FBI Criminal Record Check

FBI Criminal Record Check

Now, *those* are some scary words! But all it really is is proof that you don't have a criminal record in the USA.

It's a little daunting to go through the request process though. The main drawback is finding a way to get your fingerprints taken. It's easy enough in the states - you can usually get them at a police station, or even at a post office that's set up for it! However, when you're abroad, it's difficult to (1) find a place that can do it, and (2) explain what you need well enough that they want to help you.

So, just why do I need this? I'm finally asking for French nationality!

What I did:

November 20 - I went online and created an electronic account, and paid $18
https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks
https://www.edo.cjis.gov/#/

December - I tried to take my own fingerprints. It did not go well...

January 2 - I asked at tribunal (since we were there); they said no, and could only think of asking at the US embassy.
Then I asked at the local police station; he first said no, and that the préfecture does that, and it's not the same. That made me wonder if I hadn't explained it well, so I showed him the fingerprint page and the explanation page. He called someone, then said to come back tomorrow (no appointment time).

January 3 - I went back to the police station, and after a short wait, an officer and her trainee took me inside. She asked me to explain why I wanted my fingerprints, so I gave her the long story. She explained to her trainee that for Canadian and American police reports, they need to use fingerprints. Then, first she took my prints, explaining all the while, then her trainee took a second set. We all looked at the prints, and declared them good! The officer explained that they knew about this process because one of her colleagues married a Canadian, and she had to do the same for her police report. At the end, I said I might know in 2 weeks whether the prints were accepted or not, and she said to just come back if I needed to try again!
On the fingerprint card, I left everything blank except:
- Full name, as reflected in my electronic order
- date of birth
- social security number
- order number (I put this in the box for "reason fingerprinted")

I went right from the police station to the post office. I originally thought I would use Chronopost Express, but! even though it would only take 3 days, it was over 60€!! I eventually settled on a 2€ option (plus 8€ stamp) that will take up to 7 days. I put in the electronic account page and 2 sets of fingerprints, and sent it off! I ended up folding the pages, and I'm hoping that won't affect their acceptability...

What's next - I can follow the mail online (via the recommandé number), then the fingerprint analysis and reporting progress via the CJIS website, using my account number. Eventually, they will email my report, followed by snail-mail. According to those who have gone before, I can use the emailed report.

Inky fingers are all crossed!

UPDATE: once my letter left France (the next day!), I couldn't follow it; there were no updates from the USA. However! I received my electronic police report from the FBI just 2 weeks later (January 18)!

Certificate of French Nationality

CNF

Why does a French national need a Certificate of French Nationality (CNF)? For someone born abroad, it's an extra level of scrutiny, but then you are certified, by the court, as definitely being French. For most activities and documents in France, a French birth certificate (which you have if your birth was registered via an embassy) is sufficient. You can get your French ID and passport, for example. But, if you are like Rick, and want to pass on your right to citizenship to a spouse, well then, you need the CNF.

It's like you're French enough for you, but there's an extra layer of "Frenchness" needed for your spouse to become French :-\

March - got copy of grandparents' certificates, as much as possible

March 25 - requested father's birth certificate, marriage certificate

End of April - re-ordered the documents

May 21 - requested father's birth certificate again

June 12 - received parents' marriage certificate (still no father's birth certificate)

June 17 - created account at the Paris mairie, and ordered father's birth certificate again

June 17 - ordered Rick's French birth certificate from Nantes

July 6 - received father's birth certificate, in response to created account; mentions marriage, but not death (death abroad registered in Nantes)

July - received father's birth certificate/notice, in response to March request; only gives basic info, for genealogy (not useful for nationality)

July 24 - ordered father's death certificate

August 3 - received father's birth certificate ordered May 21.

August 5 - received email that (2) Rick's birth certificates would be mailed within 10 days

August 9 - received Rick's birth certificate, father's death certificate

made the dossier:
1 ID photo
1 copy and original of Rick's ID card
1 justificatif de domicile
1 French full birth certificate
1 father's full French birth certificate
1 parents' full French marriage certificate
1 copy grandparents' certificates
+++ extra items, in case
1 father's death certificate
1 copy and original Rick's voter card
1 copy and original Rick's passport

August 13 - called tribunal d'instance for appointment; no RDV required, just go between 8:30 - 11:00 on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
Note: for Montpellier, this is not the Tribunal de Grande Instance.

August 21 - to Montpellier to submit CNF dossier.
Tribunal d'Instance, rue de Tarragone, some paid parking available on the street. Enter, go through security, turn right up a half-flight of stairs, go to the 4th door on the right. Sign in on the sheet, and wait (do not knock or open door). We waited less than 5 minutes.
At the tribunal office, we gave the items we had, as the clerk asked for them. She checked some of the information on her government network. She didn't need the extra things we brought. But she did need more:
- Our French Marriage certificate (< 3 months old)
- Copy+orig livret de famille
- Copy+orig Julie's Titre de Séjour
- French Taxes for the previous year (2018 avis d'imposition)
She asked a few questions, such as why we needed the CNF (so Julie could apply for nationality), how long have been married, and how long we have lived in France. She asked if Rick's mother became French, and confirmed with us that his father had not rescinded his nationality.
She said that 27 years of marriage - that's a long time to wait to apply for nationality. I said that abroad, the certificate of french nationality is difficult and takes a long time. She said that if you already have a French birth certificate, it is much faster! We didn't talk more about that (that is, having to provide more generations of information). At the end, she gave us the documents back, along with her list. We are to keep that until we have the rest, then bring everything back in. But she said not to worry! Once we submit everything needed, it should take 6 weeks to arrive.

August 21 - ordered 2 copies of our French marriage certificate and 2 copies of Rick's French birth certificate, all from Nantes. Wait time is 7 weeks. (October 9)

October 9 - expect marriage certificate. No, everything is backed up - even more!

October 24 - marriage certificate arrived! So did Rick's birth certificate! But just one copy... And, it's Thursday. So, we must wait till next week to go back to the tribunal.

October 30 - this morning, we drove into Montpellier to submit the updated dossier. We went through a different person, who went through everything again, and took the dossier! She did say that we might be called to add Rick's mother's birth certificate. Barring that, it will now take about 2 months (it's getting longer, just like everything else). We will be notified by mail when it's ready, then we go back to pick it up.

Wait 2 months for CNF (~December 30)

December 26 - the tribunal called - Rick's CNF is ready! We made an appointment for January 2nd!

January 2 - we got to the tribunal in plenty of time, signed in, and went in. Rick showed his ID card, and the agent led us through the certificate. She remembered that the reason he wanted it was so I could apply for nationality, and she explained some of the next steps for that. She stressed that I should include the photocopy, not the original, of the CNF when I mail my dossier. I would show them the original during the interview. The CNF is good for life, but to get another one, he would have to go through the same process.

Only now, anyone needing a CNF (from Montpellier) has to call for an appointment

Sign posted at tribunal

~~~
Official government website for CNF:
https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1051

Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions

It's Christmas Day, and here in France I continued a little Christmas tradition by having a pancake breakfast :-)

In our English conversation workshop, we recently discussed holiday traditions, and some very interesting ones came up!

• Christmas Dinner - in the Southwest of France, this means foie gras and confit de figues, followed by a stuffed guinea fowl, mushroom fricassee, and gratin dauphinois. (Muriel)
• Yule Log - while this is now a cake decorated as a log, its roots (ahem) are in the middle ages, where an actual log was burned on Christmas Eve. This log was soaked in oil, wine, and salt, and burned completely. This kept the devil away for the entire year. (Michel C)
• Advent - the days leading up to Christmas are marked by opening a little door of an advent calendar. Behind each "day" was a surprise, sometimes a picture, sometimes a piece of chocolate. On each of the 4 Sundays before Christmas, advent candles are lit. These candles are usually part of a wreath. On the first Sunday, only one candle is lit. The next Sunday, the first candle is relit, as well as the second candle. This continues through the fourth Sunday. (Renate, from Germany)
• Aniane - this is a feast of leftovers! 3 days after Christmas, all the food remaining from the feasting is mixed and cooked inside a large loaf of bread. This dish is known as La Croustade, or Ragoût d'Escoubilles. "Escoubille" is Occitan for garbage... (Michel M)
• Nadalet - An Occitan word for "Little Christmas," the Nadalet took place in the 7 days before Christmas. This was a tradition of earlier generations, that survived at least through the 1950's, but is little-known today. This is what was done, by Françoise's grandmother: Seven days before Christmas, she lit a fire in the fireplace, using a branch of vinewood. Once it was strongly burning, she extinguished the fire, then, taking the still-smoking branch, she sketched the sign of the cross in each room of the house. She repeated this each day, using the same branch. Then, on Christmas Day, she built the fire as before, but let it burn completely.