The Citizenship application can seem like a real maze for those embarking on this journey. The first rule is to be patient! It can take a while between gathering the relevant documents, passing the test to demonstrate required level of French and eventually going through the final interview. So here are our tips on how to best prepare for it.

Prepare your paperwork

The first step will be all about dusting off those official documents you have kept in dusty bottom drawers for the last 5 years. The government website offers a great simulator telling you exactly which documents you’ll need for your application depending on your situation.
https://www.service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/Naturalisation

Our tip

The government wants to see you can look after yourself, so make sure your situation is in order. You’ll need to show payslips or self-employed declarations showing an income proving you can support yourself in France. If you’re renting, make sure it’s officially registered with a formal tenancy agreement as you’ll need to show rent receipts (quittance de loyer)

Prepare for your French language exam

The French government expects a minimum level of French in order to be eligible to apply for citizenship. This level must be certified through an exam called DELF, which can be taken around France (the Haute-Savoie local centre is in Annecy).

The current level required is B1, although this may soon be increased to B2. Well, these sound like meaningless number/ letter combos. “It shouldn’t be too hard” we hear you say!
But here’s where we’d rather be direct with you … these levels are pretty high!
Not only are you required to introduce yourself, but you also need to speak about you, your family, your work, what you’ve done, what your projects are, tell stories, and also learn to debate, argue, discuss points of view etc… in correct French.

Our tip

Don’t wait until the last minute to work on your French. There are 4 levels to get to B2 (A1: Beginner; A2: Elementary; B1: Low intermediate; B2: Intermediate) and studies suggest that it takes at least 100 hours (learning + practice) to improve your French by one level.
Even if you’re not preparing for the Citizenship yet, it could be a good idea to begin working your way through these levels with regular French study and practice. And if you work in France, you may get lessons funded by the government!

Tell me more about funding for French lessons

Prepare for your Citizenship interview

That’s it! You’ve gone through the admin maze, cleared the language hurdles and now, like meeting the big baddy at the end of a video game, you have finally been offered a Citizenship interview. But what should you expect?

You’ll meet someone for 45-60mn who will ask you questions about yourself, your family, your work and why you are in France, all in French. They will also question you on French history, culture, geography, and the French values which are a the heart of being a French Citizen. They basically expect you to think, do, and act like any French citizen. It requires a lot of work and commitment to gain this knowledge.

Our tip

The keywords here are ‘anticipation’ and ‘preparation’ (at least 2 years beforehand). Don’t expect to find magical solutions online. There are some great lists of expected interview questions available on websites, which we can recommend, but the interviewer will want to check if you can think for yourself as a French citizen. Give yourself plenty of time to learn about history/ culture etc.. but also learn to debate it, discussing pros and cons about it, and exploring both sides of the argument.

PDS Formation has created a special Citizenship course to help you learn AND discuss these topics. We’ll give you all the tools and tips but putting it in practice will have to come from you.

That’s why we usually advise doing the course twice: the first time is to gain knowledge, the second time is to know how to integrate this knowledge in your conversation.
This course is run all in French so the minimum level required to enter is high A2 or B1.

Tell me more about the Citizenship program

Now you know this whole process is long-winded, but not only will it provide peace of mind for your residency in France, you’ll also gain real insight into your new adopted culture!