ID/Passport question - how to proceed

[Echobelly]

I have an au pair candidate I really like but... her French citizenship application is still going through. She's from South America and has lived in France since she was a child but says she is in latter stages of citizenship application. Her ID card should arrive in 1-2 weeks according to her, but passport would take longer.

It sounds like one can travel within the EU on a French ID card - does anyone know if that would for some reason be insufficient to make her legit as an au pair? We'd want her to start by the beginning of next month (though I could wait a week if necessary)

Obviously, we're not going to offer her unless and until we see that ID, and obviously I am aware that she might be being optimistic of the time taken to get things through.

Things have been quite slow on the finding an au pair front, it's a 'seller's market', so I'm inclined to keep her on the back burner rather than offering and look for other people, so if things don't come through in time we have someone, and she might be a backup in a few weeks if there are any issues.

I'm no lawyer, but I think she'd be eligible to work as soon as her citizenship came through - you'd need to check the wording on her ID card though. Right to work in the UK is a right for any EU citizen.

I think the main issue would be that she would be unable to get into the UK without a passport though? The ID card alone wouldn't be sufficient to get through passport control.

If she seems good, maybe offer her for after Christmas and then get someone short term to fill the gap.

Looks like you can use it to travel within the EU. uk.ambafrance.org/The-National-Identity-Card-CNIS Thought that might be the case as our last au pair (Spanish) left his passport here! He's visiting in a few weeks and will pick it up then.

I'm wondering about asking her if she has any paperwork to show it's going through, or that she's been accepted for citizenship

We are speaking to another Spanish chap, so I think it might be a matter of what husband thinks of each one, as he's not spoken to them yet.

Is it for a right to work check? There is a full list on the gov website for what you can accept.

Sorry if that isn't what you mean.

under proper ID card is enough to travel. Lots of EU citizens travel on their ID card.

DH, being very pedantic, is saying 'But does having an ID card mean you are a French citizen'? As far as I can tell the CNI can be used as proof of nationality, which I take to mean it you have to be a citizen to have it, though I worry DH will just say 'It just says can be, so maybe they're not a guarantee of a citizen. I'm trying to find something online that says clearly you have to a French citizen to have one.

It will say what the status is on it I think.

DH feels like I do about Spanish guy - that he's OK, but no more than that, though we may have to offer him if he is our best bet, as we'd really like it sorted before we go away in a week and a half (although we can potentially keep up our hunt while there)

I think DH will like this French/Brazilian girl, and if she would take us up, maybe plan to improvise first week or two of term to allow extra time just in case things take longer than we expect.

Here's the relevant bit of the Govt website regarding document checks

www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk

The French ID card (when she has it) confers the right to work in the UK at the moment - after March 29 2019, things will change and she will probably need to apply for permission to remain in the UK. It's not entirely clear yet how au pairs will be treated under the new rules

Yes, well it's all up in the air. Odds are no one has even thought about au pairs yet. I'm just hoping there will be a transition period after that during which things will stay the same for a while.

My guess is afterwards at worst we'll have to jump through hoops and pay £££ for visas, at best we may have to fill something in online and pay a smallish fee for it.

That's interesting about the ID card allowing access through passport control.

our current au pair will leave at the end if this year (unless I can convince her to stay on a few months). Usually I'd start looking for someone in September but unless they have a UK passport or are from a country which allows Tier 5 Working VISAs i don't know how I can offer to someone until the EU situation is sorted.

DH has spoken to both now and didn't seem to have a strong feeling about nearly-French lass either, which is a bit unhelpful.

She has a friend who's been through the process and said at the stage she's at now, her ID should be through in 1-2 weeks. She was honest and said she couldn't guarantee starting at the start of term, and my guess is if we offer her I should prepare to cover the first couple of weeks of term to give time for her to get it and make travel arrangements.

I am inclined to offer her to see if she would take us up, and then if she says no, go to the Spanish lad, as he wants to know tomorrow, as has another offer, but prefers us. But if DH does say on balance he'd go for the lad, I'll do that. The girl with have no problem once she has her citizenship finding a host family.

Interesting to read that EU citizens are already being discriminated against at this level, well before Brexit.