French-Born Woman’s 40-Year Struggle for Citizenship Highlights Naturalization Challenges

Laïla’s parents left Morocco for France, more precisely in Sambre-Avesnois, long before she was born in 1980 in Maubeuge, reports la Voix du Nord. Since her birth, she has only known France and has studied there. At the age of 18, she obtained a resident card. "Nothing else was offered to me, I was young and I thought it was normal," she regrets today in the face of the difficulties she is going through to obtain French nationality without succeeding.

Every 10 years, Laïla has to renew her resident card application and pay 300 euros. At her place, everyone has French nationality, while she has to be content with the resident card. "Each time, I find myself at the sub-prefecture with all these people who have just arrived in France. It’s not logical."

In addition to French nationality, it is sometimes difficult for Laïla to obtain certain documents. For example, in 2019, she decided to enroll for training in the security field. She needed a criminal record that she provided, but which was rejected. "They told me they wanted a criminal record from Morocco - a country where I have only set foot once in my life, to spend a vacation. Is there a Maubeuge in Morocco? At one point, I started to doubt myself," Laïla confides.

The young woman came to wonder if she was really born in France. She does not understand with what determination the system that should protect her and offer her the necessary security is mistreating her. Yet she was born in France, grew up there and founded her home there. "I think they don’t take enough time to study my file," she regrets.

Now 41 years old, she sees her life go by without her, although she would like to study, take training courses to work somewhere other than a fast food restaurant, have the right to vote... A luxury she cannot afford without French nationality.