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Multiple Passports Question

Multiple Passports Question

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Old Feb 17th 2013, 6:00 pm
  #1  
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Default Multiple Passports Question

I posted something about this a while ago on this forum and got some great information. Now I am moving forward with this, I need a little help please!
I was born & raised in England until I was 14, when I moved to the USA (step-father is American, mother re-married), and now I am a naturalized citizen.
My father is half French, and I, as his son, was on his passport (literally, there was a little photo of me in his French passport) until I was a certain age as a child.
I currently have a British & USA passports.
I am heading back to England in April for a few months. My questions are:
(1) As us UK passport holder, I can live & work with no problems, correct?
(2) I would like to get a French passport. Do I need to pass any sort of test, will I be required to speak French, and will there be any obligations (specifically, national service)? Obviously, I am not a French citizen, so how does that work? Am I still eligible?
I'm not very familiar with the rules as far as passports are concerned. Will I just be required to go to the embassy and apply for my French passport? I know it's not a necessity by any means, but it could be useful.
Thanks for any help!
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Old Feb 17th 2013, 7:21 pm
  #2  
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Not as a UK passport holder, as a UK citizen. Lots of UK citizens live and work in the UK without holding a UK passport.

Regards, JEff

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
(1) As us UK passport holder, I can live & work with no problems, correct?
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Old Feb 17th 2013, 8:13 pm
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
(1) As us UK passport holder, I can live & work with no problems, correct?
Yes, but - as Jeff notes - it's not because you have a UK passport.


(2) I would like to get a French passport.
I suggest you ask in a forum geared to France.

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Old Feb 17th 2013, 11:14 pm
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

One wonders why you think you would need to possess a French passport, when a 'UK' passport is valid for you to live and work in France anyway, since it's in the EU area.

Unless having French citizenship allows you to live and work in areas that presenting a UK passport would not? Maybe somewhere in Africa?
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Old Feb 18th 2013, 2:15 am
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
Obviously, I am not a French citizen
Why not? If your father was (half) French, you could be a citizen by descent.
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Old Feb 18th 2013, 2:47 am
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
(1) As us UK passport holder, I can live & work with no problems, correct?
Correct.

(2) I would like to get a French passport. Do I need to pass any sort of test, will I be required to speak French, and will there be any obligations (specifically, national service)? Obviously, I am not a French citizen, so how does that work? Am I still eligible?
This is not a question for a forum which deals with immigration and visas to the USA.

Rene
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Old Feb 18th 2013, 3:05 am
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
and will there be any obligations (specifically, national service)?
Just FYI, France ended military conscription in 1996.
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Old Feb 21st 2013, 3:48 am
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by jeffreyhy
Not as a UK passport holder, as a UK citizen. Lots of UK citizens live and work in the UK without holding a UK passport.

Regards, JEff
Just so we're clear, since I have a UK passport, I can legally live and work in London without issue, correct?
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Old Feb 21st 2013, 4:50 am
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
Just so we're clear, since I have a UK passport, I can legally live and work in London without issue, correct?
Whether you have a passport or not, you can live and work in the UK because you are a citizen of the UK.
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Old Feb 21st 2013, 5:28 am
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by Dorothy
Whether you have a passport or not, you can live and work in the UK because you are a citizen of the UK.
I think there is a misunderstanding. Having a passport is evidence of being a citizen, but being a citizen is a requirement for getting a passport
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Old Feb 21st 2013, 6:59 pm
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
Just so we're clear, since I have a UK passport, I can legally live and work in London without issue, correct?
Eliminate the word "passport" from your questions.

The passport(s) do(es) not give you the right to live and/or work in the UK. Your citizenship is what gives you that right.

You cannot get a passport without being a citizen of the country you are trying to get a passport from.

You have a British passport because you are a US Citizen.

You can only get a French passport if you are a French citizen. Check to see if you are one because your dad was a French citizen and might have been able to pass that citizen to you as his child.
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Old Feb 21st 2013, 7:03 pm
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by Rete
Eliminate the word "passport" from your questions.

The passport(s) do(es) not give you the right to live and/or work in the UK. Your citizenship is what gives you that right.

You cannot get a passport without being a citizen of the country you are trying to get a passport from.

You have a British passport because you are a US Citizen.

You can only get a French passport if you are a French citizen. Check to see if you are one because your dad was a French citizen and might have been able to pass that citizen to you as his child.
I have a British passport because I am a US citizen? Just to shed some clarity here, I have a British passport. Though I am a US citizen, I am still also considered a UK citizen even though I haven't lived there in over 10 years. Therefore, I can live and work in the UK with no problems. Correct?
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Old Feb 21st 2013, 7:10 pm
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
I have a British passport because I am a US citizen? Just to shed some clarity here, I have a British passport. Though I am a US citizen, I am still also considered a UK citizen even though I haven't lived there in over 10 years. Therefore, I can live and work in the UK with no problems. Correct?
Once a British Citizen, always a British Citizen (almost) abode is not necessary.
I assume you have not been doing any bomb plots? That would get it taken away.
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Old Feb 21st 2013, 8:00 pm
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Default Re: Multiple Passports Question

Originally Posted by handslikesecrets
I have a British passport because I am a US citizen? Just to shed some clarity here, I have a British passport. Though I am a US citizen, I am still also considered a UK citizen even though I haven't lived there in over 10 years. Therefore, I can live and work in the UK with no problems. Correct?
I think Rete meant to write "UK citizen" not "US citizen".

Look in your British passport. Go to the data page, the one with your name and photo etc, and look for the entry under "Nationality". If it says "BRITISH CITIZEN", which it almost certainly will, then yes, you can live and work in the UK. The UK does not care if you have any other citizenship.
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