American married to French wanting dual citizenship

[DeuxOfUs]

I did a search on this forum and couldn't find this so forgive me if this has been asked before...

I married my French husband in April 07. He was here on a work visa at the time. My husband sent all the proper documents to France to get me into their "system" and to be recognized as an American married to a French. I think I even have a French social security number?

I have read that I can apply for citizenship while living here in America after 5 years? Is this correct? I am currently learning French and plan to become as fluent as possible. I'm horrible at languages.

Is this the case?

Thanks in advance.

[Bevdeforges]

At the moment, you need to be married to a French citizen for five years before you can apply for citizenship from abroad. I think it's only 4 years if you have been resident for at least 3 of those years in France. But immigration law is changing pretty quickly lately, so keep checking.

You will still have to meet several requirements to be granted French nationality, including speaking reasonable French, and being properly "assimilated" into French culture. The details can be found here (in French): Acquisition de la nationalité française - Service-public.fr

Besides signing you up as the spouse of a French person, your husband also must keep his registration with the French consulate up to date.
Cheers,
Bev

[Joppa]

Originally Posted by DeuxOfUs

I am currently learning French and plan to become as fluent as possible. I'm horrible at languages.

The level of French required is based on an interview with a consular official conducted entirely in French, so start practising with your hubby!

[French Connection]

Originally Posted by Joppa

The level of French required is based on an interview with a consular official conducted entirely in French, so start practising with your hubby!

At my interview in Reims the lady spoke too quickly for me so I asked if she could speak more slowly so she decided to try our interview in English but at a volume loud enough for everyone on our floor to hear. I was very tempted to tell her I'm not deaf, I understand English & we can continue the interview in French but speak S...L...O...W...L...Y!!!

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by French Connection

At my interview in Reims the lady spoke too quickly for me so I asked if she could speak more slowly so she decided to try our interview in English but at a volume loud enough for everyone on our floor to hear. I was very tempted to tell her I'm not deaf, I understand English & we can continue the interview in French but speak S...L...O...W...L...Y!!!

Get used to that. When I first got here I was going to a bi-lingual language thing - 45 minutes we spoke only French, then the next 45 minutes we switched to English so the French people could practice that.

It seems to be a natural reaction when you're asked to speak slower to simply speak louder and (in some cases) actually increase the speed. Happened to both the English speakers and the French speakers in the group. Probably a doctoral dissertation in that somewhere...
Cheers,
Bev

[DeuxOfUs]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

At the moment, you need to be married to a French citizen for five years before you can apply for citizenship from abroad. I think it's only 4 years if you have been resident for at least 3 of those years in France. But immigration law is changing pretty quickly lately, so keep checking.

You will still have to meet several requirements to be granted French nationality, including speaking reasonable French, and being properly "assimilated" into French culture.


Besides signing you up as the spouse of a French person, your husband also must keep his registration with the French consulate up to date.
Cheers,
Bev

Thanks for the info Bev!

What do you mean by assimilate? I understand learning the language but what standards do they hold for someone such as myself to be assimilated?

Also, you are saying my husband needs to be registered with the French Consulate here in Los Angeles (I live a couple of hours away) for me to start the process once 5 years is up?

Thanks again!

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by DeuxOfUs

What do you mean by assimilate? I understand learning the language but what standards do they hold for someone such as myself to be assimilated?

The "assimilate" bit has always been something of a joke/trick - call it what you like. Basically, it means that you need to be more or less "French" in your lifestyle and customs. It's kind of a fall back thing so they can deny you French nationality if you seem to be vaguely embarrassing to the French. (Lately, the issue has come up about if you can be properly "assimilated" if you show up at your interview in a niqab or burqa.)

If you're living in France, they expect you to be able to tell them about local organizations you have joined (parents' group at the school, for instance) and regular sorts of interactions with French people rather than sticking solely to your expat groups. But if you don't live in France, they can hardly hold you to that one. Stuff like taking French lessons and being in touch with your in-laws ought to win you enough brownie points to pass with flying colors.

Also, you are saying my husband needs to be registered with the French Consulate here in Los Angeles (I live a couple of hours away) for me to start the process once 5 years is up?

OK you caught me - I misread the requirement a bit. If you're applying for nationality after 5 years of marriage, you're ok. BUT it's really best if your husband maintains his registration at the French consulate. He'll need that in order to renew his carte d'identité and/or passport - and you will need his current carte d'identité in order to apply for French nationality as the spouse of a French national. (Check when his carte d'identité expires!) For the French a passport does NOT prove your French nationality - only a current carte d'identité does.

The details are here: Inscrivez-vous au registre des français établis hors de France - Consulat Général de France à Los Angeles He can register by post, and should he need to renew (or replace for any reason) his national i.d. card or passport it will make life a whole lot easier for both of you.
Cheers,
Bev

[DeuxOfUs]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

The "assimilate" bit has always been something of a joke/trick - call it what you like. Basically, it means that you need to be more or less "French" in your lifestyle and customs. It's kind of a fall back thing so they can deny you French nationality if you seem to be vaguely embarrassing to the French. (Lately, the issue has come up about if you can be properly "assimilated" if you show up at your interview in a niqab or burqa.)

If you're living in France, they expect you to be able to tell them about local organizations you have joined (parents' group at the school, for instance) and regular sorts of interactions with French people rather than sticking solely to your expat groups. But if you don't live in France, they can hardly hold you to that one. Stuff like taking French lessons and being in touch with your in-laws ought to win you enough brownie points to pass with flying colors.



OK you caught me - I misread the requirement a bit. If you're applying for nationality after 5 years of marriage, you're ok. BUT it's really best if your husband maintains his registration at the French consulate. He'll need that in order to renew his carte d'identité and/or passport - and you will need his current carte d'identité in order to apply for French nationality as the spouse of a French national. (Check when his carte d'identité expires!) For the French a passport does NOT prove your French nationality - only a current carte d'identité does.

The details are here: He can register by post, and should he need to renew (or replace for any reason) his national i.d. card or passport it will make life a whole lot easier for both of you.
Cheers,
Bev

I just asked my husband and he said he let his ID expire but that he had his passport. I told him that he needs to renew his ID. He is registered with the consulate in San Fran.

I guess I would be considered assimilated since I am going to France every year to hang out with the inlaws and I am learning French

The 5 year mark for me would be April 2012 but Ill start at the beginning of the year since it will take some time.

When we move to France some day, it will make it so much easier if I already have citizenship. Better to go through the hassle here then to deal with the Carte de Sejour over there!


Any idea how long it takes once the process is started?

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by DeuxOfUs

I just asked my husband and he said he let his ID expire but that he had his passport. I told him that he needs to renew his ID. He is registered with the consulate in San Fran.

He needs to process a change of address with the consulate and renew his carte d'identité. (If he just let it expire, he may have to jump through some hoops to renew it - especially through the LA consulate, if that's the one covering your area of residence.) As I mentioned, a passport is not proof of French nationality - at least not to the French.

I guess I would be considered assimilated since I am going to France every year to hang out with the inlaws and I am learning French

Yup - just talk that up in your interview.

The 5 year mark for me would be April 2012 but Ill start at the beginning of the year since it will take some time.

You can start assembling the documents you'll need, but you can't do anything about filing your application until you hit the 5 year mark. They can be really picky about this. Also, most of the documents you submit will have to be dated within 3 months of when you submit them (including anything you need translated). This includes your birth certificate and your FBI rap sheet.

Any idea how long it takes once the process is started?

Once they accept your dossier, they have one year to make their investigation and get back to you. (No idea what happens if they don't make the deadline, though.) When I applied over here in France, I got my "congratulations, you are now French" letter about 4 days before the one-year mark.

It depends on lots of things, but figure at least 6 to 8 months and maximum of a year. I'm convinced your dossier just sits on some bureaucrats desk to "age" but a friend here who used to work in the bureaucracy swears they really do an "investigation" of your background of some sort.

In any event, when the time comes, go to the Service Public website to see what the latest requirements may be. (Your mileage can and probably will vary - the consulates have a certain "discretion" in what they can ask for.)
Cheers,
Bev

[frenchie]

Last time I checked, you can apply after four years of marriage if your husband has been registered at your local consulate in the US the entire time. You may want to check into that.
If you look at the link that Bev gave you, it specifically states:
"Le délai de communauté de vie est porté à 5 ans lorsque le conjoint étranger, au moment de la déclaration :

*soit ne justifie pas avoir résidé de manière ininterrompue et régulière pendant au moins 3 ans en France à compter du mariage,
*soit n'apporte pas la preuve que son conjoint français a été inscrit, pendant la durée de leur communauté de vie à l'étranger, au registre des Français établis hors de France."

In other words, you may apply based on the 4 year rule if your husband has been registered with the consulate in San Francisco since you have been married. You can use the law to back you up if necessary. If your hubby has been registered the entire time, then congrats you may apply in April 2011.

Over a year ago, I had a question about specific questions and someone gave me the e-mail address of the "expert" of naturalization laws at the consulate in San Francisco. If you need, I can dig it. However, I am unsure on whether he still works there or not.