Fewer people are obtaining French citizenship, as the figure dropped by 15 per cent in 2023. That accounts for 17,195 fewer naturalisations than in 2022.
According to data from the French Interior Ministry, 97,288 naturalisation were recorded last year, which is the second lowest figure in the last five years, Schengen.News reports.
More specifically, 39,721 people obtained citizenship through naturalisation while 9,697 did so via Declaration by decree.
The Ministry pointed out that the decline in 2023 is driven by acquisitions by decree, meaning they went through the naturalization process, which represents 40.8 per cent of all people who obtained French citizenship.
Naturalisations & Declarations of Citizenship Were the Main Form of Obtaining Citizenship in 2023
Obtaining French citizenship can be done in two ways; by decree which includes naturalization and reintegration, and by declaration, which includes marriages, descendants among others.
Naturalisations were the main way how 39,721 foreign-born nationals became French citizens in 2023. On the other hand, by declaring citizenship some 32,533 obtained French citizenship for the year.
The majority of modalities of acquiring citizenship witnessed declining numbers except for citizenship by declaration (7.2 per cent), by marriage (18.2 per cent), and by being a descendant of a French citizen (25.5 per cent).
After the year 2020 under the effect of the pandemic crisis, the year 2021 had been particularly dynamic, in connection with the resumption of activity, the catch-up effect and the implementation of the system for recognizing the commitment of foreigners on the “front line” during the Covid-19 crisis. In contrast, a return to normal levels was observed in 2022.
Moroccans Are Top Beneficiaries for French Citizenship in 2023
Out of all nationalities that obtained French citizenship, Moroccans lead the list. The figures remain quite similar to the previous year. Out of all ten, only two nationality groups – Russians and Brits are not African.
In correct order, these are the top nationalities that obtained French citizenship the most in 2023:
- Moroccans (8,017)
- Algerians (6,737)
- Tunisians (3,841)
- Russians (1,558)
- Brits (1,522)
- Ivorians (1,465)
- Senegalese (1,458)
- Cameroonians (1,337)
- Malagasy (Madagascar) (1,274)
- Congolese (1,149)
Apart from Malagasy people who marked an increase in naturalisation figures (eight per cent) the rest had decreasing numbers. Congolese were the most affected, with the number of people obtaining French citizenship dropping by 39.6 per cent.
