[DeuxOfUs]

If after I start my citizen process, after I submit all my documents....at anytime could my husband stop the process? I.e if we split up?

 

[Bevdeforges]

Very possibly. There are a couple of interviews you go through during the process - and one of them you are supposed to attend together (if you're going for citizenship through marriage, at least). There is also a provision that, if you're taking citizenship through marriage, you have to stay married for two years after the citizenship is granted.

If you're taking citizenship on your own, you should be ok.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[DeuxOfUs]

2 years????? After? How would they know? Is there a follow up after 2 years?

 

[Bevdeforges]

2 years????? After? How would they know? Is there a follow up after 2 years?

When you first get your nationality, you have to apply to the foreigners' register in Nantes to get a "French birth record" (which is what you use ever after when you need a "birth certificate" in France). This record is just like the French birth records in the mairies - including tracking of your marriage, divorce and death.

If you divorce within the two year period of time, it has to be recorded on your French birth record and so they will know.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[DeuxOfUs]

When you first get your nationality, you have to apply to the foreigners' register in Nantes to get a "French birth record" (which is what you use ever after when you need a "birth certificate" in France). This record is just like the French birth records in the mairies - including tracking of your marriage, divorce and death.

If you divorce within the two year period of time, it has to be recorded on your French birth record and so they will know.
Cheers,
Bev

We do not live in the U.S. and don't plan on it anytime. I would be surprised if France had knowledge of our divorce in the U.S. What do you think?

 

[Bevdeforges]

We do not live in the U.S. and don't plan on it anytime. I would be surprised if France had knowledge of our divorce in the U.S. What do you think?

Are you taking French citizenship based on marriage? If not, then no, there isn't anything your husband - or ex-husband - can do about it all.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[DeuxOfUs]

Yes, I am aquiring it via marriage to my French husband. Without going into too much detail, I question the longevity of the relationship. As of April 26th, we can start the process. I was wondering if during that year's time, something were to happen, could he stop the process...

I thought there was ONE interview at the end but maybe there are a few where we both need to attend.

We both live in the U.S. and don't plan on coming back any time soon so I don't need to register with them, so if we were to divorce, France wouldn't know. So, I don't think the "staying married for two years after" applies to me.

I'm just wondering at what point could he not cooperate and it would make me lose my chances of the citizenship.

 

[-mia-]

Yes. "France would know" as your husband needs to update his French birth record to indicate he is divorced including the date he was divorced. Since it is you that he is divorcing, they would update your file as well.

If you are just hanging on to your marriage so can get French citizenship this is exactly the type of thing the French would consider fraudulent. And frankly the US would too if the situation were reversed.

Anyway, I'm confused you've said you live and you don't live in the US but your profiles says "expat in France".

It is unfair to your husband for you to stay with him just get papers when you seem to have little faith in your relationship. For both you sakes's (and more his really) get divorced and let him get on with his life. I don't think you'd like it very much if was with you just to get US citizenship.

Either way, good luck.

 

[Bevdeforges]

The official word on this is here: Acquisition de la nationalité française par mariage : décision administrative - Service-public.fr

Note that the government has two years after granting nationality to reconsider and rescind it if they find (for any reason) that you are not fulfilling the requirements of getting your citizenship in the first place.

If you're not getting divorced in France, just consider that if your ex wants to re-marry and your marriage has been recorded on his birth certificate (which will be a requirement for you to get nationality by marriage), then he'll have to have the divorce recorded before he can proceed with another marriage.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[GALLUS]

If you are about to split or if the nationality forces you to split up, my advice
- divorce
- get your nationality

Now if he is French and you need the nationality, fake it baby

 

[jacquest]

Yes, I am aquiring it via marriage to my French husband. Without going into too much detail, I question the longevity of the relationship. As of April 26th, we can start the process. I was wondering if during that year's time, something were to happen, could he stop the process...

Did you marry him with the sole (or primary) intention of getting and EU citizenship à la Gérard Depardieu in the movie "Green Card"?

I'm asking just for the sake of curiosity (and given the fact that your question already seems a little too odd or on the edge of legality for our forum).

jacques.

 

[DeuxOfUs]

Ok before everyone automatically assumes they know what's going on.... (and you don't) I did NOT marry him with that intention. I moved in with him, he lost his job (he was getting a greencard through HIS job) and when he lost his job, we got married in 4 days. We probably would have got married anyway but things just got pushed forward a bit.

He now has citizenship through me. Our marriage has been rocky for years and I have done everything in my power to save it but to no avail. He now makes three times the amount of money he did before he met me because he was able to get another job in the U.S. and a very good one at that. I sacraficed leaving the city I loved, my friends and family to move to another state where I didn't want to go... because he got another job.. and I loved him dearly.

I'm not sure the marriage will stay intact at this point. I am giving it one more try but I have my doubts as he is not willing to do the work (which we all have to do) in the marriage. He refuses to meet me in the middle. It's his way or the highway and to be honest, some of my friends believe he married ME for the greencard/citizenship.

He threw a prenup in front of me 24 hours before we got married and I signed everything away in including alimony (I do work and always have) and everything else. He was worried I would get his apartment in Paris (which he had WAY before he met me) because he didn't know the laws of this country. He was paranoid and has a thing for material possessions. If I walk away, he gets a beautiful house (which I stayed home not working for a year to remodel it) citizenship, etc. His life will NOT change. I on the other hand will have a drastic lifestyle change, will lose the house I worked so hard on... and many other things.

So, if I want the French citizenship, I don't think it's so bad no? I mean, I don't think it's asking a lot considering. I don't want money or anything like that. I would like it to assure a better future for myself and to at least have some options in life. Hopefully this all makes sense. Things are never as they seem on a forum are they?

 

[jacquest]

Good luck, I wish you that you can save your marriage

jacques.

 

[DeuxOfUs]

Good luck, I wish you that you can save your marriage

jacques.

Thanks Jacques... me too.. but I am exhausted trying...

 

[jacquest]

So he actually is Gérard Depardieu !

 

[qiubuo]

When I first contacted the authorities to ask about getting French citizenship through marriage, they told me I didn't meet the residency requirement yet. I met the marriage requirement but since we got married one year before we moved to France, I had to wait a year to apply. That's what I'm confused about in your post - I don't see how you can get French nationality through marriage while not living in France. For us, I had to be here in France for four years before applying (or maybe 5 - I can't remember). And that's something they have very good records of. I think there's some way you can do it by showing that your husband is registered at the French embassy in the US but he would have to help you for that I think.

I would just be aware that since Sarkozy came into power, the rules for French nationality have gotten stricter. I have a friend who qualified after one year of marriage, and I needed four. It used to be that having children shortened the requirement, but not true any longer. And now you have to prove you have a good level of French by passing a DELF exam, which wasn't true in 2011.

It's still doable, but I think it would be difficult without your husband's consent. My husband had to appear with me in person just for me to get the carte de résidant. And if he were at any time to tell the French authorities that you were divorced or getting divorced, that would stop the whole process.

 

[DeuxOfUs]

When I first contacted the authorities to ask about getting French citizenship through marriage, they told me I didn't meet the residency requirement yet. I met the marriage requirement but since we got married one year before we moved to France, I had to wait a year to apply. That's what I'm confused about in your post - I don't see how you can get French nationality through marriage while not living in France. For us, I had to be here in France for four years before applying (or maybe 5 - I can't remember). And that's something they have very good records of. I think there's some way you can do it by showing that your husband is registered at the French embassy in the US but he would have to help you for that I think.

I would just be aware that since Sarkozy came into power, the rules for French nationality have gotten stricter. I have a friend who qualified after one year of marriage, and I needed four. It used to be that having children shortened the requirement, but not true any longer. And now you have to prove you have a good level of French by passing a DELF exam, which wasn't true in 2011.

It's still doable, but I think it would be difficult without your husband's consent. My husband had to appear with me in person just for me to get the carte de résidant. And if he were at any time to tell the French authorities that you were divorced or getting divorced, that would stop the whole process.

It's 4 years of marriage if you live in France and 5 years if living abroad. As of the 26th, I qualify for 5 years. I realize it won't be easy and they can deny me if they want. I can at least try. The DELF exam is what scares me. Ugh.

 

[-mia-]

It's 4 years of marriage if you live in France and 5 years if living abroad. As of the 26th, I qualify for 5 years. I realize it won't be easy and they can deny me if they want. I can at least try. The DELF exam is what scares me. Ugh.

They probably won't deny you. It's the issue of if you divorce right away or if you are in the process of divorcing and your DH tells them that. So, don't do that.

As for the "pre-nup", it's normal in France, in a way, because they have different marriage regimes one includes that you keep separate those things that you brought into the marriage or you lump them together, depending on the regime you choose. Also inheritance is often separate so that a spouse keeps what they inherit from their family.

This isn't so in the US. I think it's ruled per state how things are divided. But don't walk away without getting what is fair. I know lots of women say "I don't want money" but if you do get divorced you should get a fair settlement.

My DH is totally stubborn as well and when he puts his foot down, watch out! LOL. So I feel your pain. It's frustrating at times. But I love him. So I have to deal with it when he gets that way. Luckily his stubborn fits are not very common.

I really do hope you two can work things out. Good luck!

 

[Bevdeforges]

It's 4 years of marriage if you live in France and 5 years if living abroad. As of the 26th, I qualify for 5 years. I realize it won't be easy and they can deny me if they want. I can at least try. The DELF exam is what scares me. Ugh.

After 5 years of marriage, the tricky part of taking nationality from outside of France is "proving" that you are integrated into the French community wherever you are living. Hubby having been registered with the Consulate for the five years may be a big part of that. Then, you need to show French friends, French interests and/or groups, frequent visits to France - stuff like that. All much easier to show when you're living in France.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[DeuxOfUs]

After 5 years of marriage, the tricky part of taking nationality from outside of France is "proving" that you are integrated into the French community wherever you are living. Hubby having been registered with the Consulate for the five years may be a big part of that. Then, you need to show French friends, French interests and/or groups, frequent visits to France - stuff like that. All much easier to show when you're living in France.
Cheers,
Bev

That won't be a problem. I can do the Claude Francois dance and if you think I am kidding, I am not. I visit France twice a year and know a lot about French culture, TV, politics, etc. We have French satellite TV with TV5Monde, France 24, and one other channel which I watch every day. My favorite actor is Vincent Cassel and I have seen EVERY movie with him. My favorite singer is Gerald De Palmas (know every one of his songs IN FRENCH) and I am the one that wants to live in France and my husband does not!!! I beg him at least once a month.... so... if they want to talk to me about being intergrated... not a problem! Oh and I *only* drink French wine which has got me the reputation from all my friends as being a snob.:eyebrows: