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French naturalisation processing time in 2026: how long does it really take?

Updated 19 October 2026

For naturalisation by decree, the administration must answer within 18 months of issuing the receipt (récépissé), i.e. once your file is declared complete. This drops to 12 months if you have lived in France for at least ten years on the date of the receipt. It can be extended once by three months, with a reasoned decision.

Two common misunderstandings:

  • The clock does not start when you apply online, but when the receipt is issued. Weeks or months can pass before that, especially if documents are requested.
  • The legal deadline is not the real wait. Many files take longer than 18 months, particularly at the busiest platforms in the Paris region.

What takes time

  1. Online application → receipt: checking the file is complete.
  2. Receipt → assimilation interview: usually the step that varies most between platforms.
  3. Interview → transfer to the ministry (SDANF): the prefecture gives its opinion.
  4. Transfer → decree: review at the ministry, then signature and publication in the Journal officiel.

Each step is explained in our guide the steps of naturalisation by decree.

Why waits vary so much by place

Your file is handled by one of the naturalisation platforms, which often cover several départements. Platforms serving large urban areas receive far more files, and staffing does not always follow. Two people with the same profile can wait very different times depending on where they live.

On Dossiermap each platform has its own page listing the départements it covers and, once applicants have shared enough dates, the median application → decision time with a step-by-step breakdown.

Estimating your own wait

  • Find your platform on the naturalisation map.
  • Look at the median and the range “half of the cases took between…”, which says more than an average.
  • Look at how many people are still waiting at each step: a platform with many files stuck after the interview will get slower.

What if the deadline has passed?

An overdue file does not mean you are naturalised. Many applicants first contact their platform through the online contact form, then consider an appeal. The remedies against a decision (appeal to the minister within two months, then the administrative court of Nantes) are described on the Service-Public page below. For your specific case, a lawyer or a specialised association can advise you.

Help the next person

The processing times shown here come only from dates shared by applicants. If your file is ongoing or finished, share your dates: two minutes, no name, no case number.

Sources

This guide is for information only and does not replace official texts or legal advice. Check your situation on service-public.gouv.fr or with your prefecture.

Something wrong or out of date? Let us know