Originally Posted by clothmama

I'm so glad it looks like you may be OK!

I have just spent the last week researching this same thing to try to get my hubby a French passport (we all have Aussie / UK ones). I thought I'd share my findings if anyone reads this thread and has similar circumstances.

My MIL (his Mum) is French, born there, raised there, lived there until she was in her 30's. She married my FIL (a brit) at the time where the British were forcing women to give up there nationality to become British. My mother fell into the same few years where this was the case and found it so traumatic having to vow to be a good Australian when we returned to Oz as she had been born and breed here and considered herself nothing but . So when DH was born his mother wasn't French. She has now got her French nationality back. We lived and had both our kids over there and DH considers himself more French than English having spent most of his adult life there on and off. Now we are considering returning early next year and thought it best if he got his passport but unfortunately it isn't possible as she wasnt' French when he was born (although frustratingly we could provide the birth certificate, our own personal families Livret de Famille etc wonder if it is worth a try and hope they don't notice her lapse in Frenchness )

Originally Posted by clothmama

My MIL (his Mum) is French, born there, raised there, lived there until she was in her 30's. She married my FIL (a brit) at the time where the British were forcing women to give up there nationality to become British. My mother fell into the same few years where this was the case and found it so traumatic having to vow to be a good Australian when we returned to Oz as she had been born and breed here and considered herself nothing but. So when DH was born his mother wasn't French. She has now got her French nationality back.

Originally Posted by JAJ

Britain never required this. Prior to 1949, foreign women marrying British men automatically became British, and this may have caused loss of French citizenship at the time. Laws have changed since then. But perhaps research more how your mother in law became British in the first place, and whether she ever really lost her French citizenship.

Originally Posted by clothmama

Are you sure about that?? Seems odd that my MIL and mother had exactly the same story seperately from the same period very late 60's early 70's. Apparently it was only a very brief period of time about 3 years as it was such a silly rule. Where would I find out if this wasn't actually the case?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

I'd suggest you just have.

My MIL was married to an Englishman in 1950. She never became a British citizen and remained French (with a French, and later an EU passport) until her passing in 2011.

JAJ knows of what he speaks.

Originally Posted by clothmama

He does sound very knowledgeable but he has said it was never the case which means that my MIL gave up her French and my mother her Aussie citizenship at around the same time for no reason whilst apparently being told the same law unknown to each other and in totally different areas of the UK

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

I don't claim to be any relevant sort of expert, but in a decade on this forum, I've learned to trust JAJ's expertise in these matters.

I think I can assure you from my own limited knowledge of these things that in the late sixties or early seventies there was no way that your relatives were compelled to give up their French citizenship as far as the UK was concerned. But on the Aussie bit I claim total ignorance.

Originally Posted by Chatter Static

Do the French even have the facilities to give up citizenship gained by birth? Doesn't that create the possibilities of becoming a citizen of nowhere which is all a bit chicken and egg.

Originally Posted by clothmama

He does sound very knowledgeable but he has said it was never the case which means that my MIL gave up her French and my mother her Aussie citizenship at around the same time for no reason whilst apparently being told the same law unknown to each other and in totally different areas of the UK

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

As said, no expert, but I believe it is possible to renounce French citizenship. It would be rather foolish for anyone to do so if they weren't eligible for (indeed already in possession of) an alternative.

Originally Posted by Novocastrian

I think I can assure you from my own limited knowledge of these things that in the late sixties or early seventies there was no way that your relatives were compelled to give up their French citizenship as far as the UK was concerned.