Your dossier
You'll need to put together a dossier with all your information, preferably in the order that each document is referred to on the official documentation. Don't underestimate either the time, or the cost, involved in doing this!
The French government's wizard includes a simulator/wizard that will list the supporting documents you need in your dossier according to your personal situation:www.service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/Naturalisation.
Official documents from the UK do not need to be legalised or have an apostille as they have a dispensation (though they will need to be translated by a traducteur assermenté - court approved translator). There has been some confusion around this in some quarters - this is a link to the current document about this produced by the French foreign ministry:www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/leg_-_tableau_recapitulatif_droit_conventionnel_-_16-08-19_cle85ec79.pdf. Note that this has not changed since Brexit as the dispensation dates back to a bilateral agreement from 1937! If you are a citizen of another country, check whether you'll need an apostille (hint: if you're from a non EU country, other than the UK, you probably will!).
Once your dossier is complete and has been submitted, you will receive an attestation that it has been received and is complete (or if it is incomplete it will be rejected, or if you're just missing one or two documents you may be asked to submit them separately). You should receive a numéro de dossier.
Your language skills
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To apply for French citizenship everyone must demonstrate written and oral proficiency in French at a minimum of Level B1 (intermediate). This is the common level across Europe, and is considered to be roughly equivalent to GCSE grade A or A*. See below for some more information on the levels. This applies whatever your age - the exemption for those over 60 was removed in August 2020. If you are medically unable to take a diploma or a test you must provide a medical certificate to justify this; i
You'll need to provide proof of your spoken and written language level in the form of a recognised diploma from a course of studies at a Francophone educational institute, a DELF diploma or recognised test. We recommend taking the DELF exam, as this is valid for life (unlike the TCF-IRN, which has a validity of 2 years). This means that if for any reason you are delayed in submitting your dossier, you don't have to worry about it going out of date.
Recognised diploma from a course of studies at a Francophone educational institute
If you hold one of the qualifications on the accepted list you don't need to take an additional diploma or test. You'll need to include your diploma in your dossier. You can find the list here:www.alpes-maritimes.gouv.fr/content/download/18739/173512/file/Annexe_diplome.pdf
DELF B1 diploma
The DELF B1 diploma can be taken at a number of centres around France. You can find the current list of centres here:www.france-education-international.fr/centres-d-examen/liste?pays=73&type-centre=delf_dalf. The DELF exam measures the four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Each section is scored out of 25, for a total of 100 marks. In order to pass, a minimum of 5/25 must be achieved in each section, and a minimum of 50/100 overall.The DELF diploma isvalid for life.
The exam has a very precise format and in order to prepare you'll need to do some practice, even if your French is comfortably at or above B1 level - passing the diploma is at least 50% about knowing how to tackle each part of the test, understanding what is required and the marking scheme, and practising the different parts of the test until you're familiar with what's required. We can't stress this enough - it's not enough just to have the required level of French!
If you need to work on your French, many language schools offer a specific preparatory course for the DELF diplomas, easily found by Googling. If you prefer to prepare at home, there area number oftext booksspecifically designed for DELF B1 candidates; for examplethis oneandthis one.
- You'll find thecandidate's manualhere:www.france-education-international.fr/document/manuel-candidat-delf-b1.
- There is a series ofaudio and written test exerciseshere:www.france-education-international.fr/diplome/delf-tout-public/niveau-b1/entrainement?langue=fr
Test de connaissance du français (TCF-IRN).
The TCF-IRN (previously known as the TCF-ANF) is an alternative route to proving your language ability. It's a combined test both for those seeking a regular third country carte de residence (who need language at A2 level) and those seeking French nationality, who need language at B1 level.
The test takes 1 hour and 15 minutes and tests over 4 areas: listening comprehension, written comprehension, written expression and oral expression. To achieve B1 level you must attain at least 300 points.
You'll find full details of the test here:www.france-education-international.fr/test/tcf-irn?langue=frand an official map of the centres where the TCF is available here:www.france-education-international.fr/centres-d-examen/carte?type-centre=tcf(although there may be other centres, for example language schools).
The best site for practice tests is TV5Monde, where you can take practice modules and then test yourself under exam conditions:apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr/tcf.
You can also find practice tests on the RFI Savoirs site:savoirs.rfi.fr/fr/apprendre-enseigner/langue-fran%C3%A7aise/tcf-test-de-connaissance-du-fran%C3%A7ais
The TCF-IRN is valid for 2 years, which means you have to time things fairly tightly as it still needs to be in date not just when you submit your application but when your dossier is accepted by your regional platform - which can take 6 months. So once you've taken it it's best to get on with completing your application as soon as possible. It costs from around 140€ depending on your centre.
WHAT IS B1 LEVEL? B1 is the third level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It's considered to be roughly GCSE A/A* level, and that required at the age of 16 for French students.
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You'll find some general information about the different levels here. This page is an assessment grid for all the different levels for the French language:rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb57 |
What happens then?
You'll be required to attend an 'assimilation interview' by appointment at your regional platform, where you'll be asked about your personal (and possibly your financial) situation, why you want to become French, how often you have returned to the UK, how you have integrated into French society since you've been here, and about your knowledge of French culture, history and citizenship rights and responsibilities. The interview will be conducted in French and you can't take an interpreter (sounds obvious, I know, but the question has been asked).At the end of the interview, the you'll sign a charter of rights and duties of French citizens.
You'll need to spend a considerable amount of time preparing for the interview, which may last up to 90 minutes (although usually considerably less). See the paragraph below for some resources to help.
You may, at some point, be visited by your local gendarmes or police, either by appointment or not.
Once you've had your assimiliation interview (and in many cases a visit from the gendarmes/police) the préfecture will class your application either as 'recevable' (acceptable) or 'irrecevable' (non-acceptable). An application may be deemed non-acceptable if you don't fully meet all the conditions and your application may be refused, or it may be adjourned. If you believe this decision to be incorrect you have the right to appeal.
If your application is accepted it is passed tothe SDANF (Sous-direction de l’accès à la nationalité française du ministère de l’intérieur) at Nantes, whose formal decision it is. The SDANF can, in its turn, pronounce your application to be non-acceptable, or can request more documents - or in most cases it will approve your naturalisation and will include your name in a nauturalisation decree which will be published in the Journal Officiel.So once your interviews are over, then you wait ... the waiting stage can take up to 18 months, or even longer - regional differences are huge, with Paris currently the fastest. Eventually you'll (hopefully!) find your name in the JO, at which point you are officially French and can start your application for a French birth certificate and identity card.
Later on you'll be invited to a ceremony along with other local new citizens.
What's it like?
Everyone's experience is different. But we include one first hand account here, as it gives a really good feel of what the interview process is like.
It lasted well over an hour but the lady was nice if slightly stern at points but rightly so as it was really when she was making it clear that being granted French Nationality is not a right, but a gift bestowed upon the worth, really. We spent some time going through my paperwork and the extra stuff I had been asked to bring at the last minute (same papers justmore up to date versions on the whole). Then we had a long chat all about my life but focusing on everything that had happened during my 10 years in France - work, family, income, clubs or associations I'm part of, things I like about France, food, interests, things we do together as a family etc, then on to my reasons for wanting French nationality. The final section was a good 25 questions about French history, society and culture so yes you do need to know quite in depth the Livret du Citoyen I'm afraid, including some of the more obvious dates ie French Revolution, World Wars, and be able to name the current President and Prime Minister, name your favourite French actor, writer etc. I was also asked the French Motto which was fine but then she asked me to "define what each word means to me"! Oh yes. :S And then she said if I was going to add a fourth word to the motto what would it be and why! While she was very pleasant and did end up saying she wished every applicant was like me (halo glowing lol) - I was rather glad once it was over I must say.
