Ministry looks to ease foreign income citizenship hurdles

France’s interior ministry has told senators it is to consider issuing more flexible guidelines to prefectures with regard to French citizenship requests from retirees with foreign pensions.

The comments were made when Charente senator Nicole Bonnefoy was joined by Nièvre senators Patrick Joly and Nadia Sollogoub for a meeting at the ministry.

This comes as there have been increasing reports, including by Connexion readers, of retirees being refused on the sole basis that their income comes mostly from abroad.

This is linked to prefectures being told in a circular sent by former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau last year to reject such applications on grounds that the person has not totally transferred the centre of their interests to France – though it said exceptions could be made.

Ms Bonnefoy said: “Together with several of my fellow senators, I met with the office of the interior minister [Laurent Nuñez] to raise the difficulties in accessing naturalisation, notably for retired foreign nationals but also for students.

“We were able to draw the ministry’s attention specifically to the effects of the tightening of rules introduced by the May 2025 circular, which is being applied too rigidly in many departments and is leading to frequent refusals based on the foreign origin of income.

“This discussion offered a glimpse of positive developments. Several avenues were raised so as to relax the criteria currently being used, notably taking into account a person’s civic commitment or the overall financial circumstances of applicants. 

"The ministry’s departments have undertaken to provide us with a prompt written response.”

Students denied French citizenship

Other than retirees, she said more students are now being refused, as the circular demanded they should show proven and lasting integration through work as well as stable and sufficient income. 

This makes success difficult for those pursuing studies or recently out of university, she said.

Another reader refused explicitly because his income is mostly from UK pensions, Rob Gill, wrote to Ms Bonnefoy after reading our articles. “She wrote a very nice email back, saying she thought I had a very good case.”

She suggested, among other points, contacting the Gisti foreigners’ rights association for its advice, which gave the view that once a case reaches the Nantes administrative court, it is hard to win unless you can prove an error was made.

However, the first avenue is to send an appeal to the interior ministry for a review (via the same website they applied on) and Mr Gill, 73, from Charente-Maritime, is now looking for a lawyer to help in wording this.

The retired civil servant and tax expert said: “I have a bit of investment income, some from French sources, but if the rule on foreign income is all that counts, I’m bound to fail.

“We’ve been here 10 years and I am chair of a cultural association, I’m on the committee of my bridge club, I was responsible for safeguarding a listed building that was threatened with collapse, and I have a French language degree.”

It is unclear so far if a new circular goes out, if this will help those already refused. However, in case of a refusal, it is possible to reapply from scratch, if you consider your situation has improved.