Julie's French Nationality Interview
Yesterday, we both went to the Montpellier préfecture for my French nationality interview! This is the most important (and stressful) step in the nationality process -
SPOILER ALERT! - it went well!
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| Marianne and me, 11 years ago! |
On to the details!
The Prep
Because of covid, we also got extra instructions about handling documents and arriving at the préfecture. All new documents would have to be in plastic pouches, untouched for the 48 hours before the appointment. Masks would be required, sanitation gel would be plentiful.
I pulled together the "take" file over time, with lots of "just in case" documents.
- As requested in the letter:
-- our most recent rent receipt (April's came too late, so we used March's)
-- copy of Rick's ID (the expiration date was extended, but it looks expired, so we also included a copy of his passport)
-- copies of our last 4 years of taxes. The last 3 were easy, since they were downloadable and French. But we needed our US taxes for 2016 for the 4th year, and that had to be translated.
- As expected, based on the instructions for the original dossier list:
-- copy of my new carte de séjour (my submitted dossier had my card with old address plus the récépissé for the new one)
-- original CNF
-- original DELF certificate (I never received the diploma, but the results certificate was fine to use)
-- original (mailed) copy of my FBI report
-- original parents' birth certificates
- As possibly needed, from the new dossier list, published in February:
-- my original passport plus copy
As unlikely, but possibly helpful:
-- my parents' marriage certificate plus copy (not translated)
-- Rick's updated French birth certificate, showing his CNF as a margin note
-- old documents for communauté de vie (1998, 2005, 2013)
-- livret de famille plus copy
I made a list of likely questions, based on what others had experienced, and we started practicing. Usually, the interview includes a question related to current news, and tying it to the French motto (eg, when Simone Veil died, a question was "who was she, and what was she known for?" or, when Samuel Paty was killed, there were questions about laïcité and freedom of speech). We tried to guess what that "big topic" would be.
We dug out the GPS, updated maps, charged it,and entered the parking garage location. I gassed up the car, and cleaned the windows. We unpacked our "real-see-other-people-clothes." And, as we had just entered our 3rd confinement, we filled out our attestation for going farther than 10km.
We left the house at 9:15, and were safely parked and waiting in the courtyard by 10:15 (even though I had forgotten the entire file in the car, and had to go back for it!). We had to show IDs and the appointment letter to the guard (and get "wanded" as usual). Someone came outside periodically to let people in - it wasn't crowded, and we saw several people enter and leave in just the few minutes we waited. We were early enough, and they let us in to use the bathrooms (gel, gel, back outside).
The Interview (45 minutes)
The agent, "IM," met us in the courtyard and took us to her office. Something to note: agents don't tell you their names, even when asked - they are agents of the state. You don't know anything about them before meeting them (and very little even afterwards)!
Once in her office, there was a plexiglass partition, but we still all kept our masks on (although she pulled hers away from her face when asking me questions, as I had a hard time understanding what was said). She looked through the documents we had been told to bring, and returned the extra ones. She wasn't interested in seeing any originals, and didn't need the copy of my new carte de séjour. She returned the remaining self-addressed stamped envelope from my dossier, and the plastic pockets that held the new documents.
Then she asked if we had ever had a problem in our marriage that caused us to live apart - we said no, and she had us sign a document saying so. Then she asked me how many brothers and sisters I had - when I answered, she said that I would have to send her (by email) each of *their* birth certificates (translated, but not apostilled)! This was a new requirement for dossiers, and basically, when she received them, she would add them to my dossier - it would not proceed without them. She gave me a récépissé, including information on how to keep the préfecture up to date on our address and situation. Then I went to a waiting room while she asked Rick some questions, and then we traded places. At the end of my turn, she said that it had been a good interview, and she would send the dossier on to the minister of the interior. I expected to sign the Charte de Droits et Devoirs, but it never came up. I asked 2 questions then:
I mentioned that the gendarmes hadn't visited or questioned us, and she said not to worry, that they don't always do that. My dossier was fine without their investigation.
I asked if she thought I would be able to vote in the presidential election next year, and she couldn't say. I said, no, of course not, but I had to ask...
I gathered my things, we collected Rick, and she showed us the door (literally, not figuratively, LOL!).
By the time we got home and I turned on my phone, she had called to tell me that I didn't need my siblings' birth certificates, that that requirement didn't apply to me! Whew! that's 250€ we don't have to spend, and a lot of time we don't have to waste!
Over all she was friendly, careful, and accommodating.
Questions we were each asked:
+-- What do we do together?
+-- Our plans for the future.
+-- Do you rent or own? an apartment or house?
Questions for Rick alone:
+- Where/how/when did we meet?
+- Where did Rick work, what did he do, and since when. When did he retire? He explained US pensions.
+ Where and as what did Julie work?
+ Where have you lived?
+ You rent now; do you have plans to buy a house?
Questions for me alone:
-- Am I a member of any associations? Am I an officer?
-- Do/did I work? Where?
-- What qualifications/degrees do I have in the US? Obtained when?
- Did I know French before arriving? (I got extra points for studying at the Alliance française 😊)
-- Why do I want to become French?
- Why did we come to France in 2017? Why Sète?
-- Do we plan to stay in France?
-- Do I have mostly French or foreign friends
-- What language do we speak at home (explain why)
- Does he have relatives in France?
Questions for me alone, from the livret du citoyen, and current "big topic":
-- What is the national anthem called?
-- What is the devise (motto) of France? ( I answered simply, "liberté, égalité, et fraternité")
-- Explain fraternité
-- What is laïcité, and what does it mean to me. Is it a good thing?
- covid-19 - where do I get my info (internet, TV)
~~~
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Questions I had prepared for, but wasn't asked:
- Date of our marriage, how and where it was celebrated
- How about my parents?
- Do they come to visit France?
- How are relationship with in-laws?
- traditional French dishes I make? (chichoumai, poulet roti)
- Why did it take so long to request nationality?
- Who suggested my becoming French?
- date and circumstances of arrival in France
- did we live together before marriage?
- who attended our wedding?
- Do we go to the cinema? (TV, theater, etc)
- Do we travel together or separate? What countries have we visited? What regions of France?
- Do we do the grocery shopping together or separate?
- What household chores do we each do? (finances, cooking...)
- Colors of the flag, are the stripes vertical or horizontal?
- What are the symbols of France
- What stands out to me from the Charte de Droits et Devoirs?
- What is the first line of the national anthem?
- Three values (devise) of France: cite an example and how it affects your daily life?
- What are the droits et devoirs d'un citoyen (taxes, voting, etc)
- when did laïcité become law?
- What is democracy
- 14 July significance
- What elections I can vote in once French
- Name any 3 presidents of France
- Who is the premier ministre
- The name of the maire of our town, le préfet de Montpellier
- the date of the revolution, principles of the republic and who Simone Veil was
- what date slavery was abolished in france (1794/1848), what date french women got the vote (1944), date death penalty abolished (illégal 1981, constitution 2007)
- religious symbols - where can they be worn? (public)
~~~
Added costs:
90€ USA 2016 tax declaration
7,30€ parking and tolls
~~~
My post on my dossier is here:
My timeline so far - Montpellier, via marriage:
January 31, 2020 - mailed dossier
March-May 2020 - préfecture closed due to covid
June 30, 2020 - accepted
February 9, 2021 - received mail with appointment information.
April 8, 2021 - Préfecture interview
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