I am a 19 year old US citizen who reads, writes, and speaks French. My mother was born in France and moved to the US as a little girl. Her mother is French and her father is American. My father is American as well. She has dual citizenship. Does anyone know if it is possible for me to also get dual citizenship or how I could find out?
Thank you,
Anne-Marie

labman

If you are living in the United States, try the French Embassy or the nearest consular office. Perhaps try to find a French government web site.

dragonfly3

Did you find the suggestion useful? I am also seeking the same information, with the exception that I don't speak, write, or read French, but want to go there to take care of an ailing aunt.

I emailed the state department, but haven't received a response yet. The website for them is: www.state.gov. I used the search tool at the top of their website and keyed in dual citizenship. The results will be a list of different things applying to dual citizenship IE how to lose it, etc. I thought it was a good place to start.

I have also tried calling the U.S. Embassy in Paris, but the line was busy. My aunt lives in Cagnes sur Mer, France, so I tried calling the Consulate General in Marseille, and the Consular Agency in Nice. Their lines were also busy, and their email gets returned.

If you have any other suggestions or have found a useful site, please let me know. Perhaps, together, we can get this figured out?

Natalina5

Hello there!  I am a similar situation (born and living in the States, American father, French-born mother who moved to the U.S. after marrying my father).  I obtained my French citizenship/French passport/French i.d. card in 2002.  So assuming the rules are still the same, here's what I did.

First I contacted the French embassy in Washington D.C., and they directed me to my closest Consulate  (which was Los Angeles).  After making MANY calls and leaving multiple messages, I finally spoke to the right person.  One has to be very persistent!!   ;D

Anyway, that person told me what documents to assemble and sent me some forms to fill out and return.  Here is what I had to send:

Certified conformed copy of my French birth certifcate from the French Embassy in Washington D.C.;
Copy of my mother's Livret de Famille;
Copy of my mother's French identification card;
Copy of my marriage license;
Copies of birth certificates for my children;
Four passport photos of me.

For your French birth certificate, you should contact the French embassy in Washington D.C.  It is my understanding that the Embassy keeps some sort of record of children born to French citizens living in the U.S.  I THINK my mother had to inform the embassy of my birth for me to be listed, but I don't really know how all that works. The Embassy sent me a copy of this special birth certificate, which is not the same as my "regular" birth certificate.  I never knew I had a French birth certificate until I started the citizenship process!

Also, the "Livret de Famille" is a "family tree" booklet that apparently all French citizens have.  I don't know what happens if you can't obtain that from your French parent, but I assume it can be worked around.

I did not obtain my own Livret de Famille at the same time as my citizenship/passport because it involved a whole other set of paperwork, but that's my next project.

Also, just FYI, my understanding is that both my husband and my children are now entitled to French citizenship.  

Oh and by the way, I do speak French but not nearly as well as English, so I did the whole process in English and I didn't get any attitude . . .  

Good luck!    

IndiaStarker

Hi, I would like to find an official source, such as a reference to a US law to confirm that if I, as a US Citizen, ask for French citizenship, that my US citizenship will remain intact.  I did ask this question at the US Embassy, here in Paris where I live, and a person said that there was no problem, that the US couldn't take away my citizenship for having obtained French citizenship...but I'd like to see it in writing.

This is because I read somewhere that the US makes a difference between folks who are granted citizenship in a country automatically (such as children of at least one French parent--you guys for example) and those who request citizenship (me for example--married to a French man).

Anyone having a reference to a US law, please share. THANKS!

As an exchange, I offer you this US law stating that if you came here to live in France and excerised your right to vote, you would not lose your US citizenship :
I quote:
En 1967, une décision de la Cour Suprême des Etats-Unis, suivie en 1978 par un vote du Congrès, a fait en sorte que nul ne peut être déchu de sa nationalité américaine pour avoir pris part aux éléctions de son autre patrie, s'il n'a lui même, auparavant, déclaré vouloir y renoncer.  

I translate:
In 1967, a decision by the US Supreme court, followed by a congressional vote in 1978, declared that no-one could have their US citizenship removed for having voted in an election in his other country, unless he had at some time expressly declared the wish to renounce his US citizenship.

Source: http://www.france-amerique.com/guide...itdevoir7.html

-An American In Paris

IndiaStarker

Looks like I've found the answer to my own question:

It all hinges around the notion of intent. If I ask for French nationality with the intent to relinquish my US citizenship, then I could lose the latter. However, the presumption is that I intend to retain my US citizenship unless I state otherwise. Therefore the guy at the embassy was right; there is no problem.

(Again, for those with a French parent, this is not even relevant since you are French by French law and do not voluntarily obtain naturalization.)

Relevent texts:
[size=1]
POTENTIALLY EXPATRIATING STATUTES
Section 349 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, states that U.S. citizens are subject to loss of citizenship if they perform certain acts voluntarily and with the intention to relinquish U.S. citizenship. Briefly stated, these acts include:


(1) obtaining naturalization in a foreign state (Sec. 349 (a) (1) INA);

...

ADMINISTRATIVE STANDARD OF EVIDENCE
As already noted, the actions listed above can cause loss of U.S. citizenship only if performed voluntarily and with the intention of relinquishing U.S. citizenship.

...

DISPOSITION OF CASES WHEN ADMINISTRATIVE PREMISE IS APPLICABLE
In light of the administrative premise discussed above, a person who:


(1) is naturalized in a foreign country;
(2) takes a routine oath of allegiance or
(3) accepts non-policy level employment with a foreign government

and in so doing wishes to retain U.S. citizenship need not submit prior to the commission of a potentially expatriating act a statement or evidence of his or her intent to retain U.S. citizenship since such an intent will be presumed.
When, as the result of an individual's inquiry or an individual's application for registration or a passport it comes to the attention of a U.S. consular officer that a U.S. citizen has performed an act made potentially expatriating by Sections 349(a)(1), 349(a)(2), 349(a)(3) or 349(a)(4), the consular officer will simply ask the applicant if there was intent to relinquish U.S. citizenship when performing the act. If the answer is no, the consular officer will certify that it was not the person's intent to relinquish U.S. citizenship and, consequently, find that the person has retained U.S. citizenship.

Source : http://travel.state.gov/loss.html
[/size]
A+,
An American in Paris


(A+: French for bbfn. Means: A plus tard)

spark

hey IndiaStarker-

your knowledge is formidable... perhaps you have some advice.

I married a French citizen in 1990 here in the US (I am a US citizen). By 1994 we no longer lived together, but remained married. By 2000 I had lost complete contact with her, yet lazily we never divorced. I have tried for years to find her and her family in France, to no avail.

Now I am considering a move to Europe, and am interested in French residency/work status. The consulates in both Chicago & LA have stated I merely need to move to France, establish a residence, and file the required paperwork... could it really be so easy?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice you may have...

An American Yearning for Paris

IndiaStarker

Dear Spark,
You should tell the embassies you spoke with to get some new information. French immigration law has tightened up in recent years.

It used to be that after one year of living together (vie commune) you would be eligible to get a 10 year card;  now its two years. I will explain more below but right away I admit that I do not know how this applies to someone who has already been married for some period. Nevertheless, I doubt very very very much that without your spouse by your side you could get the carte de séjour--vie privée.

Procedure: On the appointed day (you will have been given a convocation), you AND your spouse in-person, with relevent ID's and other papers, must present yourself to the relevent authorities for your "carte de séjour, vie privée" not once but three times--upon arrival in France (3 month delay ok), one year from the first meeting and two years from the first meeting. The first "carte" is only good for a year. The second for another year. At each you will both sign a statement that you are living together. After two years you are eligible for the 10 year resident card or you may ask for French nationality.

I just got my first "carte de séjour--vie privée" myself.
Its a pretty page, glued to the inside of my passport.
More details at end of post.

It seems to me that your marriage to a French person for all intents and purposes is useless to you because your spouse cannot be found. My advice to you is get get the divorce done with--this problem will haunt you when you discover the French girl of your dreams that you wish to marry. Worse, according to French law, you are currently liable for your half of any taxes your spouse may owe to the government. And the French goverenment does recognise an American marriage.

For more (in French, Paris prefecture) see http://www.prefecture-police-paris.i...rie/pieces.htm

or more generally, the FAQ http://www.idf.pref.gouv.fr/faq.html

Important:
Check out (in English) the Q and A by a French lawyer, Jean Taquet, married to an American woman, http://thinkparis.com/guides/Q_A/Que...rue&Type=Legal. He will also provide council.

In the past I had the "carte de séjour--travailleur temporaire" which is what you should investigate next. They are only good for 9 months but you can renew them regularly up to a few years depending on your situation. You need a company to sponsor you. Think creatively.

By all means, if you want to move to Europe, do it. Where there's a will, there's a way. My story is pretty funny (the part where I wrote two letters for my dossier, one recommending myself for the position and another accepting the position) but I did have a sponsoring company.

Best luck, and get that divorce. You will avoid BIG headache later.

-India

---
More details on the carte de séjour, vie privée (by marriage or family) :
For any carte, you will go to "l'accueil des étrangers" (based on where you live) to make an appointment to ask for the carte de séjour. Bring your passport. They will provide you with the convocation to actually ask for the carte de séjour (which is elsewhere--in Paris its at the prefecture in the 4th--but don't bother going there without your convocation). At the "accueil" you will be told what papers you will need according to the type of carte de séjour you ask for, but bring a few extra papers since they are often wrong. They forgot to tell me that I needed something with both our names on it (like the social security card where the French person has declared his/her spouse). Luckily since I followed the rule of "bring more than is asked for"  I had with me our joint bank account statement which was acceptable.  You will then go get a medical examination and pay a 220€ tax(at the income tax place) and come back with it to the next appointment some weeks later.

IndiaStarker

Spark,
Too bad you didn't marry in 1973. According to Jean Taquet you would be French. Read his column on mariage. You must absolutely write to him to double check about your situation. He is a lawyer.  I am not. (Do take note of August vacations in France.) Click on the link Find more about Jean Taquet at the bottom of his column, referenced in previous post.
A+
Une américaine à Paris

Pascale

Bonjour, I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions for how I can obtain my French Birth certificate from the French embassy in Washington DC. They won't return my e-mails written in French and English and when I call them, the person I need to speak with only speaks French which I am too limited in. Help!! I was born in America to an American mother and French Father. I also understand I need a copy of my fathers Livret de Famille and My fathers french ID card. Do these just need to be zeroxed? Also does anyone know how long the whole process takes to get all of my papers and have dual citizenship? Thank you for all your help :P