A challenge to the refusal to issue a certificate of French nationality is made by petition delivered or addressed to the clerk of the judicial court. The applicant is required to constitute a lawyer. The act of incorporation entails election of domicile.
The action is brought, on pain of foreclosure, within six months of notification of the refusal or expiry of the time limits provided for in the third paragraph of article 1045-1.
On pain of inadmissibility, the application shall be accompanied by a copy of the form referred to in article 1045-1, the documents produced in support of the application for the certificate to be issued and, where applicable, the refusal decision issued by the director of the judicial registry services.
Before the orientation hearing, the president of the chamber to which the case has been referred or to which the case has been distributed may reject, by reasoned order, applications that are manifestly inadmissible or manifestly unfounded. The order may be appealed within fifteen days of its notification.
The court registry shall notify the public prosecutor and the applicant’s lawyer of the place, day and time of the orientation hearing and shall invite the applicant to proceed as provided in article 1040. The rules of ordinary written civil procedure apply to the rest of the proceedings.
The court decides that it is appropriate to proceed with the issue of a certificate of French nationality if the claimant proves his status as a French national.