Birth in France alone is not generally enough. Limited parentage or statelessness cases confer citizenship at birth; otherwise a child of foreign parents can acquire it from age 13, 16, or automatically at 18 when the residence conditions are met.
A foreign spouse of a French national may acquire nationality by declaration after four years of marriage (five if the couple cannot show three years of continuous residence in France), with continuing community of life and French at CEFR level B2 oral and written (required from 1 January 2026).
Naturalization without residence for exceptional merit or francophone ties
Naturalization by decree with no residence stage for those who rendered exceptional services to France, for wartime military service, and for members of the French cultural and linguistic community.
A person who formerly held French nationality (for example lost through marriage to a foreigner or acquisition of another nationality) may be reintegrated — by declaration where manifest ties with France are shown, or otherwise by decree with no residence stage.
French Civil Code article 21-17 ordinarily requires five years of habitual residence (article 21-18 reduces that to two years after successful completion of two years of French higher education toward a diploma). From 1 January 2026, applications for naturalisation by decree must also show French at CEFR level B2 oral and written and success at the civic exam (Décret n° 2025-648 du 15 juillet 2025; Service-Public F11926 / F39426). A valid permit, continuing residence, assimilation and stable professional integration remain material; naturalisation is discretionary. The same language and civic requirements apply where French nationality is sought from New Caledonia under parent French law (monitor #201).
Carte 'talent – porteur de projet' (parcours création d'entreprise)
Multi-year 'talent' residence card for business creators: master's-level degree or 5 years of comparable professional experience, a real and serious business-creation project in France, minimum EUR 30,000 project financing, and resources at least equal to the annual gross full-time SMIC (EUR 22,404.20 as of mid-2026).
French EU Blue Card issued under the multi-year 'talent' residence framework for highly qualified employment: higher-education diploma of at least three years (or five years' comparable professional experience, reduced to three years in designated professions) plus a contract of at least six months and gross annual pay of at least EUR 59,373 (1.5× the reference average annual salary). Card term tracks the contract (up to four years when the contract is at least two years; shorter contracts get contract length plus three months, capped at two years).
Multi-year French residence for non-EU researchers and university-level teachers holding at least a master's-equivalent degree, with a hosting agreement (convention d'accueil) from an approved public or private research or higher-education body. Authorises work; a minimum gross remuneration of EUR 2,200 applies for researchers who signed a research-stay agreement. Card duration matches the hosting arrangement up to four years.
Carte 'talent – porteur de projet' (parcours investissement économique)
Multi-year 'talent' residence card for direct economic investors: minimum EUR 300,000 investment in tangible or intangible fixed assets in France, made personally or via a company the applicant directs or holds at least 30% of, plus a commitment to create or preserve jobs within 4 years.
Multi-year French residence permit for non-EU skilled employees under the 'talent' framework: French master's-level degree (or CGE-labelled level-1 diploma) plus an employment contract of more than three months paying gross annual salary of at least EUR 39,582; or the innovative-enterprise or intra-group mission parcours at the same salary floor. Card duration matches the employment contract up to four years. Employer need not obtain a separate work authorisation tax in the usual sense for this category.
Exchange normally requires residence in the destination and replaces the original licence. The official authority still decides validity, deadlines, classes, and any extra checks.