Paragraph 2: Acquisition of French nationality by marriage

Marriage has no automatic effect on nationality.

A foreigner or stateless person who marries a spouse of French nationality may, after a period of four years from the marriage, acquire French nationality by declaration provided that at the date of this declaration the community of life, both affective and material, has not ceased between the spouses since the marriage and that the French spouse has retained his or her nationality. The period of community of life is…

Subject to the provisions set out in articles 21-4 and 26-3, the person concerned acquires French nationality on the date on which the declaration was made.

The Government may oppose, by decree in the Council of State, on the grounds of unworthiness or lack of assimilation, other than linguistic, the acquisition of French nationality by the foreign spouse within two years of the date of the receipt provided for in the second paragraph of Article 26 or, if registration has been refused, from the day on which the court decision admitting the legality of the declaration…

A marriage declared null and void by a decision of a French court or a foreign court whose authority is recognised in France does not render null and void the declaration provided for in article 21-2 in favour of the spouse who contracted it in good faith.

The annulment of the marriage has no effect on the nationality of the children born of it.