OK. I have till Wednesday to decide what to do.

I have this idea of applying for French nationality to protect the possibility of staying for ten more years to work at planting this church in Bordeaux.
We can apply for French nationality without relinquishing our British citizenship.

To apply you have to get your birth and marriage certificates translated by an official translater, you have to demonstrate that you have lived in France for five years by your electricity bills and tax statements, and you have to demonstrate a certain level of competence in French.

Two options exist for showing your competence in French. Either you have an interview at the préfecture (and you have to have an interview anyway) or you present a certificate called DELF level B1. 

I was delighted to learn that the DELF exams are administrated by our favourite phonetics teacher at the DEFLE, so I emailed her this morning. The next sessions of DELF B1 are next year, but the higher level B2 takes place the third week of July and I have till Wednesday to sign up for it. 

It costs 130€.
The sample papers on the internet are tough, but not impossible.
I think I'd pass.

Do I go for it?

Comments

Unknown said…
Go for it Alan, what have you got to lose. You might even get on the French Pension ladder!!!
5:03 pm
Chris said…
After 10 years are you not nudging into C2, Alan... :) :)
9:47 am
Alan said…
You're very kind, but already the B2 is pretty difficult, it's more than I need for naturalisation, and it takes place in the next few weeks. So maybe.
9:50 am
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