French nationality - validating état-civil docs - what next?

[EmGee]

We applied for French nationality last July and have recently had correspondance with Nantes re the validation of our état-civil documents (birth/marriage certificates in French). We were asked to check them, provide one or two extra documents and then heard back via email that the agent has 'validated' them.

What happens now? I am assuming this means that our dossier was accepted and they are creating our new French birth/marriage certificates? Do they post them to us and does that mean we have French nationality??

Have you had a gendarme visit yet? Or an interview at the prefecture? Both need to happen before it goes up to Paris for approval. Now your documents have been approved it should take 18 months.

We had the interview there and then last year when we submitted the dossier at the Prefecture. We were told it was all complete and that we would hear within 12-18 months; they would contact us if they needed anything, and we weren't to contact them for at least 12 months. No need for a visit from the gendarme as it is naturalisation par décret (not through marriage)

Ours was by décret as well. We still had a visit from the gendarme and an hour long interview which is scheduled after the dossier has been validated. You get an official letter signed by the interior minister. Until then you are not French.

Good luck.

I got my new French birth certificate in a pile of documents given during a lovely ceremony. You need the birth certificate to prove your French nationality.

To my knowledge, you won't get a new marriage certificate.

You do get a new marriage certificate.

Just to update - we have acquired French nationality as of start of Sept this year. We received the letter from the Ministere de l’Interieur the other day. Now we just have to wait to hear from the Prefecture re new documents and ceremony.

We did not need

Sorry posted too soon. No interview needed with the gendarme.

Congratulations!!