VisaFrance asks spouses seeking citizenship to show B2 French
Applicants making a declaration through marriage should check their language evidence and whether the four-year or five-year period applies.
Official announcement date: not established (undated guidance)
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Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
Check the marriage and residence history first
A foreign or stateless spouse of a French citizen can apply for citizenship by declaration if the conditions in Article 21-2 of the Civil Code are met. The spouse must have been French when they married and must have retained French citizenship. The couple must show that their shared life has continued since the marriage. A marriage celebrated abroad must be transcribed in the French civil registers before the declaration can proceed.
Four years from marriage is the ordinary minimum. In some cases the period rises to five years, depending on evidence of continuous lawful residence in France for at least three years from marriage or proof that the French spouse was registered with the French consular authorities during the couple’s shared life abroad. Use the Service Public branch for your present residence and compare the dates in your own records with the statutory conditions.
Choose the right proof of French
The nationality decree requires applicants who make a marriage declaration from 1 January 2026 to show B2 French in speaking and writing. That is the threshold for this nationality application. Check the date of the declaration and the type of evidence accepted before paying for an assessment. The regulation distinguishes certificates of language proficiency from the documents that establish the marriage itself.
Service Public’s language evidence page lists qualifying diplomas and recent results from the designated TCF or TEF tests. The test certificates must be less than two years old. Check that the result demonstrates the required skills and that the issuing organisation and version of the test match the published list. Someone who cannot sit the test under standard conditions because of a disability or chronic health problem should consult the adaptation and exemption provisions and their evidence requirements.
Assemble documents from both spouses
The nationality decree’s document list requires evidence of the applicant’s identity, civil status and marriage, the French spouse’s citizenship and the continuity of the couple’s shared life. Prepare records that cover the relevant period, rather than relying on a single recent address document. If the shorter eligibility period depends on residence in France or consular registration abroad, identify the evidence for that specific condition in the dossier.
The official Cerfa 15277 form records the basis of the declaration and asks for details of the marriage, earlier unions where applicable and children. Check the form against the civil records before both spouses sign. Service Public explains when originals, translations and authentication of documents issued abroad are needed. Verify the checklist for the country that issued each document.
Use the correct submission office and pay its fee
For applications in France, Service Public directs applicants to the nationality platform serving their home address. The platform may ask for submission at its counter or by registered post. Check its current instructions before sending the signed declaration. Applicants living abroad should use the responsible French consulate. A recent change of residence may affect which office handles the file.
The official fiscal stamp guidance lists €255 for a marriage declaration in France, or €127.50 in French Guiana. Service Public lists €255 for declarations filed abroad, payable at the consulate, and directs applicants to check its accepted payment methods. Follow the instructions for your filing location before purchasing a stamp or making a payment.
Attend together and keep the dated receipt
The nationality decree provides for an inquiry and an interview with both spouses. The process examines whether their shared life has continued and whether there is a reason to oppose acquisition on the grounds described in the decree. Follow the interview notice on which originals to bring. Save the receipt issued after the interview.
Article 26-3 of the Civil Code provides that the authorities generally have one year from that receipt to refuse registration, or two years if an opposition procedure has been opened. The date you first posted the dossier is therefore a different reference point. If the declaration is registered, keep the returned copy showing registration as evidence of French nationality. No individual interview or outcome was confirmed.
