# French national moving to France for the first time



## Franco-Belgian Brit

All these recent moving to France threads throwing up questions about EU/non-EU partners and the admin that goes with it all have thrown up some questions in my mind. Am I unique or has anyone else seen my situation?

I have dual nationality (Brit-French). For administrative purposes, I am regarded as French here in Belgium as I registered as French for my ID card here (changed from British after Brexit vote).

When I move to France, it will be the first time residing there. Now, as a French citizen, I have the right to reside but never having lived there before, will I have to go through the same procedure as any other EU citizen?


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## BackinFrance

Franco-Belgian Brit said:


> All these recent moving to France threads throwing up questions about EU/non-EU partners and the admin that goes with it all have thrown up some questions in my mind. Am I unique or has anyone else seen my situation?
> 
> I have dual nationality (Brit-French). For administrative purposes, I am regarded as French here in Belgium as I registered as French for my ID card here (changed from British after Brexit vote).
> 
> When I move to France, it will be the first time residing there. Now, as a French citizen, I have the right to reside but never having lived there before, will I have to go through the same procedure as any other EU citizen?


No.


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## Nunthewiser

No. You are subject to French nationality law. It's a different animal than the process faced by an EU citizen (like me , US/IT) exercising his/her treaty rights.


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## zarathustra

I once met a guy from the deep south who was interested in buying my house at the time. His wife was American and I assumed he was too, but turned out his parents were French, but working in the air force so they traveled and lived all over the world, but most of his life had been in the US. Although he was technically French, and fluent in the language, culturally he was American and had no experience of living in France.

I think you're in a fortunate position - you'll have none of the aggravation, beyond the everyday bureaucracy, in moving to France.


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## Franco-Belgian Brit

Thanks for the answers.

Just the wife who has to jump through hoops then


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## Bevdeforges

Yup - and unless she has an EU nationality (other than French) she'll need a visa. The good news, however, is that the visa for the spouse of a French national is probably the closest thing to an "automatic" visa that there is.


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## Franco-Belgian Brit

Bevdeforges said:


> Yup - and unless she has an EU nationality (other than French) she'll need a visa. The good news, however, is that the visa for the spouse of a French national is probably the closest thing to an "automatic" visa that there is.


She has Belgian nationality (as well as British)


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## Bevdeforges

If she has Belgian nationality, then she's good to go with basically no hoops to jump through. (If there is a national i.d. card for Belgium, she won't even have to bother with getting a carte de séjour.)


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## Franco-Belgian Brit

Bevdeforges said:


> If she has Belgian nationality, then she's good to go with basically no hoops to jump through. (If there is a national i.d. card for Belgium, she won't even have to bother with getting a carte de séjour.)


ID card is compulsory in Belgium


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## Nunthewiser

Bevdeforges said:


> If she has Belgian nationality, then she's good to go with basically no hoops to jump through. (If there is a national i.d. card for Belgium, she won't even have to bother with getting a carte de séjour.)


To the best of my knowledge , EU citizens (I am US/IT dual) don't need national ID cards to reside in France. An EU passport should do, though it certainly would be inconvenient to carry around. Whenever I finally surface in France, I only have my IT passport, as IT national ID cards are not issued from US consulates. I will try to get one from the IT consulate in Paris eventually (more fun- an extra bureaucracy to deal with).


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## Bevdeforges

Nunthewiser said:


> EU citizens (I am US/IT dual) don't need national ID cards to reside in France.


Oh, that's true - no problem. But in those circumstances where you are asked to show i.d. in France, they generally expect either a national i.d. card or a carte de séjour (if you're a foreigner). For EU nationals, the national i.d. card is just as valid as a French i.d. Most folks aren't keen to have to carry their passports around with them for day-to-day use.


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## Nunthewiser

Bevdeforges said:


> Oh, that's true - no problem. But in those circumstances where you are asked to show i.d. in France, they generally expect either a national i.d. card or a carte de séjour (if you're a foreigner). For EU nationals, the national i.d. card is just as valid as a French i.d. Most folks aren't keen to have to carry their passports around with them for day-to-day use.


I have heard of carrying around a copy of one's passport, but I doubt that's legal. Also, leaving a passport at one's apartment or home doesn't strike me as safe either.


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## BackinFrance

Nunthewiser said:


> I have heard of carrying around a copy of one's passport, but I doubt that's legal. Also, leaving a passport at one's apartment or home doesn't strike me as safe either.


There are places in France where (in non Covid times) it is safer to leave all your ID at home). Perhaps now you could carry it in one of those little security bags you carry close to your body.


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## 255

@Franco-Belgian Brit -- Although not required, as a citizen of Belgium, I'd recommend your wife obtain a French carte de séjour. This will help facilitate any future unknown changes (Brexit) and will codify her taking French citizenship, if for whatever reason, she hasn't already applied for it, as your spouse. Cheers, 255


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## Franco-Belgian Brit

255 said:


> @Franco-Belgian Brit -- Although not required, as a citizen of Belgium, I'd recommend your wife obtain a French carte de séjour. This will help facilitate any future unknown changes (Brexit) and will codify her taking French citizenship, if for whatever reason, she hasn't already applied for it, as your spouse. Cheers, 255


Yes, sounds like a good idea.


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