"Jurisprudence establishes naturalization not as a right, but as a sovereign decision of the government," the French Minister of the Interior, Bron Retailleau believes. It was with this principle in mind that Retailleau issued new guidelines as a "circular" to restrict access to French nationality for foreigners.

"I am proud of the tightening of the criteria (...) and I am proud of saying that this is an assimilation circular," Bruno Retailleau declared at a press conference on Monday (May 5), in Créteil, at the Val-de-Marne prefecture. "Becoming French must be earned, and we must be very, very demanding," he added. "We base French nationality and French citizenship not only on ancestry, but first and foremost on a sense of belonging."

The five-page text was sent to all prefects by the minister, a hardliner on immigration and also a presidential candidate for the right-wing Les Républicains (LR) party. 

The initial selection process for obtaining French citizenship is carried out by the prefectures: if the naturalization application is deemed favorable by these services, it is then forwarded to the Ministry of the Interior, which makes the final decision. An application deemed unfavorable is not sent to the ministry.

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'Exemplary applicant path'

The new guidelines, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, emphasize provisions likely to restrict access to French nationality, but without making any substantial changes to the legislation itself.

In fact, Bruno Retailleau is relying on a provision contained within the 2024 Darmanin Law, which raised the level of French language proficiency required to obtain citizenship (B2 spoken- and written-level exams).

Similarly, the guidelines also raise the required adherence to the "values of the Republic." "As of January 1, 2026, for initial applications for multi-year residence permits and resident cards, applicants will take a civics exam to obtain their citizenship application," the guidelines state, according to the French right-leaning newspaper Le Figaro. The Charter of Rights and Duties of French Citizens is appended in the guidelines.

The minister also listed criteria relating to demonstrating "the exemplary nature of the applicant's background." Bruno Retailleau requests that prefects choose a "rejection" for anyone sentenced to six months in prison or more. 

Undocumented people are also targeted in the circular: "You will sanction with a decision of inadmissibility the applications of foreigners in an irregular situation, or who have been the subject of an expulsion order that has not been expressly revoked or repealed, or of a ban on entering French territory that has not been fully executed," the Minister of the Interior explained in the guidelines. In short, the Minister is demanding that all applications from foreigners who have been in an irregular situation in the past be rejected.

The guidelines also stress the importance of the applicant’s autonomy. They require "professional integration" within five years - a raised threshold. The administration may require a 24-month fixed-term employment contract (CDD) or, "preferably," a permanent contract (CDI), the minister said during the press conference. Applicants must demonstrate "sufficient and stable resources," excluding social benefits (except for people with illnesses or disabilities), the guidelines say.

Prefects are required to report on the guideline enforcement results to the minister within three months.

In 2024, acquisitions of French citizenship by decree and declaration (through marriage, parents, and siblings) totaled 66,745, an increase of 8.3 percent compared to 2023. This increase is explained by a catch-up after technical difficulties in 2023, according to the General Directorate for Foreigners in France (DGEF).

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Tight rules for residence permits

Since his arrival at the Interior Ministry in September 2024, Bruno Retailleau has made numerous promises regarding immigration: including eliminating State Medical Aid (AME), increasing deportations, restricting birthright citizenship in Mayotte (a bill to that effect was adopted by Parliament last month), and reinstating the "offense of illegal residence," which was abolished under François Hollande's presidency.

By the end of January, the Minister of the Interior had already tightened the rules regarding the exceptional granting of residence permits for irregular immigrants. Also known as "exceptional admission to stay" ("admission exceptionnelle au séjour," AES). Many undocumented workers in France rely on this system to regularize their status.

In past guidelines sent to prefects, Bruno Retailleau had also insisted on the "integration criteria" for all AES applicants. From now on, individuals are required to sign a "contract of commitment to respect republican principles" and provide advanced proof of French language proficiency (a French diploma or language certification). Applicants must not be subject to a deportation order (OQTF).

The new guidelines aim to considerably reduce the number of residence permits issued by increasing the required duration of presence in France a foreigner must demonstrate before they are able to apply for regularization through the AES, to "at least seven years," compared to five or three years previously.

Associations and collectives representing undocumented workers protested against these guidelines, which they believe will keep them in precarious situations for even longer, or possibly even permanently.