France is a European country with a high standard of living for citizens whose rights and freedoms are strictly respected by the state. And this region is also known as the birthplace of champagne and cognac, exquisite perfumes and fine wines. Paris is not only the capital of France, but also the center of the entire haute couture fashion industry. Tourists who have visited this country certainly dream of returning here again. The ancient towns, where you can’t count the sights, excellent cuisine, a high level of income of the residents and their safety look attractive. Therefore, many foreigners would like to obtain French citizenship and live happily in their new homeland. But how to do that? How to achieve the privileges that French citizens enjoy by birth? We will talk about this in this article.
Kinship Citizenship
The demographic situation in France is not very favorable, but, nevertheless, the state is wary of correcting the situation due to the influx of immigrants. It is very difficult to obtain a temporary residence permit or permanent residence in this country. And to acquire French citizenship is generally from the realm of fantasy. Naturalization and immigration laws are extremely harsh. In addition, they are constantly being complicated, adjusted and supplemented. It’s not enough to know the language or own real estate in France. Birth in the country also does not automatically make a baby a citizen if his parents are foreigners. But if the mother or father of the child is French, then a completely different matter. It makes no sense to delve into the roots of your family tree. Even if a Frenchman is found in your family (from the time of Napoleon’s campaign), this will not affect the acquisition of citizenship by right of kinship.
Soil right
There are countries where citizenship is automatically awarded to anyone born on their territory. Unfortunately, France is not one of them. However, an infant born to parents who are stateless can expect such an elite status. Adoption or adoption also allows you to automatically become a Frenchman. However, the law (article 343 of the Civil Code) leaves no loopholes in this regard. French citizenship is granted only to minors who live with new parents and completely lose all contact with their country of origin. If a child saw the light in Balzac’s homeland, and his parents are both foreigners, then he has a chance of naturalization. But then he must reside permanently in France from the age of eleven. When a child is thirteen, his parents can apply for citizenship. Or he himself, upon reaching the age of sixteen, may demand this. In any case, if a child from 11 years old permanently and legally resides in the country (leaving its borders for a short time), on the day of adulthood he will be handed a French passport.
Marriage or Marriage
The French Citizenship Act of 2006 provides for the right to obtain this status in connection with marriage. But the union must be valid for at least four years. Naturally, one of the spouses must be a French citizen. If the couple lives outside the country, such a “trial period” increases to five years. It is good when the marriage is concluded in France. If the wedding was played in the homeland of a foreign spouse, it is necessary to collect documents and their notarized translations. After that, employees of the prefecture will check the spouses for the fictitious marriage, so expect very sensitive issues. After this, the applicant is awaiting another language exam.Living in marriage with a French citizen does not exempt from the obligation to be assimilated into society, to know its customs, to comply with laws. Consideration of applications for granting status lasts up to one year (if the spouses live in the country) and up to three years if abroad.
How to obtain French citizenship through investment
All states practice this method of attracting successful traders. Of course, such a method of naturalization is available only to very wealthy people. Buying an apartment or even a luxury villa in France will not be sufficient to become a citizen of this country. Mostly the benefits of business emigration are enjoyed by residents of other countries of the European Union. But for residents of other countries, the doors are always open. Provided that they invest in the French economy more than a million euros. If you do not have such an amount, then you can work around it. Open a business visa, start your own business. Get the status of residence permit and permanent residence. Prove the success of your business. If you create jobs for the French and regularly pay taxes to the treasury, the process of full naturalization should go easily and quickly.
Naturalization
According to the law, a person legally residing in the territory of the state for at least five years has the right to apply for French citizenship. It is to petition, not to demand, for naturalization is a blessing that the state provides at its discretion. Of course, refusals are always accompanied by motivation, but they can be appealed. What is needed to obtain citizenship in addition to permanent residence status for five years? Knowledge of the language, customs, history and social structure of the country. The petitioner must have a normal income and be solvent. The term of five years can be reduced. If you graduated from a French university or are a successful businessman, two years is enough for naturalization. Also, the presence of a workplace, service in the French army or sports victories for the benefit of a new homeland will be considered a big plus.
Indulgence towards naturalization
As you can see, living legally in the country for five years is not enough. Obtaining citizenship in France is fraught with difficulties such as proof of language skills and their ability to pay. People over the age of seventy, persons with refugee status are exempted from these problems. No need to prove the knowledge of the language to the residents of Algeria, Switzerland, Morocco, students who graduated from a French university.
France: dual citizenship
The question arises as to whether it is necessary to leave the citizenship of one’s country during naturalization. French law (article 23 of the Civil Code) has no restriction in this regard. A person has the right to be simultaneously a citizen of several powers. The same rules are spelled out in the legislation of the Russian Federation. So there is no need to write a statement on withdrawal from the citizenship of your country. Dual citizenship (France - Russia) gives the right to cross the borders of these states without problems, work freely and live in them without time restrictions. As for other countries where the legislation does not provide for such norms, former citizenship is lost with naturalization in France.
Withdrawal and Deprivation of Citizenship
This practice has been used in the Republic since 1915. Denaturation exists in other countries as well, but in most cases theoretically or in relation to persons who became citizens upon application for citizenship. But in France, this legislation is widely used. You can lose the status of a citizen for a serious crime against a new homeland. After World War II, denaturation affected members of political parties that supported fascism.
