For those who are not citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area, or citizens of Switzerland, a residence permit (carte de séjour) must first be obtained to enter France and begin the five year waiting process. Obtaining a residence permit is complex and involves a lot of bureaucracy. For non-EU nationals, under most circumstances, it is MANDATORY to first have a carte de séjour before applying for citizenship.Such persons must then remain in France for at least five years, after which they may apply for citizenship via naturalisation