Becoming French
Many people who have lived in France for some time are now at the point of wanting to become French - to apply for French citizenship. This page is a very basic guide to the process for those thinking about it, but for the detail - and before applying - it's vital to consult the French government website (to which links are given here) and the website of your préfecture/regional platform. |
Before you apply, it's vital to read both the official government pages and the pages relating directly to your regional platform (see below), as they are often slightly different.
The portal page for the citizenship pages of the government website is here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N111. You'll find information about the process at your regional platform on your préfecture's website.
For those who like to read the legal texts, you'll find a list of them here: www.info-droits-etrangers.org/liens-utiles/textes-de-lois-francais-et-europeens/textes-la-nationalite/
The portal page for the citizenship pages of the government website is here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N111. You'll find information about the process at your regional platform on your préfecture's website.
For those who like to read the legal texts, you'll find a list of them here: www.info-droits-etrangers.org/liens-utiles/textes-de-lois-francais-et-europeens/textes-la-nationalite/
Who can apply?
In order to apply for citizenship you generally need to have lived permanently and continuously in France for 5 years (there are exceptions - see below) and fulfill certain conditions. There are two ways to apply for citizenship - by decree, or by declaration.
Note that you don't apply for dual nationality - you apply for French nationality and automatically keep your UK nationality as well. If you are a national of a country other than the UK then you'll need to verify whether you can hold more than one nationality. As a dual national, you will always be treated as French while you're on French territory so you can't invoke your second nationality even if it would be more beneficial to you for a specific purpose!
The official portal page on nationality is here: www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N111. This is your starting point. There are specific pages for each category which you can either reach from the portal page or by following the links in the boxes below.
Note that you don't apply for dual nationality - you apply for French nationality and automatically keep your UK nationality as well. If you are a national of a country other than the UK then you'll need to verify whether you can hold more than one nationality. As a dual national, you will always be treated as French while you're on French territory so you can't invoke your second nationality even if it would be more beneficial to you for a specific purpose!
The official portal page on nationality is here: www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N111. This is your starting point. There are specific pages for each category which you can either reach from the portal page or by following the links in the boxes below.
Overview
APPLYING BY DECLARATION
Applying by declaration means that you're claiming something to which you're legally entitled, providing you meet the conditions. There are 4 routes: 1. Through marriage to a French spouse for at least 4 years; your life as a couple must not have ceased. 2. If you're the parent or grandparent of French children, are over 65, and have lived in France for at least 25 years. 3. If you've lived in France since the age of 6, you've reached the age of majority and have a brother or sister who was (a) born in France of non-French parents, and (b) has acquired French nationality. 4. If you're between the ages of 13-18, you were born in France, you don't want to wait until you've reached the age of majority* (see below), and have lived in France for at least 5 years. *Note that if you've reached the age of majority (18 years old), and you were born in France to non-French parents, and you've lived in France for at least 5 years since the age of 11 you can acquire French nationality automatically, on demand, under the 'droit de sol' (article 21-7 of the code civil). |
APPLYING BY DECREE
If you don't meet any of the conditions for applying by declaration, you'll need to apply by decree. This means that you ask to become French. If that's okay. Please? This is referred to on official sites as naturalisation. It's called by decree (par décret) because it requires the passing of an official decree in order for you to become a naturalised French citizen - something not required if you're applying by declaration. It's not an automatic right - it's described as an 'honour' - and it's entirely possible for citizenship to be refused even if the conditions are mostly met. To apply, you must generally have lived in France for at least 5 years. If you're a UK national or other third country national you must hold a valid residence card; if you're an EU national you don't have to hold a residence card as it's not compulsory to do so (your 'titre de séjour' in this case is your passport). You must have 'sufficient and stable resources', show your integration into the French way of life (you'll be tested on this), and prove that you can understand, speak and write French to B1 level (soon to be raised to B2 level). There are more details about what you need to apply below. |
Where to apply?
All applications for naturalisation (ie by décret) must now be made online, at a dedicated platform which you'll find here: administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/anf/accueil. If you're applying by déclaration, applications still have to be submitted to your regional platform - located in a préfecture but possibly not in yours! You should be able to find out which platform your préfecture is associated with from its website, or you can check it out here (open the drop down box for Depôt de la demande): www.immigration.interieur.gouv.fr/Info-ressources/Demarches/Demarches-de-l-etranger-en-France.
If you're 18, were born in France and meet the conditions for acquisition of French nationality via 'droit de sol' (see above), you don't need to apply for citizenship, you attain it automatically. However, in order to prove your nationality status and apply for your carte d'identité and passport you must apply for a certificat de nationalité française from the Tribunal Judiciaire.
If you're applying as a minor (age 13 to 18) under the accelerated procedure in paragraph 4 above, your application will be made to your regional Tribunal Judiciaire. Applications for those between 13 and 16 must be made by the young person's parents; if you're between 16 and 18 you'll make the application yourself, with or without parental approval.
If you're 18, were born in France and meet the conditions for acquisition of French nationality via 'droit de sol' (see above), you don't need to apply for citizenship, you attain it automatically. However, in order to prove your nationality status and apply for your carte d'identité and passport you must apply for a certificat de nationalité française from the Tribunal Judiciaire.
If you're applying as a minor (age 13 to 18) under the accelerated procedure in paragraph 4 above, your application will be made to your regional Tribunal Judiciaire. Applications for those between 13 and 16 must be made by the young person's parents; if you're between 16 and 18 you'll make the application yourself, with or without parental approval.
What conditions do I have to meet?
To give you an idea of what's required, in this section we outline briefly the main conditions you need to meet in the 3 situations that most readers will find themselves in: (a) marriage; (b) over 65 and direct ascendant of a French citizen; and (c) naturalisation. For full information it's important to consult the official French sources (links given in the text below).
APPLYING BY MARRIAGE (DECLARATION)
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APPLYING BY THE ASCENDANCY ROUTE (DECLARATION)
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NATURALISATION: APPLYING BY DECREE
- You must be 18 years old. You can apply once you reach the age of 17, and if your application is successful you will become a French citizen when you're 18 (although in most departments the process will take longer than a year).
- If you have a child who is under 18, they can be naturalised alongside you if (a) they habitually live with you, and (b) you have requested that their name appears on the decree.
- You must be resident in France at the moment you apply for naturalisation and at the moment the decree is signed.
- You must have have lived in France for at least 5 years unless you meet the conditions for one of the following exceptions, when the 5 year period is reduced to 2 years: (a) if you have obtained a diploma after 2 years study in a higher education establishment in France; (b) you can render or have rendered important services to France because of your special abilities or talents; or (c) because of your exceptional scientific, sporting, cultural, economic or civic activities you are deemed to have integrated in an exceptional way.
- You must have a titre de séjour which is valid at the time of your application. For UK nationals this will be either your WA residence permit or another relevant carte de séjour (for example, spouse of a French or an EU citizen). If you are a citizen of an EU country no residence card is required - your passport acts as your titre de séjour.
- You must demonstrate that you are integrated and assimilated into French society. Notably you must (a) be in agreement with the essential values and principles of the French republic; and (b) be knowlegeable about French history, culture and society. See the paragraph 'Preparing for your citizenship application' below for more about this.
- You must prove that you can understand, speak and write French to B1 level (see below).
- You must show that you have 'sufficient and stable resources' for yourself and your fiscal household. If you are working or self-employed, you'll be expected to earn the majority of your money in France to show that you are professionally integrated.
- You're expected to show 'good moral conduct' and to not have committed any acts that are contrary to public order. In particular: you must not have received a penal sentence in France of more than 6 months or have been convicted of a crime or offence that breaches or attacks the interests of the French state.
- You can read the French government page here.
How to apply?
If you meet the conditions to apply by declaration then you should always take this route as it means you have the right to acquire French citizenship, instead of it being discretionary in the case of an application by decree. Applying via declaration is also generally more straightforward than applying by decree.
The French government site has a very helpful wizard that will take you through the different conditions and how they apply to your situation before giving you personalised information. You can find the starting page here: www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N111.
If you're applying by déclaration, see above for how and where to apply. If you're applying for naturalisation by décret, the online portal will guide you through the process. In brief:
The most important thing will be your dossier, and it's this that will occupy your mind (and your wallet) for several weeks or months before applying. See below for more about this.
The French government site has a very helpful wizard that will take you through the different conditions and how they apply to your situation before giving you personalised information. You can find the starting page here: www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N111.
If you're applying by déclaration, see above for how and where to apply. If you're applying for naturalisation by décret, the online portal will guide you through the process. In brief:
- You need to begin by creating an account on the 'administration étrangers' site at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/. If you have a WA residence permit and you've already changed your address or had to report its loss, or you've applied for a DCEM, you should already have an account; otherwise you'll need some details from your WA permit to create a new account.
- You begin by entering all your details and those of your family, your domicile and your resources.
- Then you need to verify that your details are correct before moving on to the next stage.
- Next comes the uploading of all your documents - you'll need to have already prepared your dossier but nevertheless expect this to take some time!
- Then you make your payment of 55 euros by timbre fiscal électronique.
- And finally, everything is confirmed and your application is sent.
The most important thing will be your dossier, and it's this that will occupy your mind (and your wallet) for several weeks or months before applying. See below for more about this.
THE PROCESS
Your dossier
You'll need to put together a dossier with all your information, preferably in the order that each document is referred to on the official documentation. Don't underestimate either the time, or the cost, involved in doing this!
The French government's wizard includes a simulator/wizard that will list the supporting documents you need in your dossier according to your personal situation: www.service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/Naturalisation.
Official documents from the UK do not need to be legalised or have an apostille as they have a dispensation (though they will need to be translated by a traducteur assermenté - court approved translator). There has been some confusion around this in some quarters - this is a link to the current document about this produced by the French foreign ministry: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/leg_-_tableau_recapitulatif_droit_conventionnel_-_16-08-19_cle85ec79.pdf. Note that this has not changed since Brexit as the dispensation dates back to a bilateral agreement from 1937! If you are a citizen of another country, check whether you'll need an apostille (hint: if you're from a non EU country, other than the UK, you probably will!).
Once your dossier is complete and has been submitted, you will receive an attestation that it has been received and is complete (or if it is incomplete it will be rejected, or if you're just missing one or two documents you may be asked to submit them separately). You should receive a numéro de dossier.
The French government's wizard includes a simulator/wizard that will list the supporting documents you need in your dossier according to your personal situation: www.service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/Naturalisation.
Official documents from the UK do not need to be legalised or have an apostille as they have a dispensation (though they will need to be translated by a traducteur assermenté - court approved translator). There has been some confusion around this in some quarters - this is a link to the current document about this produced by the French foreign ministry: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/leg_-_tableau_recapitulatif_droit_conventionnel_-_16-08-19_cle85ec79.pdf. Note that this has not changed since Brexit as the dispensation dates back to a bilateral agreement from 1937! If you are a citizen of another country, check whether you'll need an apostille (hint: if you're from a non EU country, other than the UK, you probably will!).
Once your dossier is complete and has been submitted, you will receive an attestation that it has been received and is complete (or if it is incomplete it will be rejected, or if you're just missing one or two documents you may be asked to submit them separately). You should receive a numéro de dossier.
Your language skills
Note that under the new immigration act, the required language level for citizenship by decree will increase to B2 level on an as yet unspecified date, probably in 2025. This section will be updated once details of the new requirement are known.
To apply for French citizenship everyone must demonstrate written and oral proficiency in French at a minimum of Level B1 (intermediate). This is the common level across Europe, and is considered to be roughly equivalent to GCSE grade A or A*. See below for some more information on the levels.
This applies whatever your age - the exemption for those over 60 was removed in August 2020. If you are medically unable to take a diploma or a test you must provide a medical certificate to justify this; in this situation you'll still need to demonstrate that you can speak French at B1 level at your assimilation interview.
You'll need to provide proof of your spoken and written language level in the form of a recognised diploma from a course of studies at a Francophone educational institute, a DELF diploma or recognised test. We recommend taking the DELF exam, as this is valid for life (unlike the TCF-IRN, which has a validity of 2 years). This means that if for any reason you are delayed in submitting your dossier, you don't have to worry about it going out of date.
Recognised diploma from a course of studies at a Francophone educational institute
If you hold one of the qualifications on the accepted list you don't need to take an additional diploma or test. You'll need to include your diploma in your dossier. You can find the list here: www.alpes-maritimes.gouv.fr/content/download/18739/173512/file/Annexe_diplome.pdf
DELF B1 diploma
The DELF B1 diploma can be taken at a number of centres around France. You can find the current list of centres here: www.france-education-international.fr/centres-d-examen/liste?pays=73&type-centre=delf_dalf. The DELF exam measures the four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Each section is scored out of 25, for a total of 100 marks. In order to pass, a minimum of 5/25 must be achieved in each section, and a minimum of 50/100 overall. The DELF diploma is valid for life.
The exam has a very precise format and in order to prepare you'll need to do some practice, even if your French is comfortably at or above B1 level - passing the diploma is at least 50% about knowing how to tackle each part of the test, understanding what is required and the marking scheme, and practising the different parts of the test until you're familiar with what's required. We can't stress this enough - it's not enough just to have the required level of French!
If you need to work on your French, many language schools offer a specific preparatory course for the DELF diplomas, easily found by Googling. If you prefer to prepare at home, there are a number of text books specifically designed for DELF B1 candidates; for example this one and this one.
Test de connaissance du français (TCF-IRN).
The TCF-IRN (previously known as the TCF-ANF) is an alternative route to proving your language ability. It's a combined test both for those seeking a regular third country carte de residence (who need language at A2 level) and those seeking French nationality, who need language at B1 level.
The test takes 1 hour and 15 minutes and tests over 4 areas: listening comprehension, written comprehension, written expression and oral expression. To achieve B1 level you must attain at least 300 points.
You'll find full details of the test here: www.france-education-international.fr/test/tcf-irn?langue=fr and an official map of the centres where the TCF is available here: www.france-education-international.fr/centres-d-examen/carte?type-centre=tcf (although there may be other centres, for example language schools).
The best site for practice tests is TV5Monde, where you can take practice modules and then test yourself under exam conditions: apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr/tcf.
You can also find practice tests on the RFI Savoirs site: savoirs.rfi.fr/fr/apprendre-enseigner/langue-fran%C3%A7aise/tcf-test-de-connaissance-du-fran%C3%A7ais
The TCF-IRN is valid for 2 years, which means you have to time things fairly tightly as it still needs to be in date not just when you submit your application but when your dossier is accepted by your regional platform - which can take 6 months. So once you've taken it it's best to get on with completing your application as soon as possible. It costs from around 140€ depending on your centre.
To apply for French citizenship everyone must demonstrate written and oral proficiency in French at a minimum of Level B1 (intermediate). This is the common level across Europe, and is considered to be roughly equivalent to GCSE grade A or A*. See below for some more information on the levels.
This applies whatever your age - the exemption for those over 60 was removed in August 2020. If you are medically unable to take a diploma or a test you must provide a medical certificate to justify this; in this situation you'll still need to demonstrate that you can speak French at B1 level at your assimilation interview.
You'll need to provide proof of your spoken and written language level in the form of a recognised diploma from a course of studies at a Francophone educational institute, a DELF diploma or recognised test. We recommend taking the DELF exam, as this is valid for life (unlike the TCF-IRN, which has a validity of 2 years). This means that if for any reason you are delayed in submitting your dossier, you don't have to worry about it going out of date.
Recognised diploma from a course of studies at a Francophone educational institute
If you hold one of the qualifications on the accepted list you don't need to take an additional diploma or test. You'll need to include your diploma in your dossier. You can find the list here: www.alpes-maritimes.gouv.fr/content/download/18739/173512/file/Annexe_diplome.pdf
DELF B1 diploma
The DELF B1 diploma can be taken at a number of centres around France. You can find the current list of centres here: www.france-education-international.fr/centres-d-examen/liste?pays=73&type-centre=delf_dalf. The DELF exam measures the four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Each section is scored out of 25, for a total of 100 marks. In order to pass, a minimum of 5/25 must be achieved in each section, and a minimum of 50/100 overall. The DELF diploma is valid for life.
The exam has a very precise format and in order to prepare you'll need to do some practice, even if your French is comfortably at or above B1 level - passing the diploma is at least 50% about knowing how to tackle each part of the test, understanding what is required and the marking scheme, and practising the different parts of the test until you're familiar with what's required. We can't stress this enough - it's not enough just to have the required level of French!
If you need to work on your French, many language schools offer a specific preparatory course for the DELF diplomas, easily found by Googling. If you prefer to prepare at home, there are a number of text books specifically designed for DELF B1 candidates; for example this one and this one.
- You'll find the candidate's manual here: www.france-education-international.fr/document/manuel-candidat-delf-b1.
- There is a series of audio and written test exercises here: www.france-education-international.fr/diplome/delf-tout-public/niveau-b1/entrainement?langue=fr
Test de connaissance du français (TCF-IRN).
The TCF-IRN (previously known as the TCF-ANF) is an alternative route to proving your language ability. It's a combined test both for those seeking a regular third country carte de residence (who need language at A2 level) and those seeking French nationality, who need language at B1 level.
The test takes 1 hour and 15 minutes and tests over 4 areas: listening comprehension, written comprehension, written expression and oral expression. To achieve B1 level you must attain at least 300 points.
You'll find full details of the test here: www.france-education-international.fr/test/tcf-irn?langue=fr and an official map of the centres where the TCF is available here: www.france-education-international.fr/centres-d-examen/carte?type-centre=tcf (although there may be other centres, for example language schools).
The best site for practice tests is TV5Monde, where you can take practice modules and then test yourself under exam conditions: apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr/tcf.
You can also find practice tests on the RFI Savoirs site: savoirs.rfi.fr/fr/apprendre-enseigner/langue-fran%C3%A7aise/tcf-test-de-connaissance-du-fran%C3%A7ais
The TCF-IRN is valid for 2 years, which means you have to time things fairly tightly as it still needs to be in date not just when you submit your application but when your dossier is accepted by your regional platform - which can take 6 months. So once you've taken it it's best to get on with completing your application as soon as possible. It costs from around 140€ depending on your centre.
WHAT IS B1 LEVEL?
B1 is the third level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It's considered to be roughly GCSE A/A* level, and that required at the age of 16 for French students. This is what the CEFR says:
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You'll find some general information about the different levels here. This page is an assessment grid for all the different levels for the French language: rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb57 |
What happens then?
You'll be required to attend an 'assimilation interview' by appointment at your regional platform, where you'll be asked about your personal (and possibly your financial) situation, why you want to become French, how often you have returned to the UK, how you have integrated into French society since you've been here, and about your knowledge of French culture, history and citizenship rights and responsibilities. The interview will be conducted in French and you can't take an interpreter (sounds obvious, I know, but the question has been asked). At the end of the interview, the you'll sign a charter of rights and duties of French citizens.
You'll need to spend a considerable amount of time preparing for the interview, which may last up to 90 minutes (although usually considerably less). See the paragraph below for some resources to help.
You may, at some point, be visited by your local gendarmes or police, either by appointment or not.
Once you've had your assimiliation interview (and in many cases a visit from the gendarmes/police) the préfecture will class your application either as 'recevable' (acceptable) or 'irrecevable' (non-acceptable). An application may be deemed non-acceptable if you don't fully meet all the conditions and your application may be refused, or it may be adjourned. If you believe this decision to be incorrect you have the right to appeal.
If your application is accepted it is passed to the SDANF (Sous-direction de l’accès à la nationalité française du ministère de l’intérieur) at Nantes, whose formal decision it is. The SDANF can, in its turn, pronounce your application to be non-acceptable, or can request more documents - or in most cases it will approve your naturalisation and will include your name in a nauturalisation decree which will be published in the Journal Officiel.So once your interviews are over, then you wait ... the waiting stage can take up to 18 months, or even longer - regional differences are huge, with Paris currently the fastest. Eventually you'll (hopefully!) find your name in the JO, at which point you are officially French and can start your application for a French birth certificate and identity card.
Later on you'll be invited to a ceremony along with other local new citizens.
You'll need to spend a considerable amount of time preparing for the interview, which may last up to 90 minutes (although usually considerably less). See the paragraph below for some resources to help.
You may, at some point, be visited by your local gendarmes or police, either by appointment or not.
Once you've had your assimiliation interview (and in many cases a visit from the gendarmes/police) the préfecture will class your application either as 'recevable' (acceptable) or 'irrecevable' (non-acceptable). An application may be deemed non-acceptable if you don't fully meet all the conditions and your application may be refused, or it may be adjourned. If you believe this decision to be incorrect you have the right to appeal.
If your application is accepted it is passed to the SDANF (Sous-direction de l’accès à la nationalité française du ministère de l’intérieur) at Nantes, whose formal decision it is. The SDANF can, in its turn, pronounce your application to be non-acceptable, or can request more documents - or in most cases it will approve your naturalisation and will include your name in a nauturalisation decree which will be published in the Journal Officiel.So once your interviews are over, then you wait ... the waiting stage can take up to 18 months, or even longer - regional differences are huge, with Paris currently the fastest. Eventually you'll (hopefully!) find your name in the JO, at which point you are officially French and can start your application for a French birth certificate and identity card.
Later on you'll be invited to a ceremony along with other local new citizens.
What's it like?
Everyone's experience is different. But we include one first hand account here, as it gives a really good feel of what the interview process is like.
It lasted well over an hour but the lady was nice if slightly stern at points but rightly so as it was really when she was making it clear that being granted French Nationality is not a right, but a gift bestowed upon the worth, really. We spent some time going through my paperwork and the extra stuff I had been asked to bring at the last minute (same papers just more up to date versions on the whole). Then we had a long chat all about my life but focusing on everything that had happened during my 10 years in France - work, family, income, clubs or associations I'm part of, things I like about France, food, interests, things we do together as a family etc, then on to my reasons for wanting French nationality. The final section was a good 25 questions about French history, society and culture so yes you do need to know quite in depth the Livret du Citoyen I'm afraid, including some of the more obvious dates ie French Revolution, World Wars, and be able to name the current President and Prime Minister, name your favourite French actor, writer etc. I was also asked the French Motto which was fine but then she asked me to "define what each word means to me"! Oh yes. :S And then she said if I was going to add a fourth word to the motto what would it be and why! While she was very pleasant and did end up saying she wished every applicant was like me (halo glowing lol) - I was rather glad once it was over I must say.
Preparing for your citizenship application
Apart from making sure your language is up to scratch and putting your dossier together, the most important thing you can do is to make sure that you know everything contained in the Livret du Citoyen, and preferably a bit more. You can download a copy here.
If you don't do so already, you should also start to read French newspapers, listen to French radio (Inter is a good starting point), read French novels and watch French TV. You'll be expected to know what's going on in French current affairs, who the main players in French politics are (names of ministers etc) and you'll probably be asked who the maire of your commune is. You'll be asked questions about French history and geography, French authors, musicians and sportspeople.
You'll almost certainly be asked about your entourage, whether you have family in the UK (or your home country), and how often you return to your home country. Expect too to be asked about associations you belong to, as la vie associative is a very important aspect of life here in France. If you're not an 'associative' type you might think about joining a nationwide association that covers an area you're interested in (for example, the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) so at least you can talk about that - although be aware that your interviewer is really looking for associations that you'e involved in, not those to which you merely donate money, so be ready to show at least some level of involvement. Otherwise, think about how else you can show that you're integrated in life and in France and turn the conversation to that.
If you want to take your knowledge base further, you could follow the Education Civique lessons that all French school students follow up at primaire and collège levels. This site will give you a starting point: http://www.maxicours.com/se/fiche/civ/ There are plenty of text books available on amazon.fr too.
Some resources to prepare for your interview
Livret du Citoyen
200 Questions d’entretien de Naturalisation Française 2022
120 questions pour l'entretien de naturalisation
99 questions pour bien préparer son entretien de naturalisation
The 100 essential questions of the interview for French naturalization (video 20 minutes)
For those who are Facebook users, there are both Anglophone and Francophone groups dedicated to the sharing of experiences of applying for citizenship - well worth seeking out for information and moral support during the process.
Once you've had your interview, you can sign up to SOS Préfecture (non-official website) to be alerted when you appear in the JO: www.sos-prefecture.fr/
If you don't do so already, you should also start to read French newspapers, listen to French radio (Inter is a good starting point), read French novels and watch French TV. You'll be expected to know what's going on in French current affairs, who the main players in French politics are (names of ministers etc) and you'll probably be asked who the maire of your commune is. You'll be asked questions about French history and geography, French authors, musicians and sportspeople.
You'll almost certainly be asked about your entourage, whether you have family in the UK (or your home country), and how often you return to your home country. Expect too to be asked about associations you belong to, as la vie associative is a very important aspect of life here in France. If you're not an 'associative' type you might think about joining a nationwide association that covers an area you're interested in (for example, the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) so at least you can talk about that - although be aware that your interviewer is really looking for associations that you'e involved in, not those to which you merely donate money, so be ready to show at least some level of involvement. Otherwise, think about how else you can show that you're integrated in life and in France and turn the conversation to that.
If you want to take your knowledge base further, you could follow the Education Civique lessons that all French school students follow up at primaire and collège levels. This site will give you a starting point: http://www.maxicours.com/se/fiche/civ/ There are plenty of text books available on amazon.fr too.
Some resources to prepare for your interview
Livret du Citoyen
200 Questions d’entretien de Naturalisation Française 2022
120 questions pour l'entretien de naturalisation
99 questions pour bien préparer son entretien de naturalisation
The 100 essential questions of the interview for French naturalization (video 20 minutes)
For those who are Facebook users, there are both Anglophone and Francophone groups dedicated to the sharing of experiences of applying for citizenship - well worth seeking out for information and moral support during the process.
Once you've had your interview, you can sign up to SOS Préfecture (non-official website) to be alerted when you appear in the JO: www.sos-prefecture.fr/
Bonne chance à tous et à toutes!
Page updated August 2024