Applying for French citizenship through naturalisation

Last updated: May 2023

The criteria

French naturalisation is accessible to foreigners who have lived and/or worked in France for over 5 years. A foreign citizen who can prove their connexion with France, and more specifically that they work in a professional activity for the French government or for an organisation of special interent for french culture or economy, may also be able to ask for French naturalisation even if they live abroad.

The application

As of May 2023, the list of requested documents as stated by the French government is as follows (all original documents must be supplied along with a photocopy):

• 2 x Cerfa french citizenship application forms 12753 duly filled in. My clients get a free english translation of the cerfa 12753 form to help them fill in the French one.
• If you require a "francisation" of your name(s), 2 x copies of the francisation application
• 2 x recent passport photos
• Signed covering letter and CV
• Proof of employment specifying the length of employment (letter from your employer, employment contract...). If you are applying from abroad, you'll need to prove that you carry out a professional activity for the French government or for an organisation of special interent for french culture or economy.
• Language test or qualification. A qualification obtained in any French speaking country would work, or you can study and sit the CEFR test, the TCF test or the DELF ou DALF level B1.
• Full birth certificate + translation by a certified french translator. Currently, british documents don't need to be apostilled.
• Your parents' birth certificates + translation by a certified french translator
• Copy of french marriage certificate and french family passport (livret de famille) if applicable (pages showing marriage and children)
• If applicable, copy of any previous marriage certificate, divorce certificate, death certificate + translation by a certified french translator
• Your children's birth certificates + translation by a certified french translator, and a copy of their passport, as well as any document proving their residence with you
• ACRO Police certificate less than 3 months old + apostille + translation by a certified french translator.
• Police certificate issued by any other country you might have lived in during the last 10 years.
• Proof of income (pay slip, tax return, employment contract...)
• Reference letters (in french)
• Proof of any property ownership, particularly in France
• List of French stay by the applicant
• List of any French family or connexions
• Proof of any link or relationships maintained with France (club memberships, participation to French events, contributions to French publications...)

Send your original (except passports and ID documents) application documents (in the order listed above) by post to the French consulate in London (Consulat général de France, Service de la nationalité, PO Box 520, 21 Cromwell Road, SW7 2EN LONDON). You will be invited for an interview at the consulate following which your application will be forwarded to the French ministry.