I fall down on the ‘insertion professionelle’ requirement as I’m not working here and have never worked in France. The requirements say your main income has to be sourced in France and all my income comes from the UK. I’m also not sure I’d fulfil the language requirements (though I can work on that) and I get nervous in ‘exam’ type situations so what French I do know would probably go out of the window in the interview. I’ve read of someone’s interview experience at the prefecture that deals with our applications and it really put me off.
My kids have been registered in school here since 2006 (even while we had to go back for a year in 2007) and are obviously fluent/bilingual so they should have no problems. If I can stay I’ll be happy but if I have to leave then my main aim is to make sure my kids still have the choice as my older kids may never want to return to the UK, regardless of whether we could, if we have to (we still have our old family home there).
I don’t think healthcare will be an issue so long as you fulfil the residency requirements. The minimum income required by a non EU Citizen to be classed as not likely to become a burden upon the state is higher than that required for an EU Citizen so that may be where some people will have problems.
Mm… I understand all about exam nerves. but with regards to the French “oral”… I am not sure they are looking for absolute fluency.
I’ve been here for years and non-French reckon I am fluent…and French friends laugh at my “little errors”…which they say are “delightful”.
Work on your language skills. Enough to have the courage to ask the speaker to slow-down and/or repeat what they are saying if you need them to.
I have gone that route on many occasions over the years. especially when dealing with Government Officials etc… and even asking the speaker to use another word or phrase…is not a sign of weakness/failure.
Whilst we cannot be expected to know the whole French vocabulary, we should have a sufficient command of the language to deal with whatever is thrown at us (one way or another).
I just sat the french test on Monday. I live in Brittany and I sat the exam at Lorient in the university, . It’s called the TCF pour l’accès à la nationalité française. I was very nervous as I suffer from anxiety but I managed it I think- results in 2 to 3 weeks. The first part is 29 listening questions in 25 minutes- multiple choice answers. The second part is individual with an interviewer- 12 minutes in 3 parts- first you introduce yourself then there’s a part where you discuss a situation, type of role playing and then last you argument your case on a given subject. I practiced before, the site TV5 Monde had some practice tests , there are books you can buy with cd’s. It goes quite fast - I was a bit surprised- crossed fingers that I passed it- hope so it costs about 80 euros!!!
I just re read your post Debra,Why do you say that your main income has to be sourced in France? If you are resident in France, you declare all your income, wherever it comes from and pay your taxes then that is all they require and it isn’t the prefecture that decides on your level of French, you have to do a test now- since I think 2015, and obtain a certificate and send that with all the other documents. Yes I believe in my interview I will be asked questions on my knowledge of France, There is a Livret de Citoyen that you can download from the government site which you can read- history of france and values- ie when did women get the vote etc
It says on the rules that your income has to be sourced in France - not sent here from another country. ie employment or rental income or whatever you live on has to be from France.
'L’insertion professionnelle constitue une condition essentielle de l’assimilation et de l’intégration en France.
Toutefois, elle est appréciée sur l’ensemble de la carrière professionnelle et pas uniquement sur votre situation précise au moment de votre demande.
La nature du contrat de travail (CDD, contrats d’intérim) ne constitue pas un obstacle en soi dès lors que l’activité permet de disposer de ressources suffisantes et stables.’
‘résider en France de manière habituelle et continue depuis 5 ans, avec votre famille si vous avez un conjoint et/ou des enfants mineurs, et y avoir la source principale de vos revenus pendant cette période (revenus professionnels, mobiliers ou immobiliers, etc.).’
I did a lot of googling re that last bit about having your income here and found that it means more than just transferring it here from elsewhere. They want it sourced here. I understand why - income from another country could be considered as not guaranteed as who knows what will happen in that country? (Brexit, for instance ) Rental income, dividend income and even eventual pension income (my private pensions can be accessed in a couple of years) can all be considered as not stable. I think I’d be better off with French rental income (for exchange rate reasons as well as this need for it to be sourced here) so I’m working on that. I doubt I’ll be able to sell my UK house any time soon (though the tenants have said they want to buy it eventually) and the spare house I have here isn’t one I’d want to let - hopefully I’ll have more luck selling it this year.
I’m a bit nervous about the idea of investing in more property in France though - not just because of the way tenants have a lot of rights here and can stop paying and not much can be done about it but because what if I invest and then get chucked out anyway? It’s bad enough managing UK lettings from here - I have a feeling it would be worse managing French lettings from the UK.
I can see now that your situation doesn’t look straight forward. I’m going for nationality by marriage and my husband being French and working here , as far as I know, covers my financial needs. I don’t work- used to but I have a chronic illness which is getting better but I am still reliant on my husband. We have thought about buying something to let, not sure - either a holiday let or permanent let. I have some friends that rent out 2 houses permanently here and have never had a problem- there is always a risk of non payment- even in the UK. Do you live in a touristy area, could you do a little holiday let where you are? I’m more nervous now about the interview at the prefecture, “why do I want to be french” etc- presidents, kings, laws and dates- I have a terrible memory, was never good at history…I don’t think they’d throw people out… if you want to stay here then maybe sell up over there and buy here, I understand you wanting to wait and see, shitty situation, hope all goes well for you…
At my local Mairie this afternoon for my Proof of Life thingy… mentioned this topic to the Secretary… amidst much laughter from all present… seems she reckons that since I could talk the hind-legs off a donkey, the Interviewer will be too exhausted to do anything but give in gracefully.
and everyone was very pleased to learn that I am still officially alive…!!
I am sure that if we all do our homework and keep calm… all will be well in the end…
I have tried to sell the UK house in the past but it costs to leave it empty and I have a good tenant at the moment and so wouldn’t want to sell up unless they left. I own houses and land here already but none that I could get income from at the moment. It’s a case of selling property to buy more lettable property or maybe converting what I have to be a better letting prospect - all a risk though as it means putting more money in…
I had thought about some similar advice I was given years ago, which worked at the time. I was going for an interview to try to get into a degree course and was nervous. A friend just said keep talking, don’t let them get a word in , that way they can’t ask any difficult questions. I did exactly that and got in, don’t know if it helped but it didn’t hurt!
Hi Debra. A carte de séjour is always a good idea to have, so you don’t have to run around with your passport on you. Ask for your children too. We don’t need it by law, but I have always had one since we moved to France in 2000. PS! you cannot use it as an ID outside France or boarders. Regards G.
I have to make a separate appointment to ask for a carte de sejour for each of my older children that is entitled, apparently. So I’ve got an appointment for mine first and the I’ll make one for my eldest, who is over eighteen. My next younger is eighteen in August so I’ll make an appointment for him after then.
Is there any real point in applying for a Carte de Sejour that is only valid for an EU Citizen when it offers that EU Citizen no added value? I’m not sure that the ‘you don’t have to run around with your passport on you’ is a particularly valid reason; I’ve lived in Europe for over 30 years and apart from a few border crossings I have never been asked for my passport as a means of identification. I carry my passport in a bag along with my Driving Licence. If I have to have a Carte de Sejour in the future no doubt it will be carried in the same place.
Very valid point, David, the carte de séjour doesn’t really change anything unless it’s for non EU citizens too. Like you, I carry my French driving licence not my passport as ID. We still have all our rights and will continue to do so until/IF the UK leaves the EU. My préfecture have stopped processing applications for cartes de séjour from Brits until further notice/until the UK has left the EU as they think along my lines - it just isn’t worth it as it doesn’t change anything and will need re-doing when/if the UK leave the EU. In short: “wait and see”. I have the dossier for naturalisation (and have done for over 5 years!) but have never got round to the enormous task of getting together all those certificates and translations etc. and when it comes down to it I don’t really want to; I’m English, British. My OH and kids are French and likewise, my kids can apply for a UK passport if they want but don’t need to while the Uk is in the EU, (If the brexit ever happens then yes, I’ll get them their UK passports at that point) I agree that it’s unsettling, but I think it’s all a storm in a teacup for those of us who are in the system and have been for years (sorry Debra, I hear what you’re saying re working etc. why not set yourself up as an autoentrepreneur/micro entreprise to get you that foot in the door…?)
) Rental income, dividend income and even eventual pension income (my private pensions can be accessed in a couple of years) can all be considered as not stable. I think I’d be better off with French rental income (for exchange rate reasons as well as this need for it to be sourced here) so I’m working on that. I doubt I’ll be able to sell my UK house any time soon (though the tenants have said they want to buy it eventually) and the spare house I have here isn’t one I’d want to let - hopefully I’ll have more luck selling it this year.