Hello all…hoping someone on this site has done this before me and can give me some first hand info (ie recommendations.) I’m a retired dual national (US/British) with pre-Brexit credentials (TdS/UK pension, thus Carte Vitale etc.) living in France.
I have just started gathering documentation to apply for french nationalization by decree. I have met the basic requirements (residency/language.) My dilemma is that many of my ‘vital’ documents are from US, and requirements are quite convoluted. I need embossed certified original documents, including an FBI background check, which then need to be apostilled (in the US), and then potentially also notarized here in France. After that they will be translated ‘assermenté’ and then be sent off with my application.
While it is not impossible for me to do all this, it’s becoming such a headache. I’m looking for someone/some service that can deal with this paperwork. Does not need to be an immigration lawyer, tho at this point I’d pay them if I can just get that bit done!! My English vital docs - easy peasy - just need to get them translated. And hooray - my mother was french so I’m all set there.
I don’t need immigration advice, I have all the info I need. But I do need someone savvy enough, who also speaks English obvs, to take on ensuring I have or get if needed, the correctly formatted original american docs authenticated/ authorized etc. ready to go.
So I’m throwing it out there! Does anyone have any bright ideas in this field ('cause I know y’all are bright sparks in many other fields… ). Thanks!
It may be a lot easier than anticipated, are you registered in Nantes (as a French person born abroad)? Normally the child of a French person is French. You don’t need to do anything in particular.
Agree with Véro on this; I did just the same, in reverse, for my kids (French) last year. Lots of translated stamped documents etc and a few hoops to jump through but they now have dual nationality (FR/UK)
… and so much easier and quicker than my 3+ years going through the naturalisation process!
My son is registered as German national. He was born in the UK, German mother, English father. He is German through me and british through his father. Are you sure that does not also apply to you??? Children usually automatically are entitled to the mother’s nationality. I’d check that out first…Same with my latvian and slovak friends.
Unfortunately, my american grandfather moved the family to the US and apart from a couple of visits in later life never lived in France again. She did not meet the residency requirements to enable me to apply by descent which would have been way easier…
I’m American born with dual UK nationality. (through marriage.) One child born US, one in UK and we registered both of them straight away in the other country. The older generations did not think so far ahead as us multinationally mobile youngsters, I guess!
Yes, still worth the inquiry though maybe. I can’t think why there would be a time limit on registering a birth… If your birth certificate shows everything?
There is a law in France that essentially means if person X has not used their nationality for 50 years then they cannot pass it down to anyone else. So a mother who left France and failed to register children as they appeared, may no longer be able to do so.
Wow! Now that is something that I did not know! How interesting! Wonder if other countries have something similar? What a shame though, I thought it might help. Would have been nice to think it was that easy .
Hi Monti,
For any legal/administrative/tax stuff I use an English lady (based in France) who is very good that this type of work. alexander.emma@neuf.fr
Does you legal/admin/tax assistant know that you have posted what looks to be her personal email address in a public forum, and is she happy with that?
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