RAPO (prior administrative appeal)

After an unfavourable decision, service-public.gouv.fr states that an administrative appeal can be sent to the minister in charge of naturalizations within two months of notification. No answer within four months of the appeal being received counts as a refusal.

The court action is then brought before the Nantes administrative court, also within two months. On whether the prior administrative appeal is mandatory, the official page contradicts itself: it says on the one hand that this appeal “is not mandatory”, and on the other, in a box in the same section, that it “must be made before a court action”. We report both wordings without choosing: for a real situation, confirm with the administration or a legal professional.

AlertJO plays no part in these appeals and gives no legal advice: we read published decrees, nothing more.