Reintegration into French nationality by declaration - Voluntary acquisition of foreign nationality

Verified 28 mai 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Your situation

  • You voluntarily acquired a foreign nationality and lost French nationality by declaration
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You can voluntarily acquire a foreign nationality if you usually reside abroad, and lose the French nationality by declaration. You may then, by declaration, reinstate French nationality.

Step-by-step approach

Age

You must be major (18 years or older).

Links with France

You must have retained or acquired clear links with France, including cultural, professional, economic and family matters.

Situation on French territory

You must not have been expulsion order or a prohibition of French territory still in force.

If you reside in France when you make the declaration of reintegration into French nationality, you must be in regular stay in France (you must have a valid provisional document or residence permit).

Lack of criminal convictions

You should not be in any of the following situations:

  • To have been sentenced in France to a prison sentence without reprieve 6 months or more
  • Having been convicted of a criminal offense crime or a offense constituting an infringement of the fundamental interests of the Nation, or act of terrorism.

However, this obligation does not apply to you in the event of rehabilitation or to exclude the mention of the conviction of Bulletin No. 2 of your criminal record.

Documents to be provided

The list indicative the documents to be provided are as follows:

  • Application for reinstatement in French nationality on free paper. The application must include your name, first name, date and place of birth, and address. It is useful to specify your phone number and email address. The service will draw up the declaration of reintegration into French nationality, in 2 copies, which you will have to date, sign and initial on each page.
  • Your birth certificate
  • Official identity document
  • Recent photo ID
  • Proof that you possessed French nationality before losing it (French nationality certificate, or court order recognizing French nationality, or magnification the decree on naturalization or reintegration into French nationality, or declaration of French nationality or civil status documents)
  • Certificate drawn up by the authorities of the country of which you acquired the nationality, specifying the date of acquisition and the provisions of the foreign law under which that nationality was acquired
  • Any public or private documents that prove that you have retained or acquired ties with France, in particular cultural, professional, economic or family ties
  • Extract of criminal record or equivalent document issued by a competent judicial or administrative authority of the country or countries in which you have resided for the last 10 years, or if you cannot produce such documents, of the country of nationality
  • If you have minor children, they may benefit from the effects of your return if their name is included in it. They must however reside with you in the usual way, or alternatively in case of separation or divorce. You must provide their birth certificates and any documents justifying this residence. If necessary, attach documents proving the parentage children with respect to you (civil registration documents or court order).
  • 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

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 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 to consult the list of approved translators.

In addition, to avoid having to translate certain documents issued by a country of 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 France in the country concerned for legalization, and at the embassy or consulate of the country concerned for the Apostille.

Please note

Depending on your situation, the instructor department may ask you for additional documents and gives you a time limit to provide them. One receipt is addressed to you when your file is complete.

Francization of surname and/or first name

When you apply, you can ask francization of your first and/or last name(s), and francization of your children's first names.

You can also ask for a French first name if you or your children have none.

The approach varies depending on whether you live in France or abroad.

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In France

You must go to the court or the court near your home.

You can submit your file or send it by mail.

Who shall I contact

Abroad

You must contact the French consular or diplomatic authorities.

A decision to register the declaration or to refuse registration must be taken within 6 months according to the date of the receipt. In the absence of a reply within that period, this means that the declaration of reintegration into French nationality is recorded (accepted).

The declaration of reintegration into French nationality shall take effect on the date of subscription. If you have minor children, they become French on that date provided their name is mentioned in the declaration and the service has accepted the request concerning them.

The 2nde original copy of the declaration is sent to you with the mention of registration. You must preserve this document proving your nationality: no further copies can be issued. This document is required for apply for a certificate of french nationality and one national identity card.

Check the declaration for report a possible error :

  • In case of error in the information mentioned on the declaration, send a letter to the court registry where you signed up for the declaration, or to the French consulate abroad where you signed up for the declaration.
  • In case of error on the birth certificate, send a letter to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs or to the town hall where your birth certificate is kept.

The public prosecutor's office may contest the registration of the declaration within 2 years if the legal conditions are not fulfilled.

It may also do so in the event of fraud or deception within the 2 years from their discovery.

The instructor service will notify its decision reasoned Refusal.

You can appeal within 6 months from the date of notification. The notification shall indicate how to appeal. The lawyer is obligatory. He's the one who does the walk.

Who shall I contact

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