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In depth
The Certificat de Nationalité Française (CNF, Certificate of French Nationality) is the official French document that certifies a person's French citizenship. It is issued by the Tribunal Judiciaire (formerly Tribunal d'Instance) of the applicant's place of birth or residence.
For CBD cases, the CNF is the ultimate proof of French citizenship — it is required to apply for a French passport, register to vote, and access other rights of French citizenship.
Obtaining a CNF requires extensive documentation: French birth certificates for each generation in the chain, marriage certificates, and evidence of unbroken French citizenship (consular registrations, military service, voter registrations).
Related terms
Droit du sang (right of blood) is the French term for jus sanguinis — citizenship acquired by descent from a French parent.
The Tribunal Judiciaire is the French court that processes certain citizenship declarations and disputes, including CBD claims that require judicial recognition.
Droit du sol (right of the soil) is the French term for jus soli — citizenship acquired by birth on French territory.
The état civil is the French civil registry system that maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths, managed by each commune's mairie (town hall).