Thought it might be useful to open up a Q&A thread for anyone applying for Dual Nationality. Catherine posted a guide for dummies that you can find here:
I am in the process of doing my own application so have a few questions of my own, namely:
Thanks to Covid-19 my language test has been delayed until Oct meaning that all the attestations in my dossier will be over six month’s old. Should I get them reissued when I’ve got the results of the language test?
My second question concerns dual nationality for a married couple. I’m ready to take the language test but my husband isn’t (actually he’d rather not do it at all as he hasn’t done any written French for 40+ years and is dreading the test - before you all berate him, he speaks great French and is very at ease conversing). According to Jade Jones on this thread:
“The other option is of course for you to apply, and then he can apply once you are French as your spouse where the rules are less strict”
I would say you will need to get all the paper work redone once you have the results back. I had to recently when applying for my husbands CNF as we’d been wiating on various things and some of the original documents went over the 6 months validity.
Not sure on the second question. When dh gets his CNF I’ll then be applying as spouse of a French national so i think I’ll have to do a test too so will be interested in hearing the replies and the experiences of your husband! My written French in awful as I learnt French over coffees and wine so no writing involved
ok things can change, and as we have learned there can be some regional differences, but a couple of points worth repeating; one, there is no sense of animosity or people trying to trip you up - far from it; it is not the british home office at work; two, at least wth me there was no written test, all they were trying to get at was you have the ability to function in french on a day to day basis; not that you understood technical or legal niceties; this is basic french we are talking about - essential shopping and suchlike, not high literature or university level, nor for me was there any overt grammar test;it was accepted i was deaf and my wife could repeat the questions, an i replied in french;
three, yes, the most important thing was a commitment to france in a social sense; i have a modest tome in the biblioteque nationale which was very acceptable, but membership of social groups (even supporting a local sports side counts favorably;
it is a very friendly interview and not to be feared;
four, translations are relatively dated to the date of application in the first instance and if done by an official (nominated from the supplied list) translator, there should be no reason for them to be re-doneowing to some omission; you cannot provide your own home-done translations;
it has been mentioned that a possible visit could be made by gendarmes; din’t happen with me, but i belive this is purely to check you are who you claim to be living at the address on the application; nothing sinister;
i have resisted the temptation to point out that leaving things so late has been the choice of so many, my sympathies are a little less than they might otherwise have been;
Thanks for the response Tory, that’s the best way to learn, LOL. I was referring to all the attestations we got from the Mairie, our friends, the local associations and sports clubs to which we’re affiliated. We were trying to make the case that we are well assimilated into French society. These elements are not a strict requirement but I think you are right, they should all be dated in the last 3 months.
Jane, thanks for answering and for including that link. That’s so helpful. I have done several of the tests and would advise anyone going for dual nationality to practice, as the B1 test is harder than Norman would have us believe!
However, before the discussion strays off into further discussion about the language test, can you please clarify for me: am I allowed to apply for my dual nationality even if my husband isn’t ready yet (we are both British)? And, if the answer is yes, when I eventuallly become a French National, would he then have to go through the same process or is the application as a spouse of a French National easier?
One other thing, I was advised to go for the B1 test rather than the TCF test as the latter expires after 2 years whereas the B1 is a “permanent” qualification.
Sorry thought you were talking about official documents, I dont’ think they would be too strict with those sort of papers as long as they’re not really old. I suppose if there is no problem getting ‘fresh’ ones it’s one less thing to worry about!
You are individuals, you aren’t considered as a unit except for taxation purposes. For example, in France, even if you are married, legally your surname is the one you were born with, not your husband’s name - and even if you have taken it it remains a nom d’usage.
Well I have applied, and my husband hasn’t. We are individuals! Apologies if I sent you down an alleyway, I said this casually as it’s the excuse my OH uses to get out of sorting out the mountain of paperwork for a dossier, and I actually imagine he will never apply!
Logically, should you get nationality you are then French. There isn’t a special category that limits your rights as a French person. So logically your husband can then apply for nationality on grounds of being married to a French person. The fly in the ointment - which I don’t know answer to - is whether he would have to wait 4 years after you obtained nationality. The requirements for nationality by marriage are to have been married for 4 years. Although you were married long before whether that counts because you weren’t at that point french?
I think if you want to get your dual nationality he might find it simpler all round just to brush up on language skills, would make his life here easier too!
Norman took the tests pre the change in requirements, so it would have been straightforward for him. And yes B1 is better, and doesn’t expire, but I am biased as I have DELF and DALF. It seems that the TCI is more multiple choice so may be easier for your OH?
as i said at the outset of my reply -things change; obviously more than i realised; indeed there was nothing by way of a formal test but i was over seventy then, which if i recall obviated the necessity; however as i did mention there is the ‘informal’ chat which was as expected was completely in french, so the net result of discovering one’s competency stil applied - it wasn’t an avoidance route; it would seem that this also might have changed;
to english ears this might sound odd, but i remember my wife telephoning the limoges petecture, and asking for the details (i also had a parenting problem) and they were kindness itself; as they were on the day of interview; nothing like i read of the stasi british home office!
i am delighted and honoured with being graciously accepted as being french!
thats very generous graham - thank you; i have to say i was touched and surprised when i said the same to the maire"s wife, she said that they were the ones being honored; now that really was a great welcome to the fold!
Have you actually got a date for your B1 exam? I contacted the local AF here and they are not offering it and are unaware of any centres in the region offering it, because of Covid19.
That said, my old AF in Cambridge UK, is holding the exams via teleconf. The deadline for the September exam in August 21.
I also want to do the B1 for my nationality application.
Hi Tim
Yes the centre in Toulouse is planning to run them again at the end of September. I’ve already paid otherwise I might have been tempted by the teleconference you mention although our internet is rubbish so that would have presented its own problems!
Indeed… having a steady internet connection here is a rare thing.
But anyway, I need to correct my previous statement. AF Cambridge got back to me and said that the DELFs are the only exams they are not doing remotely… They told me to try Annecy, a two hour drive away.
