Foreigners Granted French Citizenship Decrease by 33.8% in 2023
Key Takeaways
1. The number of individuals obtaining French citizenship in 2023 decreased by 17,000.
2. Nationals from the Maghreb region continue to be the most frequent recipients of French citizenship.
3. Nearly 40,000 people were naturalized, while over 32,000 gained citizenship through declaration.
The number of people acquiring French citizenship saw a 15% decline in 2023, amounting to 17,195 fewer naturalizations compared to 2022.
According to data from the French Interior Ministry, there were 97,288 naturalizations last year, marking the second lowest figure in the past five years.
Specifically, 39,721 people obtained citizenship through naturalization, while 9,697 did so via declaration by decree.
The Ministry noted that the decline in 2023 is largely driven by a decrease in acquisitions by decree, which constitutes 40.8% of all individuals who obtained French citizenship.
Naturalisations & Declarations of Citizenship Were the Main Methods in 2023
French citizenship can be acquired either by decree, which includes naturalization and reintegration, or by declaration, which encompasses marriages and descendants, among other categories.
Naturalisations were the primary method for 39,721 foreign nationals to become French citizens in 2023. Additionally, 32,533 individuals obtained citizenship through declaration.
Most methods of acquiring citizenship saw declining numbers, except for citizenship by declaration (7.2%), by marriage (18.2%), and by being a descendant of a French citizen (25.5%).
"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."
French Interior Ministry
Moroccans Lead in Obtaining French Citizenship in 2023
Moroccans topped the list of nationalities obtaining French citizenship, with figures remaining quite similar to the previous year. Among the top ten nationalities, only Russians and Brits are not African.
Here are the top nationalities that obtained French citizenship 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
Among these groups, only the Malagasy saw an increase in naturalization figures (8%), while the rest experienced declines. The Congolese were the most affected, with a 39.6% drop in the number of people obtaining French citizenship.