France is a wonderful country. But some people don't want to limit themselves to travel. Living in Paris is a difficult dream to achieve. Obtaining French citizenship is a lengthy procedure. It requires compliance with many conditions and various requirements.
What attracts migrants to this state? France is one of the most developed countries in Europe. It offers residents good social policies as well as wonderful old architecture and history. This state has pleasant climatic conditions.
Benefits of French citizenship
French citizenship has many advantages. Therefore, migrants from all over the world choose it.
Along with the status of a subject of the French state, the future citizen will have the opportunity to live and work not only in the territory of the chosen state, but throughout the European Union. There is no need for a visa.
If a citizen has undergone the naturalization procedure, then he is equated to a native Frenchman. This means that a person can lead a social life, participate in referendums, elections, and work in the civil service.
Citizens of France can count on social security, because the cost of living in this state is much higher compared to Russia.
French legislation and citizenship: main trends
For many decades, the French Republic was distinguished by its liberalism in matters of granting citizenship. However, from the middle of the twentieth century. The lion's share of immigrants in France began to consist of people from Africa and Asia since the late 1990s. immigrants from Eastern Europe were added to them. This led to serious changes in the sociocultural situation and increased tension in relations between the residents of the country.
Issues related to the increase in the number of migrants are covered in the article “Causes of immigration and emigration in modern conditions.”
The multiple increase in the number of speakers of other cultural traditions and religions (primarily Islam) has confronted France with the need to:
- use new legal mechanisms for granting citizenship that can effectively integrate foreigners into the French community;
- to counteract attempts by undesirable elements to enter the country - bearers of totalitarian, extremist and other ideologies, terrorists who may pose a direct or hidden threat to the citizens and society of France.
At the same time, the country has a number of demographic problems, such as a decrease in the birth rate, an aging population, an increase in the number of pensioners, a shortage of workers, etc. Therefore, the acquisition of the French indigenous population by young and promising people who are also capable of acquiring offspring and providing the country with new citizens, seems quite acceptable to the authorities.
Legislative regulation of citizenship issues is of particular interest. There is no separate law on French citizenship. Its functions are performed by the Civil Code (CFC), introduced under Napoleon I Bonaparte.
Articles dedicated to the indigenous people are concentrated in Book I “On Persons”. Amendments and additions are made to the Code as necessary. The most important amendments concerning the French indigenous people were introduced by laws of 1973, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2021, 2105.
Any foreign citizen can apply for a French passport if all the requirements stipulated by law are met, and provided that he is not subject to an entry ban or deportation order from the country (GKF, art. 21-23, 21-27).
Methods of obtaining
There are several ways to register citizenship in the country of the Eiffel Tower and frog legs. The legislation provides not only for the procedure for acquiring citizenship, but also for the possibility of restoration of citizenship.
How to obtain French citizenship in one way or another?
By birth
Citizenship by birth assumes that this method will be relevant for minor citizens.
Children who were born on the territory of the country and both or at least one parent are citizens of France automatically receive citizenship.
The parents are recognized as stateless persons; the child was born on French territory and has lived here for 5 years. Also, citizenship is granted to those children who were established by a family from France and live in the country on a permanent basis.
If a child was born into a family of two migrants, then in this case he can apply for French citizenship only after reaching adulthood. It is important that he stays in the country for at least 5 years continuously.
Important! Young people who are children of foreigners but live in France can serve in its army. In this case, when concluding a contract, they automatically receive citizenship.
By origin
Origin presupposes that the foreigner has close relatives living in this state or has other historical roots. The main requirement is that before applying for citizenship, you must reside in France for at least 5 years.
Ideally, the parents or one of them are representatives of the French state. In this case, it is enough to provide a birth certificate to confirm the relationship. Also, citizenship by descent can be obtained if the grandparents were French citizens, and the parents were deprived of citizenship for some reason.
Through marriage
French citizenship is possible for Russians to obtain through marriage. Indeed, many men and women come to this country of romance to find their soulmate and settle in Europe.
Despite the fact that marriage significantly simplifies the process of obtaining French citizenship, it does not give rise to automatic citizenship. But the naturalization process will be significantly reduced. This means that a citizen must stay in the country to obtain citizenship not for 5 years, but for 4 years. All this time the family must live continuously in France.
Important! If before the calculation of 4 years the marriage was recognized as fictitious or the spouses separated, the migrant undertakes to leave the country without the right to obtain citizenship using a simplified method.
Acquiring French citizenship by marriage is not permitted on a fictitious basis. And if this fact is revealed by government officials, in this case the migrant will be extradited to the country where he has citizenship, and the marriage will be automatically dissolved.
From the latest statistics it turns out that in France more than 13% of fictitious marriages take place.
Naturalization
French citizenship through naturalization is a long and quite labor-intensive process. In order to become a citizen you need to reside continuously in the state for 5 years. Naturalization also involves going through 3 stages.
- To begin with, a long-term visa is opened, which allows crossing the state border.
- Over time, a person receives a residence permit in the country and then re-registers it for permanent residence.
- The third step is to submit an application for citizenship.
What grounds give the right to become a subject through naturalization?
- Having a permanent official job in France.
- Marriage.
- Family restoration.
- Studying at a higher educational institution.
- Having refugee status.
For students
Obtaining French citizenship by students is widely practiced. The state is loyal to young people who come here to gain knowledge. The state is interested in young specialists. A young man or girl who is studying in France can count on citizenship after 2 years from the moment of permanent residence in the country, but only on the condition that they are studying or have already completed their studies at a local higher education institution.
Important! Another significant plus that will provide the opportunity to obtain citizen status is graduating from university. Citizenship is more readily issued to persons who already have higher education.
How to obtain French citizenship for part-time students? People who have lived in the country for more than 5 years can apply for it.
For investment
How to obtain French citizenship by investment?
France needs to attract money to its economy. In order to cooperate with foreign investors, it was decided to grant the right to obtain permanent residence to persons who are willing to invest in the economy from 1 to 2.5 million euros.
And after five years such persons have the right to obtain citizenship.
Also, good conditions in the country apply to businessmen. In order to count on citizenship, you need to open your own company and employ at least 50 indigenous local residents in it.
Important! Neither investors nor businessmen need to stay in the country continuously for 5 years, unlike other groups applying for citizenship.
French citizenship for Russians is issued in a very expedited manner, without long waits. All information can be obtained on the corresponding website.
Grounds for obtaining citizenship
French citizenship can be obtained by completing three main steps:
- Apply for a long-term permit to Schengen category D.
- Obtain resident status (residence permit or permanent residence permit).
- Obtain French citizenship.
The first problem that needs to be resolved when moving from the Russian Federation to France is what basis to choose for moving. Tourists who have visited the country once or twice do not receive the right to obtain a residence permit, much less citizenship. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the basis for migration in advance.
Below we will consider the ways, or reasons, by which you can count on obtaining the status of a full-fledged citizen of a developed French state.
Procedure for obtaining citizenship
How can a resident of the Russian Federation obtain French citizenship? Let’s imagine that all the grounds have been established to draw up an application for citizenship. In this case, you need to follow the steps that will lead to the desired result.
First, the applicant needs to collect a package of necessary documents. You can't go anywhere without this.
It includes the following papers.
- Passport of your country of residence and copies.
- Foreign passports, both valid and expired.
- 4 photographs of standard size 3.5 by 4.5 mm.
- Card for permanent residence or residence permit.
- A certificate from the bank confirming your financial solvency.
- A certificate from the police stating that the applicant for citizenship has no problems with the law.
- A certificate from the tax office confirming the absence of debts.
- A certificate confirming the availability of living space. This can be owned or rented housing.
- A medical certificate indicating the absence of diseases dangerous to the health of other citizens.
- A written petition requesting citizenship and indicating the reasons.
Additionally, other documents may be required.
- For example, a university diploma.
- Birth certificate.
- A certificate of marriage with a foreigner as evidence of fictitiousness.
- An employment agreement or contract with your employer, certified by the company.
Additionally, you can familiarize yourself with the list of required documents on the website of government services in the section “how to obtain French citizenship for a Russian.” Information can also be obtained from the Public Relations Center.
Procedure for obtaining French citizenship in 2021
Marseille, France
Requirements for an applicant for citizenship
In addition to the mandatory period of residence in France, immigrants must fulfill a number of other conditions. Potential new citizens are required to pass an exam on the values of the Republic and the French language. In addition, they must not have a criminal record, must have a permanent place of residence and sufficient income.
Obtaining residence permit and permanent residence
Since you can become a French citizen only after several years of legal residence in the republic, you need to take care of obtaining a residence permit and permanent residence permit. This can be done by foreigners who initially issued a French VLS-TS visa (equivalent to a residence permit) or a long-term visa marked “titre de séjour à solliciter” (the right to obtain a residence permit).
After arriving on a visa, you must register with the Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII) or the prefecture within 3 months. Next, it will be necessary to sign an agreement on republican integration. 2 months before the expiration of the visa, you can apply for a foreigner’s identity card (analogous to permanent residence).
Collection and submission of documents
If a foreigner is confident that he meets the requirements for citizenship, he must provide to the prefecture of his place of residence in France:
- application form (declaration);
- national passport (with translation) and international passport;
- confirmation of legal stay in France;
- a certificate of good conduct from the police and from the country of origin;
- medical examination results;
- certificate of absence of tax arrears;
- bank statement, confirmation of sufficient financial support;
- confirmation of passing an exam in French and the values of the Republic (those who graduated from high school in France or studied at a university in French are exempt);
- an explanation of the attitude towards previous citizenship (intention to renounce or leave).
In addition to the standard list of documents, a marriage certificate, a certificate of service in a foreign legion and other documents are additionally provided. You also need to pay a 55 euro fee.
Testing
After signing the Republican Integration Treaty (CIR), the foreigner must take a two-day social studies course. They will talk about the values of the republic and give recommendations on employment.
Foreigners in France are also required to pass a language test (written and oral). If the level of knowledge is below A1, French courses will be prescribed (from 50 to 200 hours).
What is testing?
The French citizenship test consists of 2 blocks. The questions on the history and culture of France (the so-called test for the values of the republic) are simple. All French schoolchildren know the answers to them. To pass the test, you only need to answer 60% of the questions correctly.
To obtain citizenship, the language test must be passed at level B1.
Preparation
Free French courses are provided to a foreigner only to achieve level A1 (elementary knowledge). After submitting an application for a foreigner's certificate, you have the opportunity to receive another 100 hours of free classes. After them you need to show level A2. To further study French, you will have to contact the local prefecture or take paid courses.
French citizenship ceremony
Time frame for obtaining citizenship
After contacting the prefecture with an application for citizenship, you will have to wait up to 18 months. The specific period depends on the workload of the authorized person, the basis for the application (marriage, naturalization, military service, etc.).
Expenses
The application fee is only 55 euros. Costs of living and language learning are individual.
Testing
A person applying for citizenship is subjected to a test in the form of a test.
There will be two of them in total. This is an exam aimed at testing proficiency in a foreign language. The exam includes both written and oral tasks. It is important to achieve level B1 to obtain the right to obtain citizenship.
The purpose of the test is knowledge of the French language.
The second test is more complex and is related to knowledge of local traditions, history, political values, geography, and culture.
Also, as part of this test, they may well be asked to sing the national anthem.
There are categories of citizens who are exempt from testing. These categories of citizens include:
- Refugees.
- Persons over 70 years of age.
- Persons without citizenship, but living in the territory of the state for more than 15 years.
There is no requirement to pass tests for knowledge of the state language if the person studied at the University of France.
Upon passing the tests, a special certificate is issued.
Important! If the test result was unsatisfactory, the foreigner is not deprived of the opportunity to take the test an unlimited number of times
Cost and processing time
Consideration of the right to acquire citizenship is a lengthy process. On average, registration takes from 12 to 18 calendar months. But this period can also be extended if there are compelling reasons. Some note that the process dragged on for up to 2 or even 3 years. French citizenship can be obtained for longer, up to 5 years. Applications are accepted during the working week in any specialized department.
The issue of cost is separate. If you use the services of private companies in collecting documents and drawing up an application, then the amount may be quite high.
If you prepare the documents yourself, you will have to pay a state fee of 155 euros. It is used for issuing a new passport.
Some categories of citizens are exempt from paying state fees. These people include people with disabilities, minor children, as well as refugees and their family members.
Why can they refuse?
The French administration may make either a positive or unfavorable decision for the applicant. The second may contain an answer about inadmissibility (providing citizenship is impossible) or about untimeliness (French indigenat is not yet possible). In this case, a deadline may be set before the expiration of which the applicant can improve his level of integration: for example, learn French, improve professional integration.
The reasons for refusal to grant citizenship may be:
- illegal stay in France;
- presence of an outstanding criminal record with restriction of freedom for a period of more than 6 months;
- insufficient grounds for acquiring citizenship in France;
- provision of false data and attempted falsification (fictitious marriage, false documents);
- previous deportation from a country with an entry ban;
- lack of integration into the French community and disrespect for French values;
- participation in hostilities against French troops, membership in terrorist organizations.
If the application for citizenship is refused or delayed, the French Ministry of Internal Affairs will send the applicant a registered letter justifying the decision. If the applicant does not agree with it, within two months after receiving the notification it is necessary to submit an administrative appeal to the Ministry of Internal Affairs by registered mail to the address:
| French | Russian language |
| Ministère de l'intérieur | Ministry of Internal Affairs |
| Direction générale des étrangers en France | Directorate General for Foreigners in France |
| Direction de l'accueil, de l'accompagnement des étrangers et de la nationalité | Department of Admissions, Foreigners and Citizenship |
| Sous-direction de l'accès à la nationalité française | French Citizenship Access Unit |
| 12 rue Francis-le-Carval | 12 Rue Francis le Carval |
| 44404 REZÉ CEDEX | 44404 REZE SEDEX |
If there is no response within 4 months, this means that the administrative appeal is rejected. After this, you should apply to the administrative court of Nantes within two months.
Who can be refused
There are often cases when, for certain reasons, people are denied citizenship. Why is this happening?
There can be a lot of reasons.
- The migrant is a representative of the armed forces of foreign states.
- The person has an outstanding criminal record.
- There is insufficient funds in the bank account, which cannot confirm the fact of financial solvency.
- The migrant is on the international wanted list.
- Immigration rules were violated while living in the state.
- Forged or false documents were submitted, non-existent data and information were provided.
There are other reasons. For example, there were errors in the application or the package of papers was incomplete. In this case, the failure is temporary until the causes are eliminated. You are allowed to submit documents after a couple of months.
Do not despair if you received a negative answer to the question about obtaining citizenship in the form of an official letter. Find out the reason for this decision. You can correct the situation after a few months or file an appeal. To do this, you need to contact the first instance tribunal in France.
You have exactly 6 months to appeal.
French indigenous for children
French citizenship by birth is governed by the rules of blood and soil, but has some special features. So, in order to become a citizen of this country, it is not enough just to be born on its territory, as, for example, in the USA. The procedure largely depends on the age of the children.
The article “Citizenship: is it worth planning the country of birth of the child” will help in deciding the issue of the citizenship of the unborn child.
A child 13-16 years old with foreign parents will be able to acquire French indigenous status if the following conditions are met:
- birth in the country;
- living in it from the age of 8;
- being in France at the time of filing the application;
- expressing consent (during the interview).
The package of documents must include papers confirming the fulfillment of all specified conditions.
Children over 16 years of age can obtain citizenship through declaration. To do this, the child must have continuously resided in France for at least 5 years since the age of 11 (must prove this with documentation) and be in the country on the day the declaration is submitted.
A child aged 18 years can receive a French indigenat if he has lived in the country for 5 years since the age of 11 (possibly with interruptions) and is in the country at the time of submitting the application. His parents should not be diplomatic workers.
The application and documents must be submitted to the district court authorized to decide questions of citizenship.
Double citizenship
France is loyal to the presence of dual citizenship. This means that dual citizenship of Russia and France is acceptable. Russians do not have to renounce their first citizenship in order to become a French passport holder.
As for the Russian side, the authorities are also loyal to the acquisition of second citizenship in the form of a French passport. You can submit documents at your place of residence. Therefore, citizens of the Russian Federation should not have problems with this.
Obtaining French citizenship is not an easy procedure for residents of the Russian Federation, but it is quite possible. It is important to understand that it is necessary to comply with the requirements of official authorities, correctly formulate a package of documents and be a law-abiding citizen. And in this case, the truth will be on your side.
The main reasons for refusal to obtain French citizenship
French passport
The most common reason for denial of French citizenship is the provision of false information. The French can even revoke citizenship within 2 years of receiving it if they discover deliberate lies in the documents.
Also, military personnel of another country, suspected of terrorism, or violators of migration laws will not be able to become residents of the republic. Another reason is insufficient financial support.
Finally, watch the video from the “Bonjour France – FrenchMan” channel about moving to France:
Citizenship obtained: further steps
As confirmation of the acquisition of French indigenous status, the prefecture provides a copy of the declaration indicating its registration. After this, you can apply for an identity card and a French biometric passport.
In addition, all men aged 16 to 25 must register in the military census within a month at the mayor's office and receive a census certificate. This will allow men to be called up for Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC). Without such a certificate, men will not be able to register in the voter lists (upon reaching 18 years of age), or take various exams (for a driver’s license, bachelor’s degree, and others).
Procedure for obtaining an identity card:
- select the desired city hall address;
- leave a preliminary application for a certificate in;
- personally appear with supporting documents at the mayor's office, verify your data, and submit biometrics.
Issuing a certificate is free. Production time depends on the workload of the mayor's office. An SMS will be sent to the phone number you left indicating that the document is ready, which will need to be picked up within three months. The validity period of the certificate is 15 years.
The procedure for obtaining a passport is similar. After choosing the city hall, you should leave a preliminary application for a biometric passport at. In addition to the citizenship certificate, you must take with you a birth certificate, a tax stamp (for 86 euros), and proof of residence. The passport is issued for 10 years.
Required documents
In the process of obtaining French citizenship, a Russian is required to provide certain lists of documents at each stage. Lists may vary depending on the situation, but the main sets are:
- for a visa: application form;
- international passport;
- internal passport of the Russian Federation;
- 2 photographs taken according to Schengen migration standards;
- confirmation of the reason for the trip;
- confirmation of solvency;
- receipts for payment of consular and service fees;
- statement;
- application for a French passport;
In certain situations, migration authorities have the right to require the applicant to submit additional lists of documents.
Language test
The need to know French has been repeatedly mentioned above, and this point needs to be examined in more detail.
Firstly, certain categories of applicants are not required to study the official language of that country. These include:
- political refugees;
- stateless persons who have resided permanently in France for at least 15 years;
- applicants whose age exceeds 70 years.
Also, Russians who studied at one of the local universities, where instruction was conducted in the state language, are not required to take the French language exam.
All other applicants for a French passport are required to pass an exam (oral and written) and confirm their knowledge of the state language at a high level.
Duration and cost
In general, the duration of the process of becoming a French citizen ranges from 3 to 10 years. The naturalization procedure itself for most foreign citizens (including Russians) lasts 5 years. It may take another one to three years to process documents and wait for a decision from the migration authorities.
The cost of the entire procedure depends on a number of factors, including the age of the applicant, his state of health, the reason for moving to France, and level of knowledge (primarily this concerns knowledge of the French language).
Expenses include:
- registration of a long-term Schengen visa for France - 60 euros (short-term is not suitable for immigration);
- for obtaining a residence permit/permanent residence permit, the amounts can vary greatly, but, for example, for immigration based on employment, the fee will be 99 euros;
- when applying for citizenship, everything is decided by the basis of immigration (businessmen/investors pay more, members of the French Foreign Legion pay less).
