Naturalisation documents: complete 2026 checklist
Par Antonin GAVREL - le vendredi 4 septembre 2026 - 9 min read
A list to tailor to your circumstances
A naturalisation application is not simply the same stack of documents for everyone. The online service and official simulator tailor the required documents to your civil status, family, resources and personal history. This checklist helps you prepare the main categories; it does not replace the list generated for you.
1. Identity and immigration status
Prepare a passport or official identity document, your valid residence permit where required, and the pages that document certain journeys. Check that the spelling of your first and last names is consistent throughout the application.
If you have multiple nationalities, previous passports or transliteration variants, explain them and include the requested evidence instead of leaving the authorities to discover an apparent inconsistency.
2. Civil status and nationality of origin
Birth, marriage, recognition of parentage, divorce and death records must cover your circumstances and, where applicable, those of your parents, spouse and children. Foreign records may require a translation, apostille or legalisation.
A civil-status record is subject to different submission rules from an ordinary bill. Keep the originals and comply with the requirements for full copies and translations.
3. Address
A tenant notably prepares the tenancy agreement, the last three rent receipts and a recent bill. A homeowner provides the requested ownership certificate. A person hosted by someone else includes a hosting certificate and the host's identity document, supplemented in accordance with the official list.
Your address also helps establish that your centre of interests is in France. An administrative mailing address alone does not replace actual residence.
4. Resources, employment and taxes
Gather contracts, payslips, employer certificates, tax notices and evidence of other income. A self-employed person must document their activity with the required accounting, tax and social-security records.
Organise the documents by year. The authorities must be able to understand the continuity of your integration into working life and any periods of unemployment, illness, training or change of activity.
A clear application is easier to review
VisaPref prepares a personalised checklist and identifies missing or contradictory documents before submission.
5. B2 French and the civic exam
For an application submitted in 2026, prepare evidence of B2-level spoken and written French and the certificate showing that you passed the civic exam, unless an exemption applies. These are two different documents.
Check the validity of the TCF or TEF on the submission date. If you rely on a diploma, verify its category and level rather than assuming it will be accepted.
6. Couple, previous marriages and children
Your family circumstances must be documented in full. Include documents concerning your spouse, previous unions, divorces or widowhood, as well as minor children. For a child to benefit from the collective effect of naturalisation, their circumstances and habitual residence must be declared correctly and their name must appear in the decree.
7. Foreign criminal record
If you have lived in France for less than ten years, an original extract from a foreign criminal record or equivalent document may be required for the countries concerned. Exceptions exist, notably for certain refugees or stateless persons protected by Ofpra in relation to their country of origin.
Plan ahead: obtaining, legalising and then translating this document can take several weeks.
Final check before ANEF submission
- every file is legible, complete and correctly oriented;
- no page, reverse side or translation is missing;
- recent documents meet the stated age requirement;
- addresses and employment circumstances are consistent;
- changes since preparation began have been incorporated;
- original documents are retained for processing.
After submission, monitor your account and respond within the specified time to every request for additional documents. An application that is not completed may be closed without further action.
Official sources
Article updated on 16 September 2026. Use the official simulator to obtain your personalised list.