One of our neighbors needed a new computer so Bill and I decided to order one for her as a gift  and have it delivered to our house. In reality, it was a practical decision since it would fall to Bill to set everything up and then explain how to use it, so getting it sent directly to our home was going to be the easier option. The leading seller of electronics and appliances in France has a store in Carcassonne but the specific computer that we wanted for our neighbor was only available from their online catalog. Two days after placing that order, we were anticipating the delivery and as expected the mailman arrived at our front door but something was clearly wrong since he waved  to us with the box in his hand as if it weighed nothing.

When you become a naturalized French citizen, there are some opportunities open to you that were not available before, even as a long-term resident. There’s access to civil service jobs, freedom to move to and work in any other member country of the European Union, and no need to renew a residency card. You also get to vote in city, departmental, regional, and national elections plus for the European parliament. It was a year ago when I earned the status of being français and later today I’ll be exercising that very important right of voting for the first time—except technically it will be for the second time.

Out of context, if you’d heard today’s blog post title abruptly spoken it might seem that somebody was in big trouble much like a police officer asking for your driver’s license and car registration. However, for those who’ve recently become French citizens, this trio (and more) represents the official welcome package to their new national identity. In June 2021 I submitted my request to become French and in February 2025 my wish was granted. Immediately I applied for the documents mentioned above and within a month they were in my possession. Still, I was hoping for an official ceremony and, sure enough, the invitation for that arrived a month ago, summoning me to the Préfecture (federal building) last week.

You might say Franco-American but that reminds me of a spaghetti product from days gone by so I think I’ll stick with French and American. Once you have lived continuously in France for 5 years you can apply for citizenship and you wait several months to see if your application will be accepted. With that accomplished, you then wait a year or 3 or 5, depending on where in the country you live, to be summoned to an interview by an immigration officer who must confirm that you are integrated into French society. A few months after that, assuming everything goes as planned, your name appears in the Journal Officiel (the US version would be the Congressional Record) and “suddenly” you’re French.