An individual who has been lawfully living in France for at least five years can obtain French citizenship, provided that he or she is over 18 years old and also complies with other requirements. Acquiring this status is important for many foreign nationals who relocate to France for employment purposes or for opening a business. This means that the primary condition for citizenship is to first acquire residency in France for long-term purposes. This can be granted for employment or business purposes, as well as for reuniting with a family member who is already a permanent resident or citizen.
Quick Facts | |
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Minimum time in the country before applying for citizenship | 5 years, less in some cases |
Citizenship for investors |
Subject to the minimum lawful stay |
Citizenship for children |
– for a child who is born in France and is living in the country at least since the age of 8, the parents can claim French nationality on his/her behalf between 13 and 16 years of age; – after 16 years of age, chilren can apply for French nationality if the habitual residence was in the country for at least 5 years since the age of 11 |
Citizenship by descent |
When at least one parent is French |
Citizenship by adoption |
Subject to fulfilling the conditions of full adoption by a French parent |
Residence requirements for citizenship applications |
– minimum lawful and continous stay of 5 years prior to application; – valid residence permit at the time of the application |
Minimum age for citizenship applications |
18 years |
Citizenship for dependents who join the permit holder to France |
The dependents are subject to citizenship by naturalization |
Citizenship for foreign nationals married to a French citizen | They can apply for citizenship after 4 years, as opposed to the regular 5 years |
Regaining citizenship |
Reintegration is possible by decree or declaration |
Language knowledge for naturalization |
Yes |
History/law knowledge for naturalization |
Yes |
Ceremony | Yes |
Loss of citizenship |
– through voluntary action; – through a public official’s decision |
Dual citizenship allowed |
Yes |
Table of Contents
How to get citizenship in France
Individuals who plan to move alone or with their families need to continuously comply with the residence permit renewal conditions in order to be able to apply for French citizenship in 2025. There are four main ways under which an individual may apply for citizenship. Two of them are reserved based on birth particularities while the others are available to applicants who are in no manner previously tied to French descendance.
We present the following ways to acquire French citizenship:
- by descent: the applicant has at least one parent who is a French citizen; alternatively, he may also apply in case of full adoption;
- by birth: when the applicant was born in the country and one or both parents were also French;
- by marriage: when a foreign national marries a French national he or she may apply for French citizenship by declaration after four years;
- by naturalization: a common manner to obtain citizenship that is available to all other applicants (who are not married to a national or are not born to parents of French descent); one can apply for French citizenship by naturalization after having lived in the country lawfully and continuously for five years; lawfully living in the country implies having a valid residence permit in France at all times.
The application process is simplified for those who are able to apply for citizenship based on the right of soil (jus soli) – the situation in which they were born in France by at least one French parent and later relocated to another country by the will of their parents, for example, the United States. In this case, the birth certificate is the most important document to be provided. Below is an infographic with details on French citizenship:
Conditions for applicants in 2025
A number of conditions apply for each of the four scenarios presented above. It is important to take note of these, this is why we suggest reaching out to one of our agents in order to obtain personalized information on how to get citizenship in France depending on your particular situation.
For example, in the case of citizenship by marriage, the following are important:
- Minimum consortium: the two individuals need to have been in a matrimonial relationship and cohabiting for five years and the foreign spouse needs to have lived in France continuously for three years at the time of the marriage;
- Joint presence: the married couple is to appear in person, together, to sign the documents with the French authorities;
- French language skills: the foreign spouse must have a good command of the French language, both written and spoken;
- Others: a fee is payable upon submitting the request and additional documents, such as the police record will be required.
Language requirements for applicants in 2025
The Immigration Law in France was revised and updated in 2024, and the new requirements are to be implemented in 2025. Among the new features is that applicants for French citizenship must prove a B2 level of French at the time of application and not B1 as it was before. This category includes both people who apply for citizenship by marriage in France and those who prove a minimum of residency in this country when applying for naturalization. It is good to know that at the moment, citizenship applications in France are accepted respecting the previous rules. However, the new language requirements will most likely be fully introduced in 2026.
We invite you to watch a video about obtaining French citizenship:
When is a child French?
As previously stated, there are multiple scenarios in which a child can acquire French citizenship. We list these below:
- When one of the parents is French at the time of birth, irrespective of where the child was born; it does not matter if the parents are married, as long as parentage is clear for the parent who is a French national;
- When one of the parents becomes French after the child is born if the child has his or her habitual residence with the parent who is a citizen (or alternatively with that parent if they are divorced or separated);
- When adopted by a French citizen; in this case, the initial nationality of the child is changed;
- When the child was born in France to foreign parents; please read the next question for more information on the scenarios in this case.
What are the particularities of the case in which the child was born in France to French parents?
In this case, one of the three situations applies:
- at least one of the parents was also born in France, or
- at least one of the parents was born in Algeria before July 3, 1962, or
- born stateless in France.
When none of these situations are applicable in a particular case, the child can become French after the age of 13 years, under specific conditions.
How much does the application for citizenship cost?
The general fee is around EUR 55, which is payable through a tax stamp but prices might change in 2025. For those who live abroad and submit their application, the fee is payable as instructed by the French Consulate. This electronic stamp is only valid for 12 months after purchase, meaning that the holder needs to complete this application in due time or acquire the stamp only when all of the documents are gathered and in order. Remember that you can always get in touch with our team if you have different other questions, or if your situation is a particular one and you are unsure how to proceed.
Obtaining citizenship can be the purpose of those who choose to relocate to France. However, this is a process that includes several steps and spans over 5 years minimum lawful stay (or less in some cases). Relocating to another country is a journey for which we are prepared to assist. Please contact our French immigration lawyers and solicit legal advice.
We offer immigration services also for persons who want to immigrate to France from the UK.