French nationality of a child born in France to foreigners parents - Minor aged 16 to 17 inclusive
Verified 12 juin 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Step-by-step approach
If you were born in France to foreigners parents, you can apply for French nationality by declaration from the age of 16.
You must complete the conditions following:
- Have 16 or 17 years
- Be born in France
- Having had your habitual residence in France for a period of time continuous or discontinuous at least 5 years since age 11
- Reside in France the day of declaration
Specific rules apply to Mayotte.
Please note
if one of your parents is a foreigner but was born in France and you were born in France, you are native French. Besides, you are French if at least one of your 2 parents is French.
The minor himself makes the application for French nationality.
However, its legal representative make the move if he is guardianship or if a disability prevents him from expressing his will.
Documents to be provided
The documents to be provided are as follows:
- Application for French nationality on free paper.
Your application must include your name, first name, date and place of birth.
The graft draw up the declaration of French nationality, 2 copies, which you must sign. - Birth certificate
- Identity document (passport or residence permit)
- Recent photo ID
- Residence permit for foreigner parents or official foreigner identity document
- All documents proving that you are resident in France on the date of your declaration
- All documents proving that you have had your habitual residence in France for a continuous or discontinuous period of at least 5 years since the age of 11
- If necessary, birth certificates of your foreigner children who reside with you habitually or alternatively in the case of separation or divorce and any documents justifying such residence. If necessary, documents proving the parentage children (civil status documents or court order).
- If necessary, a medical certificate issued by an approved medical specialist certifying that the mental or physical faculties of the young person prevent him from expressing his will.
- If you are a national of a non-EU country European (EU) and that you went into the Schengen area from a State that is not part of this area for a period of less than 3 months during the 5 years preceding the submission of your application, provide your passport or any equivalent document (for example a Schengen visa), and those of your minor children who could become French by their majority
Please note
Depending on your situation, the instructor department may ask you for additional documents and gives you a time limit to provide them. One receipt is addressed to you when your file is complete.
Instructions on the documents to be provided
Civil status record
One civil status document must be supplied in full and in original in the language of the country of origin.
A French civil status certificate must have been issued less than 3 months ago.
A copy of a foreigner civil status document must be accompanied, if necessary, by a copy of the decision in execution of which it has been drawn up, rectified or amended.
Copy or original of a document
You can provide copies of the requested documents except for civil status records.
However, you should be able to present the originals of the documents if necessary.
A copy of a foreigner act shall be accompanied, if necessary, by a copy of the decision in implementation of which it has been drawn up, rectified or amended.
Translation
You must attach a translation of each document written in a foreign language.
You must provide the original translation.
The translation must be done by a translator on the list of experts approved by the courts of appeal.
However, translation is not required for a multilingual birth certificate extract one of whose languages is French.
In addition, to avoid having to translate some documents issued by a the European Union, one multilingual form can be attached. See the e-justice site for more information.
Legalization or Apostille
Certain documents established abroad must be legalized or apostilles to be accepted in France.
Inquire at the embassy or consulate of the country concerned.
Who shall I contact
You must contact the court judicial or proximity to your domicile.
You can put down your file or mail it.
Who shall I contact
If there is no response within 6 months depending on the date of the receipt, this means that the declaration of french nationality is recorded (accepted).
The declaration of French nationality takes effect to the date of its subscription.
A copy of the declaration shall be sent to the declarant together with the mention of registration.
The court of justice will notify its decision reasoned Refusal.
You can appeal within 6 months from the date of notification.
The notification shall indicate how to appeal.
The lawyer is obligatory. He's the one takes care of the gait.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service
For more information on this topic, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their status.
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- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
- Service free
The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.
- House of Justice and the Law
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