user11819

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to be posting on but i am absolutely losing my rag over this. I am applying for french citizenship by descent. I currently live in London, and my dad is french.

We don't have the best relationship but he agreed to provide the documents I needed for applying for french citizenship. The form I have to complete says that I have to provide my parents marriage certificate (divorce certificate in this case), my fathers french birth certificate, my french grandparents birth certificates and marriage certificate, my birth certificate, my mothers birth certificate and my british granparents birth certificates and marriage certificates. All must be translated and all have to be no less than three months old.

I tell my father I need these documents and he sends me what looks like a letter with some stamps and signatures, one letter, that lists the time and place of his birth, my french grandparents births and their marriage. Are these official documents are they acceptable by the french government? Obviously I don't have a lot of time in this window to apply so I'm desperately trying to get my documents sorted and the whole thing is a nightmare. Do I have to send original documents or are copies acceptable? If I send the package recorded delivery will I get it back from the french government?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated thank you!

dmu

Without actually seeing the "letters", they don't sound much like French Birth and Marriage Certificates to me. From memory, the Birth Certificates should be entitled "Extrait d'Acte de Naissance" and, in the left-hand margin, the marriages (and divorces) should be written by hand. The marriage certificate is entitled "Certificat de Mariage", and the Divorce Certificat is probably called "Jugement de Divorce". You must send the originals with your application (but make photocopies of them all).
For the documents in English, it is indeed a race against time and don't forget that you'll need a Certified Translation of them all made by a Traducteur Assermenté in order to be valid. Lists of these elite can be found in the Pages Jaunes, Commissariats, Tribunaux, and this may be a problem if you're in the UK... There again, you must send the original documents and translations with your application (and make photocopies for yourself).
Good luck! If it's any consolation, the time-line is even worse if you've got a personal deadline, e.g. marriage in France, but it's doable! (Well, I managed, anyway....)
P.S. They won't return any of the documents/translations, so make sure you make photocopies of everything

petitefrancaise

sounds like the OP has been sent a livret de famille - which I believe is an official document.

Can you check whether a livret de famille is acceptable?

dmu

I wondered that, but no, a Livret de Famille isn't acceptable, unfortunately. The OP's father must obtain the certificates from the Mairies of the various Communes where all the events (births/marriages) took place and, being French and knowing that all important official documents should be kept forever more, he should have the Jugement de Divorce to hand. If not he must get a copy from the Tribunal.
At least the OP can start acquiring the British documents and translations, hoping that he'll have received the French documents well before the 3-month limit. I do wish the him Bon Courage!