Chapter IV: Loss, forfeiture and reinstatement of French nationality

Any adult of French nationality, habitually resident abroad, who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality shall not lose French nationality unless he/she expressly declares this, under the conditions provided for in the articles 26 et seq of this title.

The declaration with a view to losing French nationality may be made from the time the application to acquire foreign nationality is lodged and, at the latest, within one year of the date of that acquisition.

French nationals under the age of thirty-five may not make the declaration provided for in articles 23 and 23-1 above only if they are in good standing with the obligations of Book II of the National Service Code.

French nationals lose their French nationality if they exercise the option to renounce their French nationality in the cases provided for in Articles 18-1, 19-4 and 22-3.

French nationality is lost by any French citizen, even a minor, who, having a foreign nationality, is authorized, at his request, by the French Government, to lose the status of French citizen. This authorization is granted by decree.

In the event of marriage to a foreign national, the French spouse may renounce French nationality in accordance with the provisions of articles 26 et seq on condition that he has acquired the foreign nationality of his spouse and that the habitual residence of the household has been fixed abroad. However, French nationals under the age of thirty-five will only be able to exercise this repudiation option if they have…

The loss of French nationality may be established by judgement when the person concerned, French by descent, does not have possession of French nationality and has never had his or her habitual residence in France, if the ascendants, from whom he or she derived French nationality, do not themselves have possession of French nationality or have not been resident in France for half a century. The judgement determines the date…

A French national who behaves in fact like the national of a foreign country may, if he or she has the nationality of that country, be declared, by decree after the assent of the Conseil d’Etat, to have lost the status of French national.

French nationality shall be lost by any French person who, being employed in a foreign army or public service or in an international organisation to which France does not belong or more generally providing assistance to them, has not resigned his employment or ceased his assistance notwithstanding the injunction made to him by the Government. The person concerned will, by decree of the Council of State, be declared to have…

The loss of French nationality takes effect: 1° In the case provided for in article 23 at the date of acquisition of foreign nationality; 2° In the case provided for in Articles 23-3 and 23-5 on the date of the declaration; 3° In the case provided for in Articles 23-4, 23-7 and 23-8 on the date of the decree; 4° In the cases provided for in Article 23-6 on the…