If you’re interested in a pathway to French citizenship by descent, then you need to be aware of the challenges you’ll face. Citizenship laws in France are stricter and more complicated than they are in other EU member nations.
In this guide, we discuss why this is the case, how the two key pathways to citizenship (declaratory action and the CNF application) are distinct in France, and the practical implications for those seeking French citizenship by descent.
Legal Basis for French Citizenship
French law theoretically recognizes ancestry citizenship through multiple generations in a lineage. But in reality, the administrative practice is far more restrictive.
Extensive official French documentation (issued by French authorities specifically) is required to prove continuous transmission of nationality through generations. And any whiff of uncertainty in citizenship by descent applications tends to result in rejection. In the process, you can and should expect strict interpretations of legal requirements.
France’s Two Legal Pathways to Nationality
Certificate of French Nationality Application
One pathway to citizenship is by applying directly to French authorities to recognize your existing nationality. This is done with the Certificate of French Nationality (Certificat de Nationalité Française – CNF).
Applicants submit the CNF application with supporting documentation. The application undergoes administrative review by French nationality services, and they make a decision purely on documentary evidence.
What makes the CNF application distinct:
- It’s more affordable than judicial routes.
- There’s no oral argument or advocacy opportunity.
- In the case of any doubt, applications are usually rejected.
- Applicants can appeal within six months if rejected.
Declaratory Action
The judicial pathway to French nationality is declaratory action. Individuals file a lawsuit in French courts, asking a judge to declare that they possess French nationality.
What makes the judicial pathway distinct:
- Legal fees make it more expensive.
- There’s opportunity for legal argument and advocacy.
- There are different standards for evidence than the administrative route.
- A judge evaluates your evidence and legal arguments.
- You must have French legal representation.
- The court renders a binding judgment.
Why France’s Citizenship Laws are More Strict
To understand France’s citizenship laws, it’s important to know that, historically, the nation followed the “right of soil” or “jus soli” principle. But today, the country outlines pathways to citizenship through multiple principles: both jus soli and jus sanguinis (citizenship through “right of blood”). France doesn’t easily fit within the guidelines of one or the other when it comes to jus soli/jus sanguini distinction, which can be seen in the 1851 double jus soli law regarding citizenship status of children born in France to foreign parents; you can’t obtain citizenship by birth in France unless at least one of your parents was also born in France.
Furthermore, the ways that people outside of these distinctions can acquire French citizenship are unique and have to do with naturalization following residency and reintegration.
50 Year Rule Governing French Citizenship by Descent
One distinct aspect of French citizenship law that complicates the pathway to ancestral citizenship is the 50-year rule, which pertains to an ancestor’s possession of state. This rule is one of three cumulative conditions that French descendants must meet to qualify for citizenship by descent (along with possession of state proven with official French documents and continuous transmission of French nationality in your lineage).
The 50-year rule basically states that, if your French ancestor lived outside of France for 50 consecutive years without maintaining possession of state, they have lost their French nationality through “désuétude” or loss through non-use.
Example Scenario
Sandra is of French origin and resides in the U.S. She wants to apply for French citizenship by descent through her grandmother, but her grandmother left France in the ‘60s. Even though her grandmother held French nationality when she emigrated and came to the U.S., she did not maintain official French documentation for more than five decades, thus severing the chain of nationality transmission to Sandra.
Foreign Documentation Is Not Enough for French Citizenship by Descent
Another distinct aspect of French citizenship by descent is that applicants must be able to prove their ancestor’s possession of state and continuous nationality transmission with official, French-issued civil records. It’s not enough to merely provide records from the U.S.
Documents include ancestral marriage certificates, birth certificates, death certificates, and French consulate registrations maintained by French diplomatic missions abroad. Most of these documents are housed at the Service Central d’État Civil in Nantes, France.
To learn more about obtaining French-issued records, see our guide to required documentation for French citizenship by descent applications.
Recent Restrictions
Additionally, today’s French administration is making it more difficult to obtain citizenship through current pathways.
France’s Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, has set new guidelines aiming to restrict access to French nationality for foreigners. Retailleau’s 2025 implements tighten the criteria for acquiring French citizenship, and they came with the statement: “We base French nationality and French citizenship not only on ancestry, but first and foremost on a sense of belonging.”
The Minister outlined three key factors that he urged prefects to review closely in requests for French naturalization:
- Assimilation
- Employment
- Respect for the law
2026 French Language Requirement Changes
Specifically, starting on January 1, 2026, applicants for French citizenship will be required to demonstrate a B2 level of French language proficiency (upper intermediate) in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It applies for both oral and written language skills. The amendment came with Decree No. 2025-648 on July 15, 2025.
This requirement is an increase from the previous B1 level requirement, and it applies for all types of citizenship applications. This is yet another factor complicating the pathway to French citizenship by descent.
Implications for French Citizenship by Descent Applicants
Because French citizenship by descent is one of the most restrictive programs of its kind in Europe, interested individuals should be prepared for rejection, even if presenting a potentially valid claim.
It’s important to start by doing your research and determining whether you can meet the strict documentary conditions, especially since the process can involve legal fees. We can help you figure out the potential strength of your French citizenship by descent case and how you should navigate your pathway.
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