Naturalization refers to the act of conferring on a foreigner or stateless person the nationality of the country in which he or she resides. In France, the number of acquisitions of French nationality by naturalization has decreased overall since 1999. In 2005, more than 89,000 foreigners were naturalized, compared to less than 40,000 in 2023. However, the number of naturalizations had increased again in 2021, exceeding 74,000. In 2022, the number decreased again, and almost reached 60,000 naturalizations.

This statistic shows the number of French citizenship acquisitions from 1999 to 2023. The acquisition of French citizenship decreased between 1999 and 2020. In 2020, more than 84,000 foreigners obtained the French nationality. The next year, this figure increased again, reaching more than 130,000. In 2023 97,288 foreigners obtained French citizenship.

Of the 68 million people living in France in 2023, more than 59 million were born French. Three million have acquired French nationality through an application for naturalization. The rest of the residents in France are foreigners, among them, there are foreigners with legal status such as European residents and foreigners with specific status or awaiting regularization.

Decrease in acquisitions of French nationality by decree, increase in acquisitions by early declaration in 2023 Procedures by decree (naturalization or reintegration), as well as procedures by declaration in the context of marriage, descent or siblings fall within the competence of the Ministry of the Interior. These procedures represent in 2023 almost two thirds of the total (61 640), down 21.7% compared to last year. This decline in activity in 2023 must be analysed through ad hoc technical difficulties linked to the dematerialisation of the naturalisation procedure and its deployment, in 2023, throughout the national territory. A fluidification of the system and a catch-up are expected for 2024. The remaining third of the proceedings fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice and mainly concern the advance declarations of foreign minors (13-17 years old) born in France. The evolution of these procedures is stable compared to 2022 (-0.3%). The decline in 2023 is mainly driven by acquisitions by decree, registering a marked decrease (-33.8%) and to a lesser extent by acquisitions without formality (-15.8%), fewer in number. The increase in acquisitions by declarative means (+7.2%) is not enough to offset the decrease in acquisitions by decree. Acquisitions on the basis of marriage increased significantly (+18.2%) after three successive years of downward trend. Advance declarations, the main volume of acquisitions per declaration, increased slightly (+1.6%). The two methods of acquisition by declaration created from 1 July 2016 for the benefit of ascendants of French and siblings of French continue the increase observed over the recent period (+25.5% compared to 2022). However, they remain little used.

In 2018, the annual flow of acquisitions of French nationality by decree and declaration (weddings, ascendants and siblings) with 77,778 new French is down 7 %. Acquisitions by decree decreased by 15 % while acquisitions due to marriage increased by 20.2 %. The two modalities of acquisition by declaration created as of 1 July 2016, for the benefit of the ascendants of French, on the other hand, the brothers or sisters of French, now better identified by the applicants, progressed by 74.3 %.

It should be noted that these four methods of acquiring French nationality are in addition to other access routes followed by the Ministry of Justice, for which data for 2018 are not yet available.

Therefore, all the annual statistics on acquisitions of nationality for the year 2018 will be published in full in June 2019.

In 2015, the annual flow of acquisitions of French nationality with 113,608 new French nationals increased mainly due to the increase in acquisitions of nationality by decree and the recovery of acquisitions per declaration (respectively + 6.9 % and + 9.4 %). Advance declarations (minors born in France of foreign parents) fell (- 3.5 %).

In 2017, the annual flow of acquisitions of French nationality by decree and declaration (weddings, ascendants and siblings) with 83,674 new French was down 5.7 %. Acquisitions by decree fell by 3.5 % and marriage acquisitions decreased by 15.6 %. Two new modalities of acquisition by declaration were created as of 1 July 2016, for the benefit of French ascendants on the one hand and French brothers or sisters on the other.

It should be noted that these four methods of acquiring French nationality are in addition to other access routes followed by the Ministry of Justice, for which data for 2017 are not yet available.

Therefore, all the annual statistics on acquisitions of nationality for the year 2016 will be published in full in June 2018.

In 2016, the annual flow of acquisitions of French nationality, with 119 152 new French, increased (+ 4.9 %) mainly due to the increase in acquisitions of nationality by decree (+ 10.6 %).

Analyse complète des naturalisations françaises de l'année 2024 : 49,887 naturalisations, 85 décrets publiés au Journal Officiel, 128 séries de naturalisation.