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ForumRead Message

Subject: French citizenship for Americans?
Date: Sunday, January 14, 2007
Name: tom.nadeau
Message: How difficult is it for an American to become a French citizen? What are the requirements? For instance, is there a French language test? How exacting is it? How long does the whole process from first application to citizenship take?

If I were to marry my French girlfriend, would that make things easier? How so?

Also, what advantages and disadvantages are there for an American to become a French citizen?

Replies Posted 15.

Name eric
Message i am american and planing to move to France in a few years. My aunt is married to a frenchman and im not shure if she is a citizen or not but if she were would i be able to get a citizenship or can i get on anyone because i have French family? thanks

Eric

Name cyndyann
Message Hi Tom ...

It's pretty much a given if you've been married to a French citizen for four years (of course this means cohabitating and really living as a married couple) and your criminal investigative report (yes there is one) comes back clean, that you can obtain French citizenship. It's a given, not at the discretion of someone behind a desk.

Now, if you obtain French citizenship and then get divorced within a year or so, you will be under investigation and you could lose your citizenship. My husband said he just read that somewhere. Now I'm sure there are lots of variables to that - if you've got French children in your custody and you are well established in France, then perhaps it would be found in your favor to keep your citizenship, for example...

Name tom.nadeau
Message That's correct - the US government has allowed dual/multiple citizenship for some time now.

The only way to lose your US citizenship would be to obtain another citizenship and then march into a US embassy or consulate, fill out a form and have a face-to-face interview explaining why you want to renounce your US citizenship.

Apparently even fighting against the US with the Taliban won't endanger your US citizenship anymore - remember "Taliban Johnny" John Walker-Lindh, from Marin County, California? Still a US citizen as far as I know... never even heard anything about his citizenship being in danger.

Name samantha
Message No, don't worry, that is absolutely NOT true. I know many Americans that have dual citizenship, with France or with any other myriad of countries.

Name Emily
Message This topic has sparked a question from me. My husband and I are both Americans. He's here with a work visa. I have a "visiteur" visa. Pretty much, my status is: his wife. Once in awhile, we think about obtaining French citizenship someday way off in the future, but we've been told that if we obtain French citizenship, we would have to give up our American citizenship. Does anyone know if that's true?

Name tom.nadeau
Message Thanks for that, Cyndyann!

Another question for any of you:

Is French citizenship pretty much a sure thing for anyone who proves marriage to a French citizen for 4 years?

What I mean is, is it a "right", where if you fulfil that simple qualification, you will then receive citizenship?

Or is it up to some bureaucrat's discretion, subject to whatever prejudices that person might have, i.e, against foreign men marrying French women, or against Americans, or whatever?

What percentage of applications for naturalization (due to marriage) are rejected? And if rejected, is that final, or what is the procedure for re-applying? (For example, wait a year then reapply, or what?)

Name cyndyann
Message There is no French language exam for French citizenship.

You have to prove 4 years of marriage to your French partner ...

Once you get your carte de sejour for the first time you just have to renew it at your one year anniversary - and then it is good for 10 years.

(for me it's the second but since I'd been living outside of France for more than 3 years since my last CdS and since the law changed last Fall we find ourselves starting from at the beginning again)

I can apply for citizenship anytime after I get my first renewal of my current Carte de Sejour (which will be good for 10 yrs).

There will be an interview at some point during the application for citizenship process, but from what I understand, if you have an understanding of the language and at least can say a few things, you should be fine. (I guess the thought is if you have a minimum understanding of the language then you would be eligible to vote and this is what that interview determines)

May the Force Be With Us All ! :0)

Name tom.nadeau
Message So is there a French language test to pass if one wants to become a French citizen? If so, how difficult is it?

Name samantha
Message Oh, how frustrating for you. The people in my préfecture aren't very friendly, but at least they are always able to give me a list of what I need when it's time to renew my cds and my dossier is always processed the same day. Things have also gone much smoother for the people I know who have applied for citizenship, but they still had to wait about a year to get an answer.

Name cris
Message He did ask and the response was that when they want the papers, they will ask for them. Do not submit anything before it is asked for.

Even renewing my titre de sejour is done piecemeal. I take everything I need and low and behold, two weeks later they send another paper that needs to be filled out by the mairie and signed by me. When I first went in to renew I asked about this paper, and the secretariat knew nothing about it. It seems they should have this paper since all renewals start through their office.

Name samantha
Message But everything you need is listed online....or he could've just asked them directly for a list himself when he started the process. Sometimes you have to be proactive about paperwork in France - haven't you learned by now that fonctionnaires never give up any supplementary information by their own free will!! *S*

Name cris
Message I don't have a problem with the finger prints, what I do have a problem with is that instead of being told or being asked for all the papers that are required up front, my husband has been put through the ringer for the last 3 years. He knew that he would need all kinds of documentation, but was told not to get them until asked for them by naturalization.

Name samantha
Message Cris, the whole fingerprint/FBI thing is part of the normal application process - if you look online at the criteria for applying, you will notice that each applicant has to provide an "extrait de casier judiciaire" from their home country, saying that they have a clean background and no police record.

Name cris
Message My husband; whose first wife was french, has been going through the naturalization process for 3 years already. Some papers he has had to submit 3 times because they have been lost. Now the Prefecture has requested that he gets fingerprinted and the fingerprints sent to the FBI to make sure he doesn't have a police record.

I myself was told I could apply for naturalisation at the government sponsored french course I had to take.

Name samantha
Message It is not extremely difficult for Americans to get French citizenship, but it is not an easy process either. And it is definitely a time consuming one. Most people I know that have applied have spent about 6mo getting their "dossier" together, and then they wait roughly a year or so to get the final answer. It also seems to cost quite a bit, since everything must be translated into French by a certified translator.

The laws changed in September 2006, so that even married foreigners must wait four years before they can apply for citizenship. For non-married foreigners, the wait is five years, but you have to have proof that you have a steady income and are reasonably integrated into French life (among other things, of course). The wait can also sometimes be shortened for those who have completed at least two years of higher education here.

I don't think there are any disadvantages to becoming a French citizen, and the main advantages are that you will be able to vote and you won't have to deal anymore with the whole process of renewing your carte de séjour.

You will find more precise information on what the requirements are and the procedure to follow on the homepage of your local préfecture.

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