Chapter I: General provisions

French nationality is granted, acquired or lost in accordance with the provisions set out in this title, subject to the application of treaties and other international commitments made by France.

New laws relating to the attribution of nationality of origin apply to persons who are still minors on the date of their entry into force, without prejudice to rights acquired by third parties and without the validity of acts previously passed being challenged on grounds of nationality. The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply by way of interpretation, to laws on nationality of origin which were brought into force after…

The acquisition and loss of French nationality are governed by the law in force at the time of the act or fact to which the law attaches these effects. The provisions of the preceding paragraph regulate, by way of interpretation, the application in time of nationality laws which were in force before 19 October 1945.

Applications to acquire, lose or be reinstated in French nationality, as well as declarations of nationality, may, under the conditions laid down by law, be made, without authorisation, from the age of sixteen. A minor under the age of sixteen must be represented by the person or persons exercising parental authority over him or her. A minor whose impaired mental or physical faculties prevent him or her from expressing his…

For the purposes of this Title, “in France” means mainland France, the overseas departments and collectivities, New Caledonia and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories. .

In this title, majority and minority have the same meaning as in French law.

For the determination, at any time, of the French territory, account shall be taken of modifications resulting from acts of the French public authority taken in application of the Constitution and laws, as well as from international treaties previously entered into. .

The effects on French nationality of annexations and cessions of territories are governed by the following provisions, in the absence of treaty stipulations.

Nationals of the ceding State domiciled in the annexed territories on the day of the transfer of sovereignty acquire French nationality, unless they effectively establish their domicile outside these territories. Subject to the same reservation, French nationals domiciled in the ceded territories on the day of the transfer of sovereignty lose this nationality. .

The effects on French nationality of the accession to independence of former overseas departments or territories of the Republic are determined in Chapter VII of this Title. .