Finding a naturalisation decree or proof of French nationality (yours, or a parent's or grandparent's)

Source: Service-Public F33626, checked on 11 February 2025, read on 18 October 2026.

Last checked: 18 October 2026. This is a general guide, not legal advice. Check the official page: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F33626.

A décret de naturalisation (the naturalisation decree) published since 1924 can be downloaded from Légifrance (the official French law website), if you know its publication date in the Journal officiel (JO, the official gazette). Without this date, Service-Public says to ask the Ministry of the Interior. Before 1924, see the Archives nationales (National Archives). For an identity card or a passport, Service-Public lists the accepted proofs, up to the certificat de nationalité française (certificate of French nationality).

For a déclaration (a declaration of nationality: through marriage, as an ascendant of a French person, or as the brother or sister of a French person), Service-Public says that « la procédure est différente » (the procedure is different): see nationality by marriage (in French).

Find a decree published since 1924

Since 1 February 2023, the publication date is given in your personal account. Before that, it was on the ampliation of the decree (a copy with the same value as the original) sent by post or email. Without the ampliation, you can ask the Ministry of the Interior:

• by post: Ministère de l'intérieur, Direction générale des étrangers en France, Direction de l'intégration et de l'accès à la nationalité, Sous-direction de l'accès à la nationalité française, 12 rue Francis-le-Carval, 44404 Rezé Cedex;
• by email: sdanf-accueil@interieur.gouv.fr, or sdanf-brupi-preuve-nat@interieur.gouv.fr « pour toute preuve de nationalité française » (for any proof of French nationality).

On Légifrance: enter the date in « Rechercher un JO » (search for a JO), follow the link shown, solve the captcha, then click « Télécharger le document » (download the document). For a decree from 2016 or later, the link is « Extrait du Journal officiel contenant les informations nominatives (accès protégé) » (extract of the Journal officiel with the named information, protected access). For the years 1924 to 2015, it is the scanned paper version of the « Lois et décrets » (laws and decrees), or the « Numéro complémentaire » (supplementary issue) for 1976 to 1984.

Since 2 June 2004, the PDF carries an authenticated electronic signature: « une copie certifiée conforme n'est pas nécessaire » (a certified true copy is not needed). Before that date, it can be authenticated only when you ask for a légalisation (official authentication) of the document, to present it to a foreign authority.

A decree published before 1924

The Archives nationales (Pierrefitte-sur-Seine site) keep the naturalisation files. You must create an account to book the document and wait for their reply before going there.

The decree of a parent or a grandparent

For a certificat de nationalité by filiation (descent), Service-Public (sheet F1051) asks for the birth certificates of all the ascendants (parents, grandparents and further back), « en remontant jusqu'au 1er ascendant français inclus » (going back up to and including the first French ascendant). If this ascendant acquired nationality, you need his or her decree or declaration. A decree is proved by the ampliation, by the French birth certificate that mentions it, or by an attestation from the minister in charge of naturalisations.

To check: decree no. 93-1362 (article 52) says that the attestation is issued « à la demande de l'intéressé, de son représentant légal ou des administrations publiques françaises » (at the request of the person concerned, his or her legal representative or the French public administrations); a descendant is not listed. The pages read also do not say how to find the publication date without any document. Ask sdanf-brupi-preuve-nat@interieur.gouv.fr what is possible in your case.

Birth certificates of people born abroad: Nantes

For a person of French nationality born abroad, the birth certificate is requested online or by post from the Service central d'état civil (Central Civil Status Service), 11 rue de la Maison Blanche, 44941 Nantes Cedex 09. It is free; by post it takes « environ 30 jours » (about 30 days). An ascendant or a descendant can get the full copy (copie intégrale). For a birth in a State that became independent (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco...), you go through the online service for people born abroad.

Identity card or passport: the order of proofs

For a renewal, a valid card or passport, or one that expired less than 5 years ago, is enough. Otherwise, sheet F18713 lists:

1. a birth certificate less than 3 months old, in the cases provided (if you were born abroad: a certificate from the Service central d'état civil in Nantes on secure paper, or a consular record);
2. the registered declaration or its attestation, or the ampliation of the decree or « une attestation constatant l'existence de ce décret » (an attestation recording the existence of this decree);
3. possession d'état de Français (being considered French by the public authorities for at least 10 years, shown with at least 2 documents from the list);
4. failing that, a certificat de nationalité française.

The certificat de nationalité française (CNF)

The CNF, issued by the tribunaux judiciaires (ordinary courts), proves French nationality. The procedure is free: cerfa no. 16237 (the official form), notice no. 52373. The documents are supplied as originals, with some exceptions. The request goes to the tribunal judiciaire (or tribunal de proximité, the local court) of the place where you live that is competent for nationality matters. If you live abroad and were born abroad, it goes to the tribunal judiciaire of Paris (French nationality service). The greffe (court registry) has 6 months from the récépissé (receipt), which can be extended at most 2 times; if there is no decision after that, the request is refused. In case of refusal or if your nationality is disputed, see a lawyer or the greffe of the court concerned.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find my naturalisation decree? On Légifrance, for decrees published in the Journal officiel since 1924, with their publication date.

I lost the ampliation of my decree: what can I do? Service-Public says you can ask the Ministry of the Interior (sous-direction de l'accès à la nationalité française, the sub-directorate for access to French nationality) for the publication date.

Is the decree downloaded from Légifrance enough? For a decree published since 2 June 2004, yes: the PDF carries an authenticated electronic signature, so no certified true copy is needed.

Who issues the certificat de nationalité française? The tribunaux judiciaires. The request is made with cerfa no. 16237 and the procedure is free.

Are you preparing for naturalisation?

See the civic exam for naturalisation (in French). Naturalisation: test my knowledge (40 questions, free)

Sources

• Service-Public F33626, checked on 11 February 2025.
• Service-Public F1051, checked on 20 June 2025.
• Service-Public F18713, checked on 14 August 2026.
• Légifrance, decree no. 93-1362, article 52, read on 18 October 2026 by a second reader.
• Service-Public F1427, checked on 14 August 2026.
• Ministry of Justice, Certificat de nationalité française: what changes, updated on 14 February 2023.

Consulted on 18 October 2026. Hexaciv is an independent service, not linked to the administration.

Hexaciv is an independent tool for preparing the French civic exam. This is not an official site and is not affiliated with any ministry. Last updated: 2026-10-18.