Last Friday I went to the police station! yes, I received a convocation from the Police department. I was really stressing out before the meeting. When I received the letter the date was wrong, it was written Thursday 18th of September. I called to check if the date was right and they admitted over the phone that the policeman was distracted and the meeting was actually scheduled on April 18th. They asked once again for documents and identity cards. My husband came also. It took 20 minutes and the poliman was dressed casually without his uniform. I admit, my first encounter with a police officier was stressful, but since he wasn't in uniform I felt more at ease.
I had to bring my "lettre de motivation" (motivation letter), describing my journey since the day I first arrived in France, jobs and school. I didn't know what to write, so I googled and found some examples. I had to search a little on the appartments I lived in France, etc. The interview was casual, he asked for my papers from the start, then proceeded to ask me questions on my life in France. He tried not to ask too much private questions, must the subject of having (or not) children came up as I was expecting it, the activities that I do with my spouse, and how we met. Then, we felt enough at ease to ask him questions on the process. We were wondering why he needed all those documents since I have already submitted them to the Préfecture, a couple of months ago. He said that it is a way to see if the person is motivated enough for naturalization process. He prepared his speech for a person who is from C a m b o d i a, but he was surprised that I was actually Canadian. He immediatly changed his interview and was more casual. Usually he interviews people who have difficulties speaking French. Then he gives me an approuval opinion (avis favorable). He said you speak French fluently, have a job, you are not a difficult case, plus you come from North America. He told us that people from North Africa are easily granted French citizenship, due to their mutual past history. The ones who have more difficulties are from Eastern Europe, even if they speak French fluently, they have more difficulties to gather documents for their naturalization dossier. Another important question was "what motivates me to ask for citizenship". I did not say that is it because I didn't want to stand in line for hours at the Préfecture to renew my carte de séjour. I just said I wanted to be more part of this country, since I've been living here for a while and that I wanted to vote. I don't know if they will grant me citizenship, but the hardest part was to gather all the documents they wanted. I don't know what is next, I think the Préfecture will send my dossier to the Interior Ministry and will start to examine my application.
I had to bring my "lettre de motivation" (motivation letter), describing my journey since the day I first arrived in France, jobs and school. I didn't know what to write, so I googled and found some examples. I had to search a little on the appartments I lived in France, etc. The interview was casual, he asked for my papers from the start, then proceeded to ask me questions on my life in France. He tried not to ask too much private questions, must the subject of having (or not) children came up as I was expecting it, the activities that I do with my spouse, and how we met. Then, we felt enough at ease to ask him questions on the process. We were wondering why he needed all those documents since I have already submitted them to the Préfecture, a couple of months ago. He said that it is a way to see if the person is motivated enough for naturalization process. He prepared his speech for a person who is from C a m b o d i a, but he was surprised that I was actually Canadian. He immediatly changed his interview and was more casual. Usually he interviews people who have difficulties speaking French. Then he gives me an approuval opinion (avis favorable). He said you speak French fluently, have a job, you are not a difficult case, plus you come from North America. He told us that people from North Africa are easily granted French citizenship, due to their mutual past history. The ones who have more difficulties are from Eastern Europe, even if they speak French fluently, they have more difficulties to gather documents for their naturalization dossier. Another important question was "what motivates me to ask for citizenship". I did not say that is it because I didn't want to stand in line for hours at the Préfecture to renew my carte de séjour. I just said I wanted to be more part of this country, since I've been living here for a while and that I wanted to vote. I don't know if they will grant me citizenship, but the hardest part was to gather all the documents they wanted. I don't know what is next, I think the Préfecture will send my dossier to the Interior Ministry and will start to examine my application.
I can't believe they make you write a lettre de motiv'...! Please tell me you didn't have to submit a handwritten copy (French loooove graphology...)?
ReplyDeleteI didn't write it by hand. The policeman told me he only wants to knows if I can write in French without help, even asked if I wrote it myself. Geez.
DeleteWhat are you supposed to answer if you don't want children? Do you think that a negative answer could be used against you?
ReplyDeleteI suppose that the only thing to do if they ask is to lie and say no because obviously they are looking for an affirmative reply. This really bothers me - having to be forced to lie to give them what they want when the answer of that question should have no bearing on the result of your application.
Anyways, good luck on the rest of your dossier. I really do think that you'll be successful.
The policeman really tried to not ask private questions, but the children subject was brought up and I said casually that at my age, I felt too old and would not have enough energy to raise a child. He didn't really care about us not having kids, he said he didn't have children either. I think he really wants to know if this is not a marriage of convenience. La France n'a-t-elle pas le culte de la famille?
DeleteI think I was lucky to meet a policeman that was not rigid and who wasn't trying to trick me. Sadly, some people will have more difficulties because of their profile and lack of language skills. But mainly, the meeting was a way to know if I spoke French and was "integrated" in France. lol
That's promising news. Maybe the question about children has become outdated, but they still have to ask because they have to go through a checklist or something.
DeleteI'm glad that the policeman interviewing you wasn't too severe and that you felt that you could be honest with him.
Just wondering, are you part of any associations or clubs? It seems that they look for this kind of thing as well.
Yeah he did ask about that too. I said no, and he almost answered the rest for me, he said nobody has time now to be part of an association and this is really another way to know if I was integrated, if I didn't work and didn't speak French. They must have a checklist and ask the usual questions. Last time when I was granted the 10 year visa, the fonctionnaire asked me more about France, who was the interior minister and the devises of france.
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