Chapter III: Acquisition of French nationality

Subject to the exceptions provided for in Articles 21-18, 21-19 and 21-20, naturalisation may only be granted to a foreigner who can prove habitual residence in France for the five years preceding the submission of the application.

The probationary period referred to in article 21-17 is reduced to two years: 1° For foreign nationals who have successfully completed two years of higher education with a view to acquiring a diploma issued by a French university or higher education establishment; 2° For those who have rendered or may render by their abilities and talents significant services to France; 3° For foreign nationals who present an exceptional path to…

May be naturalised without a probationary period condition: 1° (Paragraph repealed); 2° (Paragraph repealed); 3° (Paragraph repealed); 4°A foreigner who has actually performed military services in a unit of the French army or who, in wartime, has contracted a voluntary enlistment in the French or allied armies; 5° (Paragraph repealed); 6° Foreign nationals who have rendered exceptional services to France or whose naturalisation is of exceptional interest to France. In…

A person belonging to the French cultural and linguistic entity may be naturalised without having to satisfy a qualifying period, if they are a national of a territory or State whose official language or one of whose official languages is French, or if French is their mother tongue, or if they can prove that they have attended a school teaching in French for at least five years. .

French nationality may be conferred by naturalisation on a proposal from the Minister of Foreign Affairs on any French-speaking foreigner who applies for it and who contributes by his or her outstanding work to the influence of France and the prosperity of its international economic relations.

No one may be naturalised unless he or she has reached the age of eighteen. However, naturalisation may be granted to a minor child who has remained a foreigner even though one of his or her parents has acquired French nationality if he or she can prove that he or she has resided in France with that parent for the five years preceding the submission of the application.

No one may be naturalised if they are not of good character or morals or if they have been subject to one of the convictions referred to in Article 21-27 of this code. Convictions handed down abroad may, however, be disregarded; in this case, the decree granting naturalisation may only be issued after the assent of the Conseil d’Etat.

No one may be naturalised unless they can prove that they are assimilated into the French community, in particular through sufficient knowledge, depending on their condition, of the French language, history, culture and society, the level and assessment procedures for which are set by decree in the Conseil d’Etat, and of the rights and duties conferred by French nationality as well as adherence to the essential principles and values of…

The condition of knowledge of the French language does not apply to political refugees and stateless persons legally and habitually resident in France for at least fifteen years and aged over seventy.

The conditions under which the assimilation and state of health of foreign nationals awaiting naturalisation will be checked will be laid down by decree.