Multiple Passports Question
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 12
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!
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!
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,259
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?
Unless having French citizenship allows you to live and work in areas that presenting a UK passport would not? Maybe somewhere in Africa?
#6
Re: Multiple Passports Question
(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?
Rene
#10
Re: Multiple Passports Question
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
#11
Re: Multiple Passports Question
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.
#12
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 12
Re: Multiple Passports Question
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.
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.
#13
Re: Multiple Passports Question
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 assume you have not been doing any bomb plots? That would get it taken away.
#14
Re: Multiple Passports Question
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?
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.