19 citizenship pathways — everything you need to know about eligibility, documents, timelines, and costs.
1 pathway in this category
Adoption plénière breaks original filiation; treated as biological FR child (Art 20 → Art 18). Adoption simple preserves biological filiation. Hague 1993 compliance for international adoptions. Art 21-12 1°/2° taken-in pathway is FR-SPC-03 (separate route).
4 pathways in this category
Foundling presumption rebuttable until proof of foreign parentage. OFPRA statelessness recognition independent administrative status. Distinct from Art 19-3 double droit du sol (FR-BTH-02). 1961 Statelessness Convention compliance.
TRC mandatory — UNIQUE French signature feature. Principal case-load: Algerian-born parents (pre-1962 Algeria was French) triggering Art 19-3 for FR-born children. Includes DROM-COM coverage. Pasqua suspension 1993 → Guigou restoration Loi 98-170 1998. Loi 98-170 Art 50 transitional rules for pre-1998 births. Automatic and irrevocable at birth.
TRC mandatory — Pasqua suspension Loi 93-933 → Guigou restoration Loi 98-170 foundational jurisprudence. Génération sacrifiée transitional rule (Art 50 Loi 98-170) actionable in 2026. CC DC 93-321 du 20 juillet 1993 validated Pasqua subject to proportionality. 5 years residence in FR from age 11; non-continuous OK; renunciation per Art 21-8.
Anticipated declaration at TJ; refusal grounds limited to residence-proof failure (Arts 26-26-5). Distinct from Art 21-7 by declaration mechanism + earlier age. 5y residence from age 8 (declaration at 13 with parental consent); 5y from age 11 (declaration at 16 alone).
1 pathway in this category
Cross-cutting framework anchor. Effet collectif Art 21-12: 30-40% of décret beneficiaries are minor children. Perte Arts 23-23-8: 5 mechanisms. Déchéance Arts 25-25-1: post-Loi 2016-731 broadened terrorism scope per CC 2014-439 QPC validation. Loi 2024-42 Art 26 (broadened déchéance) CENSORED by CC 2023-863 DC. Dual nationality 1963 Convention denounced by FR effective 2009-09-05. EU citizenship Rottmann/Tjebbes/JY proportionality. Schengen + ECN signed-not-ratified. Failure to name minor in décret: child does NOT acquire FR — must pursue independent FR-BTH-03/04.
1 pathway in this category
TRC recommended — retroactive transmission rules à la naissance (lex tempore actus per Art 17-1) create temporal questions for descendants of pre-1973 parents. Loi 73-42 abolished sex-discriminatory transmission. Effet collectif (Art 21-12) under FR-CBN-01; possession d'état (Art 21-13) under FR-SPC-04. Nationality at birth ipso facto.
2 pathways in this category
TRC mandatory — most-litigated FR historical-cohort regime. NLR-HIGH: Article 152 Évian shorthand commonly cited but Évian text consists of government Declarations not numbered articles (FR-A-030). Current redress: Art 24-1/24-2 réintégration (FR-RST-01/02) plus Art 19-3 double droit du sol (FR-BTH-02). CE Ass. 1990 N° 78519 GISTI clarifies Accord franco-algérien 27 décembre 1968. Original window 1962-1967 closed.
NLR — declaratory + indemnification framework (recognition of State responsibility for non-protection of harkis post-1962), NOT direct nationality-conferring route. Anchors Q16.4 + Q6.6 KCQs. Nationality redress: FR-RST-01 (Art 24-2 déclaration) and FR-BTH-02 (Art 19-3 double droit du sol for FR-born descendants).
1 pathway in this category
PLACEHOLDER. France does NOT operate any CBI program (FR-A-058). Investors with talent passport (Loi 2016-274) follow FR-NAT-01 5-year timeline; Art 21-18 immédiat stage waiver discretionary on services exceptionnels. Bucket retained for canonical 11-bucket coverage.
1 pathway in this category
TRC mandatory — Loi 2024-42 Art 25 censorship preserved 4-year baseline. Procureur opposition window 1 year per Art 21-4 (gating). Same-sex marriage parity since Loi 2013-404. PACS does NOT trigger Art 21-2. B2 elevation 2026-01-01 transition. 4y cohabitation post-marriage baseline; 5y if FR spouse not consul-registered.
1 pathway in this category
Wounded-in-action triggers automatic right (Art 21-14-1). Loi 99-1141 du 31 décembre 1999. Non-wounded légionnaires after 3+ years pursue Art 21-18 services exceptionnels under FR-NAT-01. NLR: military services scope, wartime definition, posthumous, psychological injury, self-inflicted wound. Stage exempted — immédiat.
1 pathway in this category
TRC mandatory — most-applied FR route. Décret 2025-648 B2 elevation 2026-01-01; LF 2026 €55→€255 fee 2026-05-01; Loi 2024-42 Art 24/25/26 censured by CC 2023-863 DC; Circulaire Retailleau 2025-05-02. Stage reductions: Art 21-18 1° (2y FR higher-ed); 2°/3° (immédiat for talent passport, services exceptionnels); Art 21-19 1y refugees and stateless.
2 pathways in this category
Used by women who lost nationality by marriage pre-1973 (Loi 1927). Also extends to harkis and decolonization-affected persons. Distinct from Art 24-1 réintégration par décret (FR-RST-02). CC 2018-737 QPC affirmed retrospective égalité. NLR Q5.4: timeline distinction not statutorily fixed. Manifest attachment to France required (marriage, domicile, military service).
Discretionary; harkis (Loi 87-549/94-488/2022-229) and decolonization-affected (Algeria 1962, AOF/AEF, Indochine, Maroc, Tunisie, Comores). Distinct from Art 24-2 declaration. NLR: residence-stage status under Art 24-1 not explicitly waived. Discretionary; bonnes vie et mœurs, loyalisme, Art 21-27 incompatibilities.
4 pathways in this category
Created by Loi 2016-274 du 7 mars 2016. Direct ascendant (parent/grandparent) of French national with deep France residence ties (25y minimum, 65+ age at declaration). NLR: 25y continuity during absences, evidentiary standards, indignité grounds, descendant death impact.
Created by Loi 2016-274. Fills gap for FR-raised foreign-parent children whose siblings are French via Art 21-7/21-11. Habitual residence in FR since age 6 + mandatory schooling completed in FR + sibling French via FR-BTH-03/04. Declaration at majority (18+).
Three pathways within Art 21-12 1°/2°. Distinct from FR-ADP-01 (Art 21-12 first paragraph adoption simple) by non-adoption-decree mechanism. NLR: training body decree criteria, interrupted placement continuity, age dispute. A: 3y taken-in-and-raised by FR national; B: 3y entrusted to ASE; C: 5y FR public/approved-private training. Absolute deadline = 18th birthday.
Two distinct curative/discretionary pathways consolidated. Possession d'état Art 21-13: curative path where Art 18 chain breaks by documentary failure — 10y continuous public exercise of FR nationality status. Francophone MAE Art 21-21: diplomatic-protection variant of stage-waiver naturalisation — service exceptionnel + francophone status + meritorious action.
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