Persons who gained French citizenship are enticed to receive the French passport and to travel within the EU countries without a visa. This status means that you have dual citizenship and therefore, two passports. With the help of our immigration lawyers in France, citizens from non-EU/EEA countries can apply for French naturalization and passport, mentioning that the formalities can be properly handled by our team of advisors.
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How do I gain French citizenship?
French citizenship can be gained through marriage, meaning that a foreigner can marry a citizen from France to acquire this status and already lived together for at least 4 years as a married couple. There are certain conditions to have spent part of these years as a married couple in France. Cohabitation is mandatory when you opt for this route. On the other hand, if you lived in France for at least 5 years, you can apply for citizenship, respecting the conditions imposed.
All the formalities and requirements for obtaining French citizenship can be explained by one of our immigration lawyers in France, so you can address your requests right away. They can also help you with the citizenship test that needs to be taken before the application for such status.
There are two authorized tests, the TEF and the TCF and they are taken in certified centers. The examination includes the verification of written and oral expression as well as the written and listening comprehension. A preparation module is provided by most centers.
Our team of French immigration agents can give you more information about the process of obtaining citizenship, as well as the current laws set forth by the Government that regulate this process.
Conditions to obtain the French passport
First of all, in order to obtain the French passport, you must have lived in France for at least 5 continuous years and prove you have been integrated into the society and have enough knowledge of the French language. Here are a few of the conditions to apply for a French passport:
- an application form must comprise personal information;
- the proof of your address in France is required;
- the authorities will ask for biometric data and a specific type of photos;
- proof of your French citizenship;
- the passport application is subject to a fee that needs to be paid.
When applying for a France passport from abroad (i.e., a French Consulate), there is a requirement for the photograph to be a recent one, taken within the last 6 months. Also, the proof of address needs to be dated less than 1 year. This proof of address can be a water, electricity, telephone (including mobile phone) or gas bill, a tax notice, an insurance receipt, a property rental agreement. There are specific requirements not to provide a copy of an electronic invoice.
French nationals (former foreign citizens who have obtained the status of citizens) can still apply for the France passport when they do not have a rental agreement in their own name or when they live on a university campus. As proof of residence no older than 1 year is required, it is also possible to provide documents that prove these alternative living options. For example, when the applicant is a student who lives on a campus he or she can obtain a document from the university, duly signed and dated. Those who live with a relative or a friend can provide additional documents from the individual who accommodates them (a copy of that person’s identification document and a statement made by the person, signed and certified stating that you have been living together for more than 3 months). When you live with a friend or relative you will also need to provide a recent proof of address for that person, no older than 6 months.
With the help of our French immigration lawyers, you can easily prepare the solicited documents and make sure that your application for the French passport is correctly made.
In addition to assisting foreign nationals who are ready to apply for a France passport, we also provide assistance to those with minor children who are interested in making this application. For minors, the documents needed for the passport application will include proof of address for the parents (when the child lives with both his/her parents) or proof of residence of the parent with whom the child habitually resides. When a joint custody agreement is in place for the parents, the residence documents provided for the passport will also include those for the alternate residence (this means that proof of residence will be provided for both parents).
Where do I apply for a French passport?
The Police Prefecture, the French Embassy, or Consulate are the institutions in charge of French passport applications, in the city you live in. There is also the possibility of applying online, but no matter the case, we suggest you talk to our specialists and ask for legal advice when applying for a French passport.
French nationals who are abroad and need to apply for a passport can do so with a French Consulate. However, they do need to keep in mind that the processing time can be lengthy as the passport is produced in France and it will be mailed to the location in which it was requested. For example, when applying for a passport with the French Consulate in London, one could expect a processing time of approximately one month.
You should always check the validity of your passport for travel purposes and schedule your travels so that you may comply with the mandatory validity periods for these documents.
How long does it take to obtain a French passport?
The French passport can be issued within a couple of days if all the documents are accepted by the authorities, but it all depends on the location and the time of application. This means that during the summer holidays, the period might prolong. It is important to know that you have 3 months to collect the French passport. The passport can be collected by secure mail, at the authority where the application was made or, in case of foreign applications, with one of the authorized honorary consuls, by appointment and subject to a number of other conditions, such as paying an extra fee. When choosing to collect the passport via secure mail, this will be indicated when the application is made and in this case the passport will be sent in an envelope (there are requirements to provide the envelope when requesting this service from a French Consulate abroad).
One should note that under certain circumstances, such as urgent medical procedures, humanitarian or professional reasons, foreigners can solicit emergency services to gain the passport faster. Feel free to address our immigration lawyers in France for more details and information.
The application for the passport will also include a certain cost. For example, at the French Consulate in London, this cost is 96 euros, however, it is paid for in pounds sterling. This issue is useful to remember if you are applying for a passport in a foreign country.
Situations for changing a France passport
Two other situations may arise when an individual will need to obtain a French passport. These include the situation in which the pages of the current passport are fully used and when the holder wishes to change the information on the passport, such as in the case of marriage or divorce.
In these cases, the old passport is required, as well as a photograph and proof of address, as previously indicated. Moreover, for using a different name (for example, after marriage), the applicant will also provide supporting documents. The application for a renewed passport can also be submitted to a French Consulate, even when the name change does not yet appear on the French ID.
The validity of the French passport
The French passport has a validity of 10 years and 8 for minors in France, and it can be renewed after this period under the same conditions regarding the formalities. The application for a French passport is straightforward, and with comprehensive legal advice from our team of immigration attorneys in France, you can achieve the best possible results for your case.
Obtaining a passport is only available to those who have sorted out any issues concerning their residency in France. If you have questions about the conditions for minimum residency in the country, as well as how to schedule your appointment for obtaining a biometric passport, our team can answer your questions. The passport application is a natural step for those who have been living in France and are also interested in citizenship.
We can assist in applying for France residency by investment.
The advantages of the French passport
The French passport is the 6th most powerful document in the world, allowing free-visa travels and access to 186 worldwide countries. Besides this huge advantage, persons with French passports can live and work in any EU country they wish, enjoying the free movement rights mentioned by the EU treaties and agreements. We have gathered some interesting facts and statistics about immigration in France, provided by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies:
- the data revealed in January 2019 shows that there are around 66 million people living in France, including foreigners;
- around 6.5 million immigrants are living in France, representing 9.7% of the total population;
- around 255, 956 residence permits have been issued in France in 2018;
- there were about 123,000 asylum applications for France.
- France provides one of the shortest waiting times for gaining citizenship, of only 5 years, compared to Switzerland or Italy where you need to wait for 10 years.
If you want to know more about the French passport, we invite you to contact our team of immigration lawyers in France and solicit complete legal advice and assistance.
