A recent report from the French Interior Ministry has revealed a significant decrease in the number of people seeking to become French citizens in 2023. This marks a 21.7% drop compared to the previous year. The trend of obtaining French citizenship has been fluctuating in recent years, with 2021 experiencing a surge in demand due to the pent-up demand from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, interest in French citizenship returned to regular levels in 2022.
In 2023, the decline in obtaining French citizenship was primarily driven by a decrease in acquisitions by decree, which dropped by 33.8%, while acquisitions by declaratory means (indicating family reunification cases) increased by 18.8%. Despite an 18.2% increase in acquisitions due to marriage, the numbers have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. On the other hand, obtaining acquisitions by the benefit of French ancestors and siblings of French people continued to increase, rising by 25.5%.
French nationality can be acquired either by the declaration of nationality or by naturalization. The former applies to individuals who are married or have a relationship with a French person, including descendants, siblings, and more, while naturalization is subject to various conditions, including the length of stay in the country.
The data also revealed a fluctuation in naturalization rates over the past decade. The number of people naturalized in France has varied, reaching its lowest point in 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2023, the naturalization rate is at an all-time low, suggesting a decrease in foreign-born nationals seeking to become French residents.
In 2023, a total of 40,064 naturalizations were recorded, representing a 4.4% decrease compared to 2020. However, naturalizations for French descendants reached the highest level at 2,121, up by 73% compared to 2020. Overall, the data suggests a significant shift in the interest of foreign-born nationals in acquiring French citizenship.
Still have some travel questions? Ask in our Travel WhatsApp Group.
