I have now had my appeal for naturalisation rejected and, sadly, will remain British for the foreseeable future.
My timeframe is : dossier submitted September 2023, interview June 2024 and letter of rejection received in December 2025. I appealed in January 2026 and this was rejected in March 2026.
The reason given for my rejection was, as with so many, the fact that I am living here with only a teacher’s and state pension from the UK to sustain my lifestyle.
My objection to the decision is primarily that I am being refused on the basis of M. Retailleau’s edict of May 2025, delivered almost a year after my dossier and interview were put to bed. If I had known it was futile, I would not have started. I would like to be reimbursed for what was a pointless exercise in financial terms as well as being time consuming and stressful
I am allowed one more appeal and want some advice as to whether, from anyone’s experience, it is worth pursuing and, if so, can anyone recommend an experienced, in this regard, an avocat in the Saone et Loire department.
If you have been, many thanks for having read this far.
On the question of the decision, those making it have to apply the directions as they are at the time of making the decision — I think that would also be relevant to the question of reimbursement.
A member of SF, @JIS if I remember correctly, proposed a scheme using assurance vie to get around the restrictions, but that doesn’t seem to have worked (you can search for the relevant posts).
We will be in a similar position to you in due course. We’re hoping things will become fairer, or at least the rules will be refined to avoid penalising those of us who contribute to the French economy, but I’m not holding my breath.
If Marine le Pen’s poster boy gets in,( if she is disallowed,) she has stated that she would make all new citizens give up their original status..ie, French or British, not both. Worth thinking about. Luckily I got my dual nationality quite a few years ago, all fairly smooth, the interview fairly nerve wracking!
I’m not sure this policy has been established for long enough for anyone to have meaningful experience. And even if there were someone I question whether it would be worth the money to try as the contentious appeal can be expensive.
Nationality by decree is a gift of the French State, not a right. So trying to argue changing goalposts is unfair I doubt will get anywhere. The counter argument will be that it was your choice and there was never a guarantee of success.
Maybe one day there will be yet another British exception, so maybe waiting is the only sensible option. I think there is a group of people who are in touch with the senator who raised this, so perhaps make contact with them?
I hadn’t noticed that it had not borne fruit? Personally I thought it would never get anywhere unless could invest such a huge amount to generate sufficient income.
Is there a time limit for the appeal? Does having been refused once including rhe maximum appeals, disallow a repeat application at any time in the future?
Personally I wouldn’t blow my last chance of appeal unless it was going to expire anyway, and if I could be reasonably sure a re-application might not be blocked.
The lack of knowledge of how finance works in tbe world, in what is reported as in a circular known as Retailleau, is quite breathtaking.
Unless of course its true aim is to discriminate against applicants of pensionable age, which is the indirect effect it’s having across the board. Which IMV probably is illegal indirect discrimination based on Human Rights legislation to which France would surely be subject?
So preserving future chances and not blowing them might seem to be the best way now.
2 months from decision ( or lack of response on the recours hiérarchique). And refusal apparently makes no difference to future applications (unless of course it was for something evil that is still the case).
I really doubt whether the position of a handful of British pensioners even crossed their mind. Far more of concern is people from all over the world implanting themselves here for (eg) good, inexpensive healthcare. Or students from wealthy families coming here for two years masters, working at a basic SMIC job for two years and then getting French nationality with zero intention of integrating into French society.
Thank you all for your wise words. I am sure you are all correct and there is nothing to be gained by an appeal to a tribunal … but one lives in hope. I will just have to wait until a change of mind or a suitably friendly government minister. Thanks again.