# Using CNF to add birth to French register (born UK) as an adult



## Elty

I was born and live in the UK. My mother is French but I was not registered at the consulate at birth, so after the Brexit vote applied for my CNF. After a very lengthy application process I received it in January 2020.

When I collected it I was advised to apply to have my birth added to the French register, before applying for a passport/ID card. 

Does anyone know where I need to apply (Nantes?), and how to go about this?

Thank you in advance

Elty


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## jacqui12345

Elty said:


> I was born and live in the UK. My mother is French but I was not registered at the consulate at birth, so after the Brexit vote applied for my CNF. After a very lengthy application process I received it in January 2020.
> 
> When I collected it I was advised to apply to have my birth added to the French register, before applying for a passport/ID card.
> 
> Does anyone know where I need to apply (Nantes?), and how to go about this?
> 
> Thank you in advance
> 
> Elty


I believe you apply through your consulate (London) to have your brith recorded in Nantes. although if you are trying to get a French passport I have read opposing information - some saying you can use a CNF and British translated brirth certificate to get the passport (and skip the birth certificate stage), but also some sites say you must first have an act de naissance and take this to the London consulate to get a passport. 

ill be interested to follow this thread as I am the stage behind you - about to send off my first dossier for my CNS (born and live in scotland to a French mother and a Scottish father).. how long did it take you to get the CNF? and what were the issues along the way??? (just so I can be as prepared as possible)!


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## Elty

jacqui12345 said:


> I believe you apply through your consulate (London) to have your brith recorded in Nantes. although if you are trying to get a French passport I have read opposing information - some saying you can use a CNF and British translated brirth certificate to get the passport (and skip the birth certificate stage), but also some sites say you must first have an act de naissance and take this to the London consulate to get a passport.
> 
> ill be interested to follow this thread as I am the stage behind you - about to send off my first dossier for my CNS (born and live in scotland to a French mother and a Scottish father).. how long did it take you to get the CNF? and what were the issues along the way??? (just so I can be as prepared as possible)!


Thanks for your response. I think the reason it was suggested I start by getting myself added to the French register of births is that when you get the CNF you just get that one copy, and if you lose it you have to go through the whole process again - they don't keep a record/reissue it. So my understanding (which may be wrong) was that my adding myself to the register it means the CNF is not the only way I can prove my French Nationality, which seems reassuring. I've so far struggled to find info online about how to get myself added to the register though (i.e. who to write to/ is there a form to fill in etc.). My next step will probably be to contact the Consulate in London and see if they can advise. But if anyone else has experience of this process I would be grateful for advice.

In terms of the reasons my CNF took so long... At some point after I first submitted it the information on the ambafrance website was updated, and the location in Paris where it was being dealt with changed. Although I didn't have to resubmit my application, I think this delayed it, and I also think some of the requirements may have changed slightly (but I'm not certain of this). The rest of the delay came from being asked for additional documents relating to one side of my French grandparents and great grandparents (I'm not 100% sure now if this was my oversight initially or whether it wasn't stated as a requirement on to provide details of all sets of maternal grandparents and great grandparents) Similarly I was asked for my British father's birth certificate with a certified translation (I don't recall the certified translation being a requirement when I first submitted my application, but may be wrong...) The certified translation was a bit complicated to organise as they gave me a very short period to provide it and it had to be done in France. Finally they asked me to send some passport photos, which I think was the sign that they had decided to grant it, as I got a letter telling me to come and collect the Certificate relatively soon after.


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## Elty

Elty said:


> Thanks for your response. I think the reason it was suggested I start by getting myself added to the French register of births is that when you get the CNF you just get that one copy, and if you lose it you have to go through the whole process again - they don't keep a record/reissue it. So my understanding (which may be wrong) was that my adding myself to the register it means the CNF is not the only way I can prove my French Nationality, which seems reassuring. I've so far struggled to find info online about how to get myself added to the register though (i.e. who to write to/ is there a form to fill in etc.). My next step will probably be to contact the Consulate in London and see if they can advise. But if anyone else has experience of this process I would be grateful for advice.
> 
> In terms of the reasons my CNF took so long... At some point after I first submitted it the information on the ambafrance website was updated, and the location in Paris where it was being dealt with changed. Although I didn't have to resubmit my application, I think this delayed it, and I also think some of the requirements may have changed slightly (but I'm not certain of this). The rest of the delay came from being asked for additional documents relating to one side of my French grandparents and great grandparents (I'm not 100% sure now if this was my oversight initially or whether it wasn't stated as a requirement on to provide details of all sets of maternal grandparents and great grandparents) Similarly I was asked for my British father's birth certificate with a certified translation (I don't recall the certified translation being a requirement when I first submitted my application, but may be wrong...) The certified translation was a bit complicated to organise as they gave me a very short period to provide it and it had to be done in France. Finally they asked me to send some passport photos, which I think was the sign that they had decided to grant it, as I got a letter telling me to come and collect the Certificate relatively soon after.


The whole process took approx. 2 years


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