What is the current law and policy regarding dual nationality?
Dual nationality is not expressly provided for in French law, but is recognized. Thus a child born abroad in a country which applies the rights of nationality based on place of birth, where such child may also claim nationality through parentage, will have dual nationality. Dual nationality may also be obtained through naturalization, by marriage, by transfer of a territory or by independence of a State (such as Algeria in 1962). French law does not require that when a foreigner becomes French he renounce his original nationality, or that a French person renounce French nationality when he/she acquires foreign nationality. Nevertheless, the French government applies the Convention of May 6, 1963 which provides that former nationality is lost in respect of national laws of signatory states whose laws provide for loss of nationality, such as Germany. The effects of this Convention was substantially reduced by a 1993 amendment signed between France, Italy and the Netherlands, which provid
