How to Apply for French Citizenship with NATALI

There are more and more settled expats who have been living in France for a while, wanting to become French citizens and are applying for ‘la Nationalité Française’.

This can be a daunting and lengthy process; the good news is there’s a paperless service called NATALI, not to be confused with Ameli, the online health service.

What is NATALI? How Does it Work?

As of February 6, 2023, requests to become a French national must be made exclusively online. To achieve this, the French government’s Ministry of the Interior has developed a new online platform.

With NATALI, there is no need to drive to the Préfecture or queue, or to send your documents by post. The new process through the NATALI service allows you (or your legal representative) to complete all the formalities electronically:

• acquisition of French nationality on the grounds of marriage, French ascendancy or French sibling by declaration
• acquisition of French nationality by decision of the public authority and reintegration into that nationality
• francisation of the surname and/or forenames
• authorisation after loss of French nationality

A personal area in NATALI lets you monitor your application’s progress in real time, receive notifications if additional documents are required, and stay updated on its outcome. 

NATALI also allows users to appeal unfavourable decisions and to submit comments during proceedings.

NATALI = No Paper Documents

All applications for naturalisation by decree must now be made in a paperless way. Any paper file submitted after February 2023 will be returned.

If you submitted your application before February 6th and were given a reference number, do not reapply; doing so could delay processing. In this case, arrangements have been put in place to help you:

•     digital reception points in the prefectures: provision of computer equipment and agents on site to help you with tele-procedures
•     the Citizen Contact Centre (CTC): via an online contact form or by calling 0806 001 620 (free call from a landline or if your mobile package includes calls to a landline)

By Naturalisation or by Declaration?

To apply for French citizenship, you generally need to have lived permanently and continuously in France for at least 5 years and fulfil certain conditions.

There are two ways to apply for French citizenship - by decree (naturalisation) or by déclaration.

What is a Declaration?

Applying by déclaration means you are claiming for something which you’re legally entitled to, as long as you meet certain conditions.

For example, if you are married or are related to a French person (child, grandchild, great-grandchild, brother or sister, etc.), you can apply using the ‘déclaration.

Specific rules apply if you were born in France to foreign parents. If you’ve reached the age of majority (18 years), were born in France to non-French parents, and you’ve lived in France for 5 years since the age of 11, you can acquire French nationality automatically.

What is Naturalisation?

Naturalisation is subject to several conditions, in particular the length of time you’ve resided in France.

To apply for naturalisation, you must have lived in the country for at least 5 years. If you’re an EU national, all you need is a valid and up-to-date passport, ideally with biometrics and fingerprints.

If you lost your French nationality, it’s not difficult to regain it. If you are abroad, the best place to start is with ‘l’inscription consulaire’ to make sure your details are kept up to date on ‘the system’.

The process varies depending on whether you were born abroad or in France. For Brits, note that you are applying for French nationality and can automatically retain your UK nationality.

Citizenship For Brits & Non-EU Residents

If you’re a UK national or other third-country national, you must hold a valid residency card.

You must demonstrate to provide ‘sufficient and stable resources’ for you and your family, show your integration into the French way of life (and you will be tested), and prove that you understand, speak and write the French language.

France has updated its language requirements for foreigners seeking residency and citizenship. Non-EU citizens must learn French, while all applicants must meet new language requirements for citizenship and pass a Civic Exam for residency.

New residents can receive a short-term “carte de séjour” without language requirements, but to obtain a multi-year residency permit, they must demonstrate at least an A2-level of proficiency in French.

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 are living in France.

French Citizenship Simulator

To learn about the documents required for naturalisation by decree, use the simulator or go to the Naturalisation or the reintegration into French nationality section on the Préfecture de Police website.

It’s imperative to visit the French government and the regional Préfecture websites. Please note that only the interview for the application examination requires your physical presence, and the welcome ceremony will also require your presence if the application is successful.

If you’re concerned your nationality may affect your tax affairs, you can contact François Mounielou at RWK Goodman directly for expert advice.