So Ms. Schiappa asked regional officials to accelerate the citizenship applications of foreign workers who were among them. “They actively participated in the national effort, with dedication and courage,” Ms. Schiappa wrote in a letter to regional authorities. With more than 60,000 deaths caused by the coronavirus and close to 2.5 million coronavirus infections reported, France has paid a heavy toll in the pandemic. There are several different ways to gain citizenship in France: through marriage; by being born in France or to a French parent; and through naturalization. In September, Ms. Schiappa also ordered officials to reduce the residency period in France required to obtain citizenship by naturalization to two years from the usual five in the case of “great services rendered.”

Source: New York Times December 22, 2020 21:35 UTC