How to Get U.S.-France Dual Citizenship

Justine Harrington, Leaf Group Updated March 22, 2018

The United States, with its bountiful national parks, colorful culture and iconic cities and regions, is a fabulous place to live. But so is France, the birthplace of croissants, delicious cheeses and some of the most magnificent art and architecture in the world. Luckily, it's possible to live in both by obtaining dual citizenship.

How You Can Acquire French Citizenship

If a person is born in France to at least one French parent, he automatically gains citizenship at birth; otherwise, those born in France to foreign parents have the option of obtaining citizenship at birth or later in life. Those that have lived and worked in France for five years, or those who have been married to a French citizen for more than three years, can apply for naturalization. Refugees, former French military workers and people who come from a country where French is the official language are all eligible to apply immediately for French citizenship (forgoing the five-year waiting period).

Submitting an application for citizenship can be a lengthy and, at times, challenging process. It's crucial to have the proper documentation in order: You'll need a valid birth certificate, proof of address, identification, evidence of employment and residence in France, proof of marital status and a host of other documents. Take a look at Angloinfo, an online community of global expats; the site features a comprehensive, updated list of naturalization documents and helpful info on how to acquire French nationality.

Patience is a virtue when it comes to obtaining French citizenship; the entire process can take up to two years once the official application has been submitted. Brush up on your French in the meantime if you're not fluent already. In general, the French are much stricter than Americans when it comes to fluency in an applicant's second language. Applicants are usually interviewed at least once in French to demonstrate a full working proficiency of the language.

How You Can Acquire U.S. Citizenship

Though the U.S. doesn't technically recognize dual citizenship, the country has also not taken a legal stance against it, meaning that no American will forfeit citizenship by gaining citizenship in another country. To file for U.S. citizenship, a person must have had a permanent resident (green) card for at least five years, or for at least three years if filing as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. The 10-step naturalization process then includes filling out an application, completing an interview and taking the oath of allegiance to the United States, among a few other steps. The entire application process can take anywhere from six months to several years.

Note that you will have to continue filing U.S. taxes if you gain dual citizenship; be sure that you're in the proper financial position to do so before submitting your application.




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