also request the attribution of a French first name, if you, or your children, do not have any.

Instructions on the documents to be provided

Deed of civil status

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

A French civil status certificate 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 country. 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 l', one multilingual form can be attached. 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 submit your application for naturalization to 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 work 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 the 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.

Who shall I contact

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

If your request is admissible, you will be called for an interview.

The purpose of the interview is check your assimilation to the french community, including your adherence to the fundamental principles and 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 as indicated on your notice.

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

Please note

If you do not show up for the interview, without a legitimate reason, your request may be filed without follow-up.

An investigation is made into your civic behavior (manifested for example by paying taxes).

The survey may be supplemented by consultation with consular and social bodies.

The administration also checks your possible criminal record in France and abroad.

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

Who shall I contact

FYI  

When the instructor service registers your request, you receive a mail informing you of the allocation of a ministerial number. You also receive a mail to the end of the procedure to inform you of the date of naturalization decree and date of publication of the decree in JO: titleContent.

The administration has 18 months maximum from the issuance of the receipt to respond to a request for naturalization or reintegration into French nationality.

This period shall be reduced to 12 months when you prove that you have been habitually resident in France for at least 10 years on the date of the receipt.

Response times can be extended 1 time for a period of 3 months.

In this case, the administration must justify its decision, i.e. explain why it needs more time to respond.

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

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 naturalization decree may be withdrawn within 2 years of its publication in the JO: titleContent, with the assent of the Council of State, if the administration finds that you do not meet the conditions.

The naturalization decree can also be withdrawn in case of fraud, within 2 years from the discovery of the fraud.

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 registered within one month of obtaining French nationality.

The approach varies depending on the document to be corrected.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Transcription error in the Official journal of the French Republic

If you notice a transcription error relating to your civil status in the naturalization decree published in the Official journal of the French Republic, report it by post or by email to the Ministry of the Interior.

Who shall I contact

Error on a civil status certificate

If you notice an error on a civil status certificate (birth and/or marriage), you must send a letter to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Who shall I contact

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

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, conceivable: 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 period has passed, you can make a new request.

A closed application means that it is not being considered.

If your application has been declared untimely and refused (rejected), a new application submitted less than 5 years after the notification of the refusal, may be discontinued without further action, after consideration of any new circumstances indicated.

If your request has been declared untimely and postponed (adjourned), a new application submitted before the end of the prescribed period may be dismissed.

The decision to dismiss the case indicates the remedies and time limits for appeal. Prior administrative recourse to the Minister responsible for naturalizations is not mandatory. You can appeal directly litigation.

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

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

Who shall I contact

If you receive a negative answer, or in the absence of an answer in a delay of 4 months from the date of receipt of your appeal, you have 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 the: titleContent of your administrative appeal to know the remedies and deadlines of appeal).

.

Warning  

The administrative appeal must be made before making a contentious remedies.

Online application for French naturalization or reintegration into French nationality

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