One nationality at a time
Your reader who wishes to become "half-French", which is the oddest idea to me
I HAVE just read the article written by your reader who wishes to become "half-French", which is the oddest idea to me, although I think I know what she means.
France does not officially recognise dual nationality: if you are French, then to France and when in the country, you are strictly and only French.
I obtained French nationality easily when I married a Frenchman in 1959, retaining my British status of course, but here it is not recognised, and I cannot request any help as a British citizen while on French territory.
Likewise, in Britain, I am unable to demand any help from the French embassy. With double nationality, you are completely one and completely the other, depending on where you are.
I have never renewed my British passport, finding it far cheaper to use my French ID card.
Nowadays, it is far more difficult to obtain French nationality, either by marriage or naturalisation. My Mexican daughter-in-law, even as the mother of my son’s child, still had to wait two years to apply, and got it after three.
My Chinese daughter-in-law is at present applying, but when she will be accepted is anybody's guess.
There is a compulsory "interview", during which they check on your comprehension of French, and doubtless other things important in the republic, including the sacrosanct
laïcité.
Kathleen (Rathbone) FOURCHES
by email
