French Citizenship By Descent

Those who are Canadian, American, or Australian likely have ancestors who originated in Europe, and those who are lucky enough to have French descendants recent in their ancestry may be eligible for citizenship by descent. Citizenship by descent is the second-cheapest way to get citizenship.

France’s citizenship used to be governed by the jus soli principle, which means the right to soil. The US functions on this premise as well in terms of the law of citizenship. It means that any child born in the territories of this country, regardless of the parent’s nationality, will automatically acquire the country’s nationality.

However, France moved away from the jus soli principle and moved more towards the jus sanguinis principle, which instead means ‘right of blood’ regarding citizenship.

Since France made this move, citizenship by descent has become more desirable. This principle allows individuals who have parents of French nationality to become citizens of France. However, the downside of this is that France will only allow applicants to go back a single generation to a French parent, not a French grandparent.

For those who do have a French parent, however, citizenship in French can be desirable, and the individual will only have to prove their eligibility for French citizenship.

Proving French citizenship by descent eligibility is fairly easy, as all that is required is documentation of the parent’s French nationality.

Yet, this can be complicated if the French parent is estranged or if the applicant does not have a way of tracking them down. This would result in the applicant needing to dig through archives to produce paperwork or proof that they do indeed have ties to France.

Page Contents

• The French Citizenship By Descent
• French Citizenship By Descent Eligibility Criteria
• French Citizenship By Descent Application Requirements
• France Citizenship By Descent: Application Process
• Common Reasons For Application Rejections And How To Avoid Them
• Other Possible Routes To Obtain Citizenship In France
• How Can Total Law Help?

Certain eligibility criteria would make an applicant eligible for French citizenship by descent. The scenarios that would make an individual eligible for French citizenship through their ancestors include the following:

• A person is eligible to become a French citizen through descent if at least one parent was a French citizen when they were born. This individual will need to prove both their identity and the identity of the parent as well.
• Should an individual be over 18 years of age and be born in a foreign country to a mother who was French, who may have been born in France or elsewhere, they may be eligible. This applicant is only eligible if, at the time of their birth, their French mother retained their French nationality. Additionally, the parent-child relationship with the French parent needs to have been established while the child was a minor.
• French citizens can pass their nationality onto their child through descent if, on the day their child was born, they retained their French nationality and their parent-child relationship was established while the child was under 18 years of age.

Those who fit in the categories for one of the situations above may be eligible to apply to obtain French citizenship by descent. Yet, France does require that all generations be registered to be citizens before the applicant applies.

This means that if a French parent has their roots through their parent, then they need to apply for their citizenship before their child can apply for citizenship.

Equally, this would mean that those who have children must first register and obtain their French citizenship before they can apply for their children to have citizenship and receive their passports.

In cases where an applicant and their parents have not had anything to do with France for five decades or so and have lived outside of France for this period as well, there will be no eligibility for citizenship.

This means that individuals and their parents who have no links to France will not be eligible for an application.

Due to this, citizenship by descent can be difficult to acquire in France. However, those who are eligible and who can prove this will find that French citizenship can be easily acquired.

French citizenship via descent is an easy way to get French nationality if you have at least one parent who is a French citizen. There are certain eligibility criteria and documents that must be provided for this application, however.

Ensure you meet all eligibility criteria and have all required documents prepared before you apply.

The eligibility criteria for the French citizenship-by-descent application process are as follows:

• The applicant must have at least one parent who was a French citizen at the time of their birth.
• The child must have been born in wedlock or must at least be recognized by the French parent.

The documents required for this application include the following:

• The French parent’s birth certificate must be provided.
• The applicant’s birth certificate must be provided.
• The applicant must provide the marriage certificate of their parents.
• The applicant must provide proof of the French parents’ French citizenship.
• There must be evidence of the residency of the French parent if they are living abroad.
• Applicants must be sure to provide any other relevant documentation for the application, including divorce decrees and adoption papers, if relevant.

There are some other requirements that the applicant must meet for their citizenship by descent application.

• The applicant needs to have no history of being convicted of a serious crime.
• The applicant must never have engaged in any activity that could be perceived as harmful to the interests of France.
• The applicant may be required to renounce any other citizenship (although dual citizenship is often applicable). Therefore, in some cases, the applicant must be prepared to renounce any other citizenship upon the acquisition of French citizenship.

The French citizenship by descent program is much like other citizenship routes. Therefore, the applicant needs to gather together all their documents to prove their eligibility, and this is probably the most challenging part of the process.

Obtaining the proof is up to the applicant, and a case must be built for a favourable decision.

This application is to obtain a certificate of French nationality, which is an official document that will prove citizenship in France.

Therefore, the department to which applicants should send their applications needs to be the Department of Nationality for French People Born and Established Outside of France.

The application process will require the following documents to be presented:

• Proof of ID, such as a valid passport.
• Proof of residency, such as a household bill.
• A copy of the applicant’s birth certificate that indicates the parent-child relationship to the French parent.
• A copy of the French parent’s birth certificate.
• Any documents that can aid in establishing the parents as being French nationals. Some documents that this could include are:
  • A national identity card.
  • Passports.
  • Consular registration cards.
  • Military booklets.
  • Certificate of nationality.
  • Voter cards.
• A marriage certificate of the applicant’s parents. However, if the applicant’s parents are not married, then a copy of the certificate that recognizes and proves parentage is required.

This application will need to be done in person, unless there are specific circumstances that would prevent it, such as an inability to travel. If the individual is unable to travel, then the courts would accept paperwork by mail.

It is always best to provide any supporting documents that can aid in proving the relationship and that may assist in a successful application.

As well as the above paperwork, the applicant will need to meet two other requirements:

• The applicant must provide proof of integration into French society, which will be tested through an interview.
• A language test must be taken. The applicant will need to prove that they can write and speak in the French language. Yet, should the individual have a recognized diploma from a course of studies at a French institute, taught in French, this could serve as a substitute for taking the test.

Once the application is completed and submitted, the applicant must simply wait to learn if their application was successful. Those who have a successful application will obtain French citizenship and are then able to apply for a French passport.

However, should the application be denied, the applicant will be eligible to appeal against this decision by directly contacting the Ministry of Justice.

Applications can be rejected for French citizenship by descent if there is not enough proof of the applicant’s ancestry. If there is insufficient proof of the applicant’s parent’s French nationality, the application may be rejected.

Additionally, should the applicant not provide all necessary documentation and the documents not be adequately translated, it is also possible to receive a rejection for this.

Applicants applying for French citizenship by descent also need to pass the culture and language skills tests. If the results of these tests are not sufficient, then the application may also be rejected.

Applications can also be rejected on grounds of criminal activity or the applicant’s previous engagement in activities that France may deem unsafe or a risk to the country.

Although unlikely, it is also possible that a rejection may occur if the applicant has stateless parents and proof of previous French citizenship by descent is not 100% confirmed through the supporting documents.