French Citizenship by Descent: 2026 Guide for Australians

French citizenship by descent is based on the principle of ‘jus sanguinis’ or the ‘right of blood’. To put it simply, you have a legal right to claim French citizenship by descent if you have at least one parent who was a French national when you were born.

For French citizenship by descent, nationality is passed from parent to child through bloodline, regardless of where you were born or whether you live (or lived in the past) in France.

Adopted children of French citizens may also claim French nationality depending on the nature of their adoption (i.e., plenary or simple adoption).

You do not need to prove your French language proficiency or the extent of your cultural and societal integration in France to obtain French citizenship by descent. Nor your citizenship status depends on any discretionary assessment by the concerned French authorities if you can prove your French ancestry.

Can I Apply for Citizenship by Descent Through My French Grandparent?

Note that France only allows applicants to become citizens through their parents. However, you may become eligible through a French grandparent in certain scenarios.

For example, your parent might already have been a French national by law through their own French national parent (your grandparent) even if they never registered their French nationality. In such a scenario, you can claim French citizenship by descent if you can prove an unbroken chain of French ancestry.

Page Contents

• The French Citizenship by Descent: An Introduction
• Eligibility Requirements for French Citizenship by Descent
• Are Adopted Children Eligible for French Citizenship by Descent?
• Can Australians Hold Dual Nationality in France?
• France Citizenship by Descent Application Process: Step-by-Step
• Document Requirements for Proving French Descent
• Processing Time and Cost
• Other Routes to Obtain French Citizenship
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Whether an adopted child can claim French nationality by descent depends on how the child was adopted by their French citizen parent(s), i.e., by simple adoption or by plenary adoption.

Simple adoption does not automatically change the nationality of the adopted child. Instead, they will have to make a declaration of French nationality if they fulfil the eligibility criteria.

However, in the case of plenary adoption, the adopted child is considered French from birth.

Yes, you can be a dual Australian French citizen because both France and Australia allow dual nationality.

Dual citizenship comes with many benefits, as you will be entitled to all rights and privileges conferred to their respective citizens by France and the US.

However, keep in mind that you will also be subject to the laws of both lands, including tax regulations. Considers all aspects of dual citizenship before you take that route.

Before you start the application process, first confirm that you are eligible for French citizenship by descent. You must then start arranging for the required documents to prove a clear and unbroken link between yourself and your French ancestor.

Once all supporting documents are ready, send your original documents by post from Australia to the competent court in France (which is usually the civil court in Paris for applicants living outside France). You do not need to submit it in person.

All citizenship by descent applications are reviewed centrally in France. If approved, you will receive official confirmation of your French nationality by registered mail. You can then apply for French identity documents such as a French passport.

You must provide the following documents with your citizenship by descent application:

• Your ID prooof (e.g., your passport)
• Your full birth certificate
• Your French parent’s birth certificate issued by the French civil registry
• Documents proving your parent’s French nationality (e.g., their French passport, French ID card, citizenship certificate, etc.)
• Marriage certificates (if surnames have changed through marriage)
• Any additional civil records (e.g., divorce decrees or name-change documents, where applicable)

Since Australia has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, your Australian documents must be duly apostilled. All documents not in French must be accompanied by a certified copy translated by a sworn French translator who is registered at a Cour d’appel in France.

Under French law (Decree No. 2022-899), the court has an initial legal target of 6 months to issue a decision once they receive a complete application. This review period may legally be extended up to 12 months, increasing the timeline to 18 months.

However, practical processing times for applicants residing abroad (e.g., Australia in this context) can often range from 12 to 24+ months due to high application volumes.

There is no processing fee for a citizenship by descent application. However, you need to budget for apostille, translation and postal costs as well as legal expenses if you require the professional help of an immigration lawyer.