which maire do you have - in which area
Libourne
They're silly
applications are done at préfecture level anyway, or in our case (midi-pyrénées) regional level, dossier has to be downloaded and then you make an appointment at the regional immigration centre. Noting at all at local level so go straight to your préfecture ;-)
I don't actually think the Mairie is consulted. Evereything is done at a higher level as you say Andrew. All the forms were picked up at the nearest Sous Prefecture although I believe we needed Etat Civils from the Mairie.
Personally, I think the rush to change citizenship is uncessary.
Accepting the incompetence of our political leaders, present and future, all of our quite legitimate concerns might be addressed during the future negotiations.
In any event nothing will happen for at least 2 years if not longer as evidently nobody expected this to happen and nobody has any plans or any well developed policies.
The EU itself is posing the same question that UK asked, which essentially what is the relationship between the Federal centre and the sovereign member states. Some issues, banking, border control and defence??, are arguably best done at a Federal level whereas as other issues best done at an inter-governmental level.
My personal plan is to apply for a Carte Sejour EU permenante (if that is the correct title) and also lobby various MP's in the UK to make sure we are not forgotten.
I would strongly encourage everyone to lobby their MP's, where you are still on the electoral register. If not contact me off board as I am know of some MPs who would be willing to listen.
I agree Peter. It is all a bit knee jerk :-)
Well Rachael, when you are as old as I am, you may sadly discover that one's knees are no longer able to jerk! :-)
I admit I had a bit of a panic but "fortunately" I had to go to the UK to deal with some family issues and by the time I returned, I felt more relaxed though no less angry.
Oh dear Peter, well best to not have jerky knees anyway! :-) I too panicked for about 5 minutes and then I realised I was just being silly...and any excuse to avoid even mooooore paper work than I already have!
and if you wish to live in France without working :
http://www.cleiss.fr/particuliers/venir/resider/eee_cmu.html
That link sets out the situation as it's been for Brits in recent years but Cleiss is all about EU liaison, it doesn't advise non-EU citizens. Not that anyone can advise on the future situation yet, but when advice does come it won't necessarily come from Cleiss.
http://www.thelocal.fr/20160705/how-do-i-get-permanent-residency-in-france
Do any of you have experience of a dual national American / Irish (by marriage), married to an EU citizen living in France? I'm curious as to what my best approach is after I've been here long enough...residency or citizenship. I know the paperwork is crazy for citizenship and I have concerns about being able to obtain all of the documentation necessary if grandparents are involved...
Thanks in advance for sharing any of your experiences.
I thought I'd come out of trolling and throw in my 2-cents worth. I'm not in France but I feel strongly enough about a few realities I'd mention a few points and see what your thoughts are.
Someone commented earlier that UK politicians made assurances that UK citizens would continue to have the right to remain in France. No British politician can speak for the EU once separation is complete just as no EU politician can speak for what happens in Manchester.
This projection of 'the other side' is an extension of the mistruths uttered by the Brexiteers.
More recent posts suggest one should not allow knee-jerk reactions govern their response to the vote. However, it seems to me that a second passport (ie. A French one) is 'insurance' against the worst-case scenario. That scenario could be drastic changes unilaterally imposed by the French Government to the criteria used to allow you to apply.
And please, can anybody here honestly say that the French Government only ever yacts reasonably, logically, accountably, and compassionately? Change is blowing in the wind and my feeling is one ought not wait to see how things 'work out' before opting for the insurance. Avoiding the paperwork could be akin to sticking one's head in the sand.
A third point: France currently allows dual citizenship. Until fairly recently, I believe Germany does not. An acquaintance thought about applying for EU citizenship through German heritage but absolutely knew he would have to surrender his Canadian citizenship. If this were the case for France, you'd know it without a shadow of a doubt.
Even if you had to, you could turn over your British passport to the French, wait for formal separation and then reapply for a new one- claiming the original was 'lost'. Unless you formally filed paperwork to renounce your British citizenship with the British Government, you are never not British.
Indeed, all you who live in France stand on that very sharp edge that divides populations into Nation States. The divide between Britain and France is one of the sharpest divides on the globe. Frankly, I'm surprised you aren't all already intimately aware of these distinctions.
No matter. You can hold more than one citizenship. You are no less 'British' if you carry another passport and no less French if you do the same.
I initiated my Irish passport application as my Father was born in NI and the application was received by the embassy in Ottawa on June 16th. I am not counting on my UK passport to access the richness of the continent. It seemed quite straightforward. All in, the process of collecting documents, validating other documents, and paying the fee came to about C$350.00- a small price to pay for keeping one's toe in the game.
The process takes about 6 weeks and I have not heard anything so so far the application continues.
Why am I doing it? Irish rules could change. Who knows. Maybe the EU will impose those changes. That's what 'insurance' is for.
So if you're eligible, I wouldn't wait. No, the sky isn't going to fall- I'm not playing Chicken Little- but why 'wait and see'?
Again- think of it as insurance. If you want to live in an EU country, you really need to have an irrevocable EU document that allows you to do so. After all, you are currently citizens of what soon will be a foreign country. Little or nothing may come of it, this is true. But how do you know for sure?
Should the French government act out of spite and exclude UK citizens requiring you to pack your bags and head back across the channel, crying about it then will be far, far too late.
But there are many US, Australians etc living here permanently without an EU passport, so I don't think you can really say you "really need" one. I think for most retired Brits, the main worry is not whether they'll be allowed to live here, but whether or not the UK will continue to cover their healthcare if they do live here. Worst-case scenario, for many, is not being told to leave, it's finding themselves worse off financially and having to make lifestyle sacrifices in order to stay. And no matter how many EU passports you have, it won't make a scrap difference to that.
Fair comment. That said, if having French citizenship guaranteed health care coverage and it was possible to get the passport, why risk losing coverage?
I suppose your question addresses anyone who has no professional activity in France, and so doesn't contribute towards the French health system.
Otherwise CMU is an opton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couverture_maladie_universelle
The certificate from alliance francaise should be enough. Equivalent qualifications are accepted but only if they were studied wholly in French - so a UK A level in French, even though it's equivalent, wouldn't be acceptable as the course would have been done in Englsh.
Before the EU came into being the UK had already been in the EEC and the Common Market
With an Irish grandparent born on the island of Ireland yes, he can claim Irish Citizenship. This can be done by post at the Irish Consulate in Paris. I know because I just checked on my mother's behalf. My grandmother was Irish but not born on the island of Ireland ('Colonial Irish', according to her passport, born in Singapore to Irish parents) so I cannot apply but my mother can claim citizenship, because her grandparents were born there, by getting her birth registered on the Foreign Births Register. I would have been able to claim it if my mother had claimed it before I was born.