Do You Have a French Parent? You May Already Be a French Citizen
Many Americans with a French parent have been French since birth without knowing it. Proving it can give you a French passport and the right to live and work anywhere in the EU, and you keep your U.S. citizenship.
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French by filiation
Under the French Civil Code, a child with at least one French parent is French at birth, even if born in the United States. Links through a grandparent may also work, as long as the chain of French nationality was never broken.
What you gain
- A French passport and national ID card.
- The right to live, work and study in France and across the EU.
- The ability to pass French citizenship to your children.
- Dual citizenship: both France and the U.S. allow it.
How to prove it
- Gather records for each generation, including birth, marriage and nationality documents.
- Transcribe your birth into the French civil registry through the French consulate, when possible.
- Or request a Certificate of French Nationality (certificat de nationalité française) from the competent French nationality office.
- Apply for your French passport.
Could you already be French?
30 minutes with an attorney for $50, credited toward your fees.
Watch out for the 50-year rule
Why work with us
We help Americans trace their French family history, collect the right documents, and obtain nationality certificates and passports. We work from the U.S. and from our Paris office, in English and French.
“As an American citizen who recently discovered I have had documents stating I am a French citizen, I was so thankful to receive guidance and step by step advice.”Alyce B., Google review
Find out if you’re French in 30 minutes
Tell us about your French parent or grandparent. We’ll assess your claim and tell you exactly which documents you need.
The $50 fee is non-refundable and is deducted from your final legal fees if you retain our firm. Appointments can be rescheduled. Missed your appointment? Contact assistant@ariflawofficespc.com to reschedule.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Arif Law Offices, P.C.