While France has citizenship by birth, this does not imply that every child born in France or one of its foreign territories will typically obtain citizenship. A child gets the nationality of their parents; therefore, if a child is born to an international citizen, the kids will also be. There are some exemptions, which have to do with the following:
- If one of the parents was born in France, notwithstanding their citizenship.
- If one of the parents was born in Algeria before the colonial independence.
- If the child were otherwise regarded as stateless,
If a child born in France or one of its overseas territories desires to apply for nationality by birth, they must satisfy certain conditions.
- A child between 13 and 16 must have resided in France since 18.
- People between 16 and 18 can assert nationality if they have resided in France steadily since age 11. Otherwise, the state typically makes an application for them when they turn 18.
- Young adults over 18 will also be qualified for French nationality if they have resided in France since age six, attended an institution in France, and have a sibling with French nationality.
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French Citizenship By Birth Qualification Measures
The qualification measures for French nationality depend on the person’s path to acquire it. Qualification measures will vary between an individual going through the path of descent and a person going through naturalization.
Adopted or qualified to become nationals via birth have a simple procedure to become nationals. The documents required are very straightforward; hence, specific durations are given to these applications based on the person’s age and events.
The qualified people are required to satisfy the following measures:
- The person was born or adopted in France, or at least one parent is a French national.
- One of the parents has been living in France for five years. Hence, if specific requirements are applied, it can be less, which concerns whether the parent performed as a civil servant overseas.
Documents And Other Conditions Required For French Citizenship By Birth
People seeking to gain nationality by birth or adoption will require specific documents when they apply. This has to do with the following:
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- Evidence of identity, which includes an identity card or passport.
- A certificate of birth or ruling for adoption
- Evidence of a parent’s French nationality or their residency in French
- If the person is born outside of France, evidence of the parents’ French citizenship at the time of the birth is required.
Additional Conditions
- If the child is born in France to non-French parents, the parents can apply for French nationality before the child turns 18.
- If the child is born to French parents outside of France, they will be able to make an application for nationality until the child becomes 18.
- Adopted people will be required to reach 16 before the adoption is concluded.
How To Apply For French Citizenship
Certain conditions and measures will be based on the candidates’ particular events and the path they take to get their nationality. There are several paths; however, there are some natural qualification measures and a procedure to follow when applying to be a French national.
First, people must be 18 years old and have settled in France for at least five years unless they have concluded higher education in France or have a partner in France. The stages to take to get French nationality are as follows:
- Candidates must collect the documents needed for their nationality application based on the path they are applying for. This can involve residence permits, certificates of birth, and evidence of French language skills.
- Once all documents are acquired, present the application to the applicable French government office or embassy.
- Go for the required interview and take a civics exam; a French language exam is applicable.
- Wait for the application to be checked and then authorized by the French administration; this can take considerable time.
- If successful, go for the nationality event and take the loyalty oath to France.
What Takes Place When Your Application Is Successful
People who become French nationals are entitled to reside, get employed, and vote in France indefinitely. French nationals also obtain access to every public advantage provided by the administration.
Based on this, having French nationality implies you can also reside and be employed in other EU-based nations. In most cases, you may desire to forfeit your citizenship to get French nationality. Hence, it is feasible to have double French nationality. The entire process of applying for nationality can take a very long time, beginning from 18 months to three years, based on the kind of application, documents, and path used.
Citizenship Application Refusal
If your nationality application satisfies the applicable requirements, authorities can only accept the request. Hence, they may extend it if they feel it needs to be more accurate. If this occurs, the candidate will be notified of the motives behind this judgment, and they will offer a deadline for re-presenting an enhanced application.
Hence, if the application is denied, the candidate can appeal to the Ministry of Interior. To deny the request, this plea must be carried out within two months of the judgment. The candidate can then take their plea to the Administrative Tribunal for an ultimate review.
