separating in France, advice needed

[onlyasking]

name changed obviously. been living in France for 10 years and not worked outside the home in that time apart from english classes on the black. my DH, who is not french but European, has been the sole breadwinner during this time. We have 3 DC. Been having alot of problems between us lately and realised I do not know my options on separation here in France.

I do not exist here really, I am listed on his carte vitale, his mutelle, his social security number etc. If we split up I know in the UK i could expect to receive child maintenence etc but would I be entitled to here. I stopped working to move abroad for his work and naturally he has progressed well while I seem to have become completely dependent without noticing.

Feeling very ignorant and stupid. We have just moved and have a big mortgage, could not sell at the moment, can not afford for him to move out. Although I speak good french my written is terrible and only worked in offices in the uk. Just feeling a bit trapped and what to know realistically what my options are.

[Greythorne]

Sorry to hear this.

Where did you get married? France or England? Do you know your marital régime?

Would you want shared residency of the DC?

Who owns the house?

[onlyasking]

married in the uk. we both own the house and the minimum for me is shared residency. I am so naive.

[tb]

Think your default marriage regime also depends on where you set up home after you were married, as this can alter it.

If you married in the UK, and then lived there, only coming to France some years after, you would be considered to be married under 'separation de biens' ie everything you each owned before the marriage would be your separate property. Sorry, can't remember what happens to things acquired during a marriage.

We had been married quite a long time when we moved, and have since had a marriage contract in France so that we have 'communaute de biens' as in the UK.

Think your best bet would be to google 'marriage regimes' or to have a look on a site like 'dossier familiale' as some time ago the magazine had articles on the ratification of marriages under the Hague convention.