France Grants Citizenship to Over 112,000 Foreigners in 2019, Marriage-Based Naturalizations Rise

According to figures published on Saturday, July 11 by the newspaper Le Figaro, refusals are rare when it comes to acquisition through marriage. Only 75 people had their application rejected last year, the same media specifies.

In the previous years, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the government rejected 83, 66 and 75 people respectively for obtaining French nationality through the foreign spouse of a French citizen, according to the same source, citing an official letter addressed to deputy Eric Ciottti who was questioning these low refusal rates.

Among the reasons that led to the rejection of these files, there is polygamy, the practice of excision, proselytism to a sectarian way of life, domestic violence, routine delinquency and thuggery.

According to deputy Eric Ciotti, France is not demanding enough on the conditions for acquiring nationality. "These figures are the irrefutable demonstration of this," he deplored. Refuting this accusation, the Ministry of the Interior pointed out that two forms of procedures are processed by its department, namely naturalizations by decree, for established persons. They represent 80% of the overall volume of requests, on which the State has a wide margin of appreciation. To this are added naturalizations by declaration, mainly following a marriage. "In this case, administrative case law makes these requests almost automatically admissible, except for opposition from the State by a specific decree," the Ministry of the Interior specified.

As for obtaining nationality through marriage, the administration is supposed to ensure at least four years of union, effective and material community of life. "These are serious investigations," supports the same source.