[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-article-local-becoming-french-by-naturalization-timeline-tests-and-documents":3,"$fHZsWYl_LcdVZ5GxKwtR-ZqvCZbbUdo2_Fi6R_GQKiQM":4,"blog-article-cms-becoming-french-by-naturalization-timeline-tests-and-documents":6,"article-hreflang-becoming-french-by-naturalization-timeline-tests-and-documents":915,"blog-article-related-becoming-french-by-naturalization-timeline-tests-and-documents":916},null,{"approximate_member_count":5},20703,{"id":7,"documentId":8,"title":9,"description":10,"timestampUnix":11,"slug":12,"h1":13,"image":14,"tags":19,"lang":3,"body":23,"createdAt":909,"updatedAt":910,"publishedAt":911,"category":912,"featured":913,"timestamp":914,"locale":-1,"_dir":912},8980,"rpk1675hw33mym327m40abde","French Naturalization 2026: Timeline & Requirements","Full 2026 guide to French citizenship by naturalization: residency rules, B2 language test, new civic exam, fees, documents, and processing times.","1779520620000","becoming-french-by-naturalization-timeline-tests-and-documents","Becoming French by Naturalization: Timeline, Tests, and Documents",{"alt":13,"src":15,"width":16,"height":17,"previewOnly":18},"https:\u002F\u002Fmigaku-cms-assets.migaku.com\u002Ffrench_citizenship_naturalization_beret_eiffel_tower_scaled_jpg_1254feef7d\u002Ffrench_citizenship_naturalization_beret_eiffel_tower_scaled_jpg_1254feef7d.webp",1000,1707,false,[20,21,22],"resources","culture","deepdive",{"data":24,"body":27,"toc":897},{"title":25,"description":26},"","Becoming French by naturalization (naturalisation par décret) typically requires five years of habitual residence in France, B2-level French, a passing score on the new civic exam, stable French-source income, and a clean criminal record. The full process, from filing on the ANEF portal to publication of the decree in the Journal Officiel, usually runs 18 to 24 months in 2026.",{"type":28,"children":29},"root",[30,37,46,50,57,62,67,150,155,171,177,189,194,217,222,227,233,238,243,336,341,346,351,357,362,445,459,473,479,498,503,508,531,557,562,568,659,665,728,747,753,758,796,801,807,817,827,837,847,857,867,877,891],{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":33,"children":34},"element","p",{},[35],{"type":36,"value":26},"text",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":38,"children":39},{},[40],{"type":31,"tag":41,"props":42,"children":43},"em",{},[44],{"type":36,"value":45},"Last updated: May 23, 2026",{"type":31,"tag":47,"props":48,"children":49},"toc",{},[],{"type":31,"tag":51,"props":52,"children":54},"h2",{"id":53},"who-qualifies-in-2026",[55],{"type":36,"value":56},"Who Qualifies in 2026",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":58,"children":59},{},[60],{"type":36,"value":61},"Naturalization by decree is discretionary. 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Those wounded in combat acquire French nationality immediately under the principle of ",{"type":31,"tag":41,"props":114,"children":115},{},[116],{"type":36,"value":117},"français par le sang versé",{"type":36,"value":119},".",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":121,"children":122},{},[123,128],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":124,"children":125},{},[126],{"type":36,"value":127},"Income:",{"type":36,"value":129}," stable, primarily French-source income, typically at least the SMIC (€1,802\u002Fmonth, or €21,622\u002Fyear, in 2025). Employees should normally hold a CDI of at least 1 year, or CDDs totaling over 2 years. Self-employed applicants must show SMIC-level income across three consecutive years.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":131,"children":132},{},[133,138],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":134,"children":135},{},[136],{"type":36,"value":137},"Good character:",{"type":36,"value":139}," no conviction of 6 months' imprisonment or more. 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This is one full level above the previous B1 threshold and represents the biggest change in years.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":190,"children":191},{},[192],{"type":36,"value":193},"Accepted certifications, issued within the last 2 years, include:",{"type":31,"tag":68,"props":195,"children":196},{},[197,202,207,212],{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":198,"children":199},{},[200],{"type":36,"value":201},"TCF Integration, Résidence et Nationalité (TCF IRN)",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":203,"children":204},{},[205],{"type":36,"value":206},"TCF \"tous publics\"",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":208,"children":209},{},[210],{"type":36,"value":211},"TEF IRN",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":213,"children":214},{},[215],{"type":36,"value":216},"DELF B2 or DALF (C1\u002FC2)",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":218,"children":219},{},[220],{"type":36,"value":221},"You must reach B2 in all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing). 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If your fiscal status is unclear, review the ",{"type":31,"tag":161,"props":465,"children":468},{"href":466,"rel":467},"https:\u002F\u002Fmigaku.com\u002Fblog\u002Flanguage-fun\u002Ffrench-tax-residency-when-you-become-liable-for-impots",[165],[469],{"type":36,"value":470},"French tax residency requirements",{"type":36,"value":472}," before filing, because gaps in your tax declarations can stall or kill an application.",{"type":31,"tag":51,"props":474,"children":476},{"id":475},"fees-and-processing-time",[477],{"type":36,"value":478},"Fees and Processing Time",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":480,"children":481},{},[482,484,489,491,496],{"type":36,"value":483},"The headline cost changed dramatically this spring. Effective ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":485,"children":486},{},[487],{"type":36,"value":488},"May 1, 2026",{"type":36,"value":490},", the tax stamp for a naturalization application rose from €55 to ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":492,"children":493},{},[494],{"type":36,"value":495},"€255",{"type":36,"value":497}," (€127.50 in French Guiana). Applications in Polynésie française, Wallis-et-Futuna, and Nouvelle-Calédonie remain exempt from the stamp.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":499,"children":500},{},[501],{"type":36,"value":502},"The electronic timbre fiscal is valid for 1 year from purchase, and you can request a refund within 18 months if it goes unused.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":504,"children":505},{},[506],{"type":36,"value":507},"Other typical out-of-pocket costs (not officially fixed):",{"type":31,"tag":68,"props":509,"children":510},{},[511,516,521,526],{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":512,"children":513},{},[514],{"type":36,"value":515},"Civic exam: around €70 per attempt",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":517,"children":518},{},[519],{"type":36,"value":520},"Language certification: roughly €100 to €200 depending on the test",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":522,"children":523},{},[524],{"type":36,"value":525},"Sworn translations of civil-status documents: variable, often €30 to €60 per page",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":527,"children":528},{},[529],{"type":36,"value":530},"Apostille or legalization in your country of origin: variable",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":532,"children":533},{},[534,536,541,543,548,550,555],{"type":36,"value":535},"Processing time is governed by law. The administration has a ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":537,"children":538},{},[539],{"type":36,"value":540},"maximum of 18 months",{"type":36,"value":542}," from the date of the receipt (récépissé) to respond to a naturalization request. This is ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":544,"children":545},{},[546],{"type":36,"value":547},"reduced to 12 months",{"type":36,"value":549}," when the applicant has been habitually resident in France for at least 10 years. The deadline can be extended ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":551,"children":552},{},[553],{"type":36,"value":554},"once by an additional 3 months",{"type":36,"value":556}," with administrative justification.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":558,"children":559},{},[560],{"type":36,"value":561},"In practice, dossiers move through several stages: file receipt at the prefecture or platform, a personal interview, transmission to the Sous-direction de l'accès à la nationalité française (SDANF) in Rezé, signature of the decree by the Minister, and publication in the Journal Officiel. 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Once your name appears, you can request a French national identity card and passport.",{"type":31,"tag":51,"props":660,"children":662},{"id":661},"common-pitfalls",[663],{"type":36,"value":664},"Common Pitfalls",{"type":31,"tag":68,"props":666,"children":667},{},[668,678,688,698,708,718],{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":669,"children":670},{},[671,676],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":672,"children":673},{},[674],{"type":36,"value":675},"Long absences.",{"type":36,"value":677}," More than 6 consecutive months outside France can be treated as a break in habitual residence and restart the 5-year count.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":679,"children":680},{},[681,686],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":682,"children":683},{},[684],{"type":36,"value":685},"Income from abroad.",{"type":36,"value":687}," The May 2025 Retailleau circular pushed prefectures to refuse files where most income comes from foreign sources, even when the applicant lives in France full-time.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":689,"children":690},{},[691,696],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":692,"children":693},{},[694],{"type":36,"value":695},"Outdated language certificate.",{"type":36,"value":697}," Certificates older than 2 years are not accepted, and only results showing B2 across all four skills work.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":699,"children":700},{},[701,706],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":702,"children":703},{},[704],{"type":36,"value":705},"Tax irregularities.",{"type":36,"value":707}," Missing tax filings, late payments, or undeclared foreign income are frequent grounds for refusal.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":709,"children":710},{},[711,716],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":712,"children":713},{},[714],{"type":36,"value":715},"Incomplete civil-status documents.",{"type":36,"value":717}," Missing apostilles, unofficial translations, or mismatched name spellings between documents create delays of months.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":719,"children":720},{},[721,726],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":722,"children":723},{},[724],{"type":36,"value":725},"Filing too early.",{"type":36,"value":727}," Applications that arrive before the 5-year mark (or 2-year mark for the reduced track) are routinely rejected as irrecevable.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":729,"children":730},{},[731,733,738,740,745],{"type":36,"value":732},"In 2025, ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":734,"children":735},{},[736],{"type":36,"value":737},"62,235",{"type":36,"value":739}," people acquired French nationality, a 6.8% drop from 66,745 in 2024. Of those, ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":741,"children":742},{},[743],{"type":36,"value":744},"42,246",{"type":36,"value":746}," were naturalized by decree (down 13.5%), 17,579 by declaration after marriage, and 2,410 as ascendants or siblings. The downward trend is consistent with tighter prefecture practice.",{"type":31,"tag":51,"props":748,"children":750},{"id":749},"what-to-do-if-you-are-refused",[751],{"type":36,"value":752},"What to Do if You Are Refused",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":754,"children":755},{},[756],{"type":36,"value":757},"A refusal letter starts a strict appeals clock:",{"type":31,"tag":68,"props":759,"children":760},{},[761,773,785],{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":762,"children":763},{},[764,766,771],{"type":36,"value":765},"You have ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":767,"children":768},{},[769],{"type":36,"value":770},"2 months",{"type":36,"value":772}," to file a mandatory administrative appeal (recours administratif préalable obligatoire, or RAPO) to the Minister responsible for naturalization.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":774,"children":775},{},[776,778,783],{"type":36,"value":777},"If the Minister does not respond within ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":779,"children":780},{},[781],{"type":36,"value":782},"4 months",{"type":36,"value":784},", the appeal is deemed implicitly rejected.",{"type":31,"tag":72,"props":786,"children":787},{},[788,790,794],{"type":36,"value":789},"From that implicit or explicit rejection, you have ",{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":791,"children":792},{},[793],{"type":36,"value":770},{"type":36,"value":795}," to bring the case before the Administrative Court of Nantes, which has nationwide jurisdiction over nationality decisions.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":797,"children":798},{},[799],{"type":36,"value":800},"Many refusals are reversed or reconsidered when the applicant addresses the specific deficiency, such as updating a language certificate, providing missing tax notices, or correcting income documentation.",{"type":31,"tag":51,"props":802,"children":804},{"id":803},"frequently-asked-questions",[805],{"type":36,"value":806},"Frequently Asked Questions",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":808,"children":809},{},[810,815],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":811,"children":812},{},[813],{"type":36,"value":814},"Do I have to give up my current citizenship?",{"type":36,"value":816}," No. France recognizes dual nationality.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":818,"children":819},{},[820,825],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":821,"children":822},{},[823],{"type":36,"value":824},"Does time on a student visa count toward the 5 years?",{"type":36,"value":826}," Partially. Years on a student permit can count toward habitual residence, but prefectures often weight years spent working or with permanent status more heavily.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":828,"children":829},{},[830,835],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":831,"children":832},{},[833],{"type":36,"value":834},"What if my B2 certificate is in only three of four skills?",{"type":36,"value":836}," It will not be accepted. You need B2 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":838,"children":839},{},[840,845],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":841,"children":842},{},[843],{"type":36,"value":844},"Are children included automatically?",{"type":36,"value":846}," Unmarried minor children residing with you can become French if they are named in the decree. They are not automatically included; you must list them and provide their documents.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":848,"children":849},{},[850,855],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":851,"children":852},{},[853],{"type":36,"value":854},"Can I apply from outside France?",{"type":36,"value":856}," Naturalization by decree requires habitual residence in France at the time of application. People living abroad usually apply through other routes such as descent or, where eligible, declaration.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":858,"children":859},{},[860,865],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":861,"children":862},{},[863],{"type":36,"value":864},"How long until I get a passport after the decree?",{"type":36,"value":866}," Once your decree is published in the Journal Officiel, you can typically apply for a French ID card and passport within days, with delivery times of a few weeks.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":868,"children":869},{},[870,875],{"type":31,"tag":76,"props":871,"children":872},{},[873],{"type":36,"value":874},"Where do I find authoritative updates?",{"type":36,"value":876}," service-public.gouv.fr and the Ministry of the Interior (interieur.gouv.fr) are the primary official sources. Rules, fees, and thresholds change, so verify before filing.",{"type":31,"tag":32,"props":878,"children":879},{},[880,882,889],{"type":36,"value":881},"The biggest practical barrier in 2026 is no longer paperwork, it is the jump from B1 to B2 French combined with the civic exam. If you are preparing for either, working with real French media (news, podcasts, films, novels) is what closes the gap. 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