French nationality law
French nationality law is historically based on the principle of jus soli, according to Ernest Renan's definition, opposed to the German's definition of nationality formalized by Fichte. However, elements of jus sanguinis have been included in the French code, especially during the 1993 reform (Méhaignerie Act), which forced children born in France of foreign parents to request French nationality at adulthood, instead of being automatically accorded it (no conditions were required to acquire it, but it forced children of foreigners to go through a bureaucratic process, while children of French citizens - whether immigrants or not - cut through all the red tape). This "manifestation of will" requirement has been abrogated by the Guigou Law of 1998 [1], but children born in France of foreign parents remain foreign until obtaining legal majority.
As in most other countries, but differing from the US, children born in France to tourists or short term visitors do not acquire French citizenship by virtue of birth in France: residency must be proven. As immigration became more and more of a political theme in the 1980s, albeit accompanied by a lower immigration rate (see Demographics in France), both left- and right-wing governments have issued several laws restricting more and more the possibilities of being naturalized.
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Attribution of French Nationality
- The attribution of French nationality due to filiation. (Jus sanguinis)
- The attribution of French nationality by birth in France. (Jus soli)
Filiation
Plenary adoption is the only act of filiation which carries direct effects on nationality. Unlike the process of simple adoption, a child adopted according to the procedure of plenary adoption (as set forth in article 343 of the Civil Code of France) breaks any bond with his family of origin.
Filiation must be established while the child is a minor to take effect. Consequently, the recognition of a child older than the age of majority has no effect on his nationality (article 20-1 of the Civil Code).
Birth in France
Children born in France (including overseas territories) to at least one parent who is a French citizen automatically acquire French citizenship at birth.
A child born in France to foreign parents may acquire French citizenship:
- at birth, if stateless.
- at age 18, if resident in France with at least 5 years' residence since age 11.
- at age 16 upon request by the child and if resident in France.
- at age 13 upon request by the child's parents and if resident in France.
- if born in France of parents born before independence in a colony/territory in the past under French sovereignty.
A child who was born abroad and who has only one French parent can repudiate his French nationality during the six months prior to his reaching the age of majority, or in the year which follows it (article 19-4 of the Civil Code).
List of Past Colonies/Territories
Acquisition of French Nationality
Naturalisation
A person may apply for French citizenship by naturalisation after five years residence in France. Exceptions to the residence period include:
- The residence period is reduced to two years for those who are graduates of a French university or grande école
- The residence period may be waived for citizens of French speaking countries or for those who have served in the French military.
Naturalisation through residency is accorded by publication of a decree in the Journal Officiel by decision of the Ministry of Labour, Social Cohesion and Housing.
By marriage
Since 26 November 2003, a foreigner living in France, married to a French citizen for two years can acquire French citizenship by declaration, so long as they have resided in France for one year uninterrupted. If the couple is living outside of France, a three year waiting period is required. In addition to the many documents required to prove both the applicant's nationality and the spouse's French nationality, there is a requirement for competency in the French language.
The declaration of citizenship is made by the couple to the local court, or the French consulate if overseas. The declaration is accepted or rejected by decision of the Ministry of Justice. The government can oppose itself to the request on the ground of "indignity" or lack of "assimilation" to the French community, other than linguistic [1].
The law was changed in August 2006, according to the current article 21-2 and you must now wait four years, or five years if living abroad.
French Citizenship and identity
According to the French Republic, the French people are those who are in possession of French nationality. According to the French Constitution, "France shall be an indivisible, secular, democratic and social Republic. It shall ensure the equality of all citizens before the law, without distinction of origin, race or religion. It shall respect all beliefs. It shall be organised on a decentralised basis." Article 1
Since the middle of the 19th century, France has exhibited a very high rate of immigration, mainly from Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Maghreb, Africa and Asia. According to a 2004 report by INED researcher Michèle Tribalat France has approximately 14 million persons (out of nearly 63 million) (see demographics of France) of foreign ascendancy (immigrants or with at least one parent or great-parent immigrant).
The absence of official statistics on French citizens of foreign origin is not coincidental. The idea of French ethnicity is not one which informs mainstream discourse in France. Under French law passed after the Vichy regime, it is forbidden to categorize people according to their ethnic origins. In France, as in many European countries, censuses do not collect information on supposed ancestry. Moreover, all French statistics are forbidden to have any references concerning ethnic membership. Thus, the French government's assimilationist stance towards immigration as well as towards regional identities and cultures, together with the political heritage of the French revolution has led to the development of a French identity which is based more on the notion of citizenship than on cultural, historical or ethnic ties.
For this reason, French identity must not necessarily be associated with the "ethnic French people". In fact, the existence itself of a "French ethnic group" is more than disputed, since many Frenchmen argue that it is a nationality and a citizenship, and not an ethnicity. "French ethnicity" exists outside France's borders, in particular in Quebec where many people claim membership to a "French ethnic group", and is not shared by everyone within France. However, France's particular self-perception, similar to that of other immigrant countries such as the USA, means that French identity may include an ethnic Portuguese or Algerian but not an "ethnic French" from Quebec.
Rights and obligations of French citizens
In modern France in general the rights are fundamentally the same as those in other EU countries. Despite this official discourse of universality, French nationality has not meant automatic citizenship. Some categories of French people have been excluded, throughout the years, from full citizenship:
- Women: until the Liberation, they were deprived of the right to vote. The provisional government of General de Gaulle accorded them this right by the April 21, 1944 prescription. A law passed on June 6, 2000 attempted to address the economic disparity between men and women[2].
- Military: for a long time, it was named the Grande muette ("The Big Mute") in reference to its prohibition from interfering in political life. During a large part of the Third Republic (1871-1940), the Army was in its majority anti-republicanism (and thus counterrevolutionary). The Dreyfus Affair and the May 16, 1877 crisis, which almost led to a monarchist coup d'état by MacMahon, are examples of this anti-republican spirit. Therefore, they would only gain the right to vote with the August 17, 1945 prescription: the contribution of De Gaulle to the interior French Resistance reconciled the Army with the Republic. Nevertheless, militaries do not benefit from the whole of public liberties, as the July 13, 1972 law on the general statute of militaries specify.
- Young people: the July 1974 law voted at the instigation of president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing reduced to 18 years the coming of age, which thus made of these teenagers full citizens.
- Naturalized foreigners. Since January 9, 1973, foreigners who have acquired French nationality don't have to wait anymore than five years after their naturalization to be able to vote.
- Inhabitants of the colonies. The May 7, 1946 law meant that soldiers from the "Empire" (such as the tirailleurs) killed during World War I and World War II weren't citizens[3].
It must also be noted that France was one of the first countries to implement denaturalization laws. Philosopher Giorgio Agamben has pointed out this fact that the 1915 French law which permitted denaturalization with regard to naturalized citizens of "enemy" origins was one of the first example of such legislation, which Nazi Germany later implemented with the 1935 Nuremberg Laws[4].
Furthermore, some authors who have insisted on the "crisis of the nation-state" allege that nationality and citizenship are becoming separate concepts. They show as example "international", "supranational citizenship" or "world citizenship" (membership to transnational organizations, such as Amnesty International or Greenpeace NGOs). This would indicate a path toward a "postnational citizenship"[3].
Beside this, modern citizenship is linked to civic participation (also called positive freedom), which design voting, demonstrations, petitions, activism, etc. Therefore, social exclusion may lead to deprive one of his/her citizenship. This has led various authors (Philippe Van Parijs, Jean-Marc Ferry, Alain Caillé, André Gorz) to theorize a guaranteed minimum income which would impede exclusion from citizenship[5].
Dual Citizenship
Dual citizenship has been permitted since 1973. The main exception has been concerning those countries which are signatories to the European Convention on Nationality.
Denaturalisation
According to philosopher Giorgio Agamben, France was one of the first European countries to pass denaturalisation laws, in 1915, with regard to naturalized citizens of "enemy" origins. Its example was followed by most European countries.
As soon as July 1940, Vichy France set up a special Commission charged of reviewing the naturalizations granted since the 1927 reform of the nationality law. Between June 1940 and August 1944, 15,000 persons, mostly Jews, were denaturalized [6]. This bureaucratic decision was instrumental in their subsequent internment.
See also
References
- ^ French Embassy (French)
- ^ (French) "Loi n° 2000-493 du 6 juin 2000 tendant à favoriser l’égal accès des femmes et des hommes aux mandats électoraux et fonctions électives". French Senate (2000-06-06). Retrieved on 2006-05-02.
- ^ a b (French) B. Villalba. "Chapitre 2 - Les incertitudes de la citoyenneté". Catholic University of Lille, Law Department. Retrieved on 2006-05-03.
- ^ See Giorgio Agamben, Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life, Stanford University Press (1998), ISBN 0-8047-3218-3.
- ^ (French) P. Hassenteufel, "Exclusion sociale et citoyenneté", "Citoyenneté et société", Cahiers Francais, n° 281, mai-juin 1997), quoted by B. Villalba of the Catholic University of Lille, op.cit.
- ^ François Masure, "Etat et identité nationale. Un rapport ambigu à propos des naturalisés, in Journal des anthropologues, hors-série 2007, pp.39-49 (see p.48) (French)
External links
- Acquiring another Citizenship (France) (archived from the original on 2007-08-07)
- official website of the CIMADE, an ecumenist NGO helping immigrants (including illegal immigrants) in their juridical demands.
- GISTI ("Groupe d'Information et de Soutien aux Travailleurs Immigrés" (same: "Group of Information and Support of Immigrants Workers", although they also carry more directly activist actions, such as blocking controversed expels by charter, mainly by informing all passengers of the plane - as the pilot is the only authority on board, he may refuse to embark an illegal alien, thus blocking police's attempts)
- Further information: fr:Nationalité française
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