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Post by glazedallover on Apr 9, 2023 13:18:31 GMT 1
I have been here 10 years and am a UK and Irish citizen. I have been looking at applying for French citizenship, but when I state that I am 'separated ' I run into problems. Separé is an official status out here, that requires hearing with a judge and then you are given an official attestation I believe. As my 'wife' just upped and left, I don't have one and am loathe to have to go through the process ,which would seem to need some further contact. So I will give it a miss.
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Post by cernunnos on Apr 9, 2023 14:11:29 GMT 1
I am European with a British and French passport ( plus ID card) . Being accepted as a French citizen was just the logical step when living in France, it makes no difference , it just makes life easier. I recall someone saying they were very happy to be " pure English " on a different thread , I am "pure European" , speaking four languages. My wife is half German , speaks English with a yorkshire accent, so both very happy to be mongrels. We have been here over thirty years and I am wondering how you say it makes life easier? The only benefits I saw was being able to vote, so never bothered. We were self employed all our working life here, so no need in our case to require citizenship for work. Our Daughter is applying as she works for a French company, who say it doesn't matter as they will not get rid of her regardless of Brexit. I'm not looking for an argument but just wondering how citizenship would make it easier? I have always lived in the same village , same house . It makes a big difference to the acceptance level with the local people since I took the trouble to apply for naturalisation . They see most of the Brits as foreigners and temporary. I did bother .
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Post by mangetout on Apr 9, 2023 14:33:55 GMT 1
So far it looks as if forum members are on a par when it comes to french citizenship, although it has to be said the figures are skewed by there being non resident contributors to the thread. Of the 148,000 permanent Brits in France, 22,800 have French citizenship. What's that, about 15% by my quick reckoning? Interestingly, those that work versus those that are retired is roughly equal. I have a sneaky feeling that other Europeans who settle in France don't bother at all, but I will investigate and report back.
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Post by houpla on Apr 9, 2023 15:56:03 GMT 1
I've had French nationality since 2019. It would have been a lot sooner but looking after my mother for ten years rather got in the way. I would also have ditched my English former nationality if I hadn't been expected to pay for the privilege! I wasn't born French, no, but this is the nearest I'll ever get, unless there's something in the reincarnation business What is interesting on this thread is the assumption that you'd do it to acquire an advantage or benefit of some kind, or for an easier life. Isn't there anyone who did/will do it because of an affinity with the country and the people? It's along the same lines as the attitude of Brits I've met here, especially those with second homes. They 'suffer' France and the aspects of it's culture and even food that they apparently detest, for the few pluses it offers them. On the other hand, I was shocked to discover how little my acquired nationality counts in terms of any genuine right to be treated as a French citizen by the French government. Thanks to my accident of birth and my years living and contributing in UK, I'm a foreigner and always will be. So much for 'Egalité (erm, nope), 'Liberté (hah!) and Fraternité (?? is that the bit where I have the right to fight for France in a war?).
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Post by houpla on Apr 9, 2023 16:03:30 GMT 1
I have been here 10 years and am a UK and Irish citizen. I have been looking at applying for French citizenship, but when I state that I am 'separated ' I run into problems. Separé is an official status out here, that requires hearing with a judge and then you are given an official attestation I believe. As my 'wife' just upped and left, I don't have one and am loathe to have to go through the process ,which would seem to need some further contact. So I will give it a miss. Oh what a shame, GAO, I am sorry to hear that. It's so unfair that stupid bureaucracy is stopping you getting on with your life
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Post by jackie on Apr 9, 2023 16:04:22 GMT 1
I've had French nationality since 2019. It would have been a lot sooner but looking after my mother for ten years rather got in the way. I would also have ditched my English former nationality if I hadn't been expected to pay for the privilege! I wasn't born French, no, but this is the nearest I'll ever get, unless there's something in the reincarnation business What is interesting on this thread is the assumption that you'd do it to acquire an advantage or benefit of some kind, or for an easier life. Isn't there anyone who did/will do it because of an affinity with the country and the people? It's along the same lines as the attitude of Brits I've met here, especially those with second homes. They 'suffer' France and the aspects of it's culture and even food that they apparently detest, for the few pluses it offers them. On the other hand, I was shocked to discover how little my acquired nationality counts in terms of any genuine right to be treated as a French citizen by the French government. Thanks to my accident of birth and my years living and contributing in UK, I'm a foreigner and always will be. So much for 'Egalité (erm, nope), 'Liberté (hah!) and Fraternité (?? is that the bit where I have the right to fight for France in a war?). Yes, we’ve come across those types too, they moan about every aspect of French life and obviously only moved here for the cheaper house prices. We have an English widowed neighbour who admits she’s only here for the healthcare. (She’s a hypochondriac) She is widely travelled but has never been to any other part of France. She runs down the French at every opportunity and thinks the English do everything better. I avoid her like the plague…
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Post by mangetout on Apr 9, 2023 16:06:51 GMT 1
So in summary, you have gained nothing material except confirmation of your love for France? Have I understood you correctly?
Ps. I would add that I feel a deep affinity with France, it's an emotional connection that I never felt in the UK.
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Post by tim17 on Apr 9, 2023 16:07:15 GMT 1
Isn't there anyone who did/will do it because of an affinity with the country and the people? That is exactly why I wouldn't do it, I'm English in my head and heart and that will never change.
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Post by glazedallover on Apr 9, 2023 16:11:12 GMT 1
I have been here 10 years and am a UK and Irish citizen. I have been looking at applying for French citizenship, but when I state that I am 'separated ' I run into problems. Separé is an official status out here, that requires hearing with a judge and then you are given an official attestation I believe. As my 'wife' just upped and left, I don't have one and am loathe to have to go through the process ,which would seem to need some further contact. So I will give it a miss. Oh what a shame, GAO, I am sorry to hear that. It's so unfair that stupid bureaucracy is stopping you getting on with your life Thanks houpla. I can live with it. Your next post was spot on. The 'affinity' or connection I have with the people in my commune is extraordinary. I never found anything like it anywhere in 55 years in England. There were areas that I liked living in for sure, but I have never felt part of a community as I do here. oh well, c'est la vie !
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Post by houpla on Apr 9, 2023 16:19:07 GMT 1
Not quite. I have the right to vote. I would have been disenfranchised last year otherwise. I have an ID card and passport, and the right to travel freely around Europe or move to another European country if I wish. There are probably other 'material' benefits, but as I didn't do it for that reason, I don't know what they are I have the respect and admiration (I hope) of my French friends who consider me 'one of them'. It's about committment I suppose? The difference between marrying, PACsing or just living together for what you get out of the relationship while it lasts.... Scrub that last bit. On reflection, I know quite a few Brits who do an enormous amount of work on a voluntary basis, purely because they feel that they ought 'to give something back'. So it's not all take, take, take.
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Post by houpla on Apr 9, 2023 16:20:01 GMT 1
Isn't there anyone who did/will do it because of an affinity with the country and the people? That is exactly why I wouldn't do it, I'm English in my head and heart and that will never change. Good for you! You were lucky enough to be born in the right country for you
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exile
Member
Massif Central
Posts: 2,683
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Post by exile on Apr 9, 2023 17:25:24 GMT 1
I have been here 10 years and am a UK and Irish citizen. I have been looking at applying for French citizenship, but when I state that I am 'separated ' I run into problems. Separé is an official status out here, that requires hearing with a judge and then you are given an official attestation I believe. As my 'wife' just upped and left, I don't have one and am loathe to have to go through the process ,which would seem to need some further contact. So I will give it a miss. In French eyes you are not separated - you are still married - but living apart. Separé is a legal situation (hence the need for judicial intervention) and is not the same as the simple non-legal separated description. No reason why you could not apply as a married person.
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Post by cernunnos on Apr 9, 2023 18:34:03 GMT 1
Isn't there anyone who did/will do it because of an affinity with the country and the people? That is exactly why I wouldn't do it, I'm English in my head and heart and that will never change. Getting another passport doesn't change you. Thinking you are English because it says so "in the records" is very naive.
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Aardvark
Non-gamer
Living in soggy 22 and still wondering what's going on.
Posts: 2,172
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Post by Aardvark on Apr 9, 2023 18:40:08 GMT 1
I lived in England for about 21 years and never felt "part of a community". In fact I lived on a housing estate near Rochester for almost ten years before any of the neighbours even spoke to me, and that was only because they wanted their cars repaired and I was obviously a petrol head. I needed the cash so I did the work, otherwise I would have told them to take a hike. It was a real revelation when I got into sailing. Sure, there were a few snobs but a shared common interest broke down the barriers. Both my houses here have been on well travelled roads and as I am outside most of the time I get asked directions by complete strangers. I'm more than happy to help if I can. One day I even changed a flat tyre for a guy in a van who hadn't a clue where to start. No big deal for me. I thought maybe I could leave him with a good impression of les rosbif etrangers. I admire the French for their guts to get out in the streets and fight when they think the government is getting too big for their britches. The British stiff upper lip gets you nowhere at times like that. I would be proud to carry a French passport but not because I have any misonceptions about it making me French or getting me any points in a willie waving contest.
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Post by houpla on Apr 9, 2023 18:47:05 GMT 1
That's totally unfair, cernunnos! It's such a personal thing. I hesitate to post this, but the closest analogy is trans-gender confusion. Some folks genuinely feel that they were born in the wrong type of body....putting 'fashion' and peer/media pressure aside, they're entitled to try to correct Nature. It's just the same with nationality. If you're genuinely 'grounded' in the nationality that you were born with, well that's great. Even better if you can keep that nationality whilst living in a different country that accepts the fact. But fortunately, those who happened to be born in a country that they feel uneasy in, and not only have the good fortune to be able to live in their spiritual home but to be accepted as a citizen there, that's wonderful! Like modern medicine being able to transform the life of cross gender people.
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