A French Passport: Cross the Bridge to French Citizenship With Galite Samama
Many French citizens in Israel are unaware of their rights and benefits. “To deal successfully with the French authorities, you must be familiar with the relevant regulations and laws, and the appropriate bodies,” says Galite Samama, a lawyer and mediator who specializes in this area
“Not all those entitled to French citizenship are aware of their rights,” says lawyer and mediator Galite Samama of Galite Administration Services in Ashdod. Fluent in Hebrew and French, with legal training in both Israel and France, Samama has been bringing such issues to the French authorities for over a decade. “Working in this area requires close knowledge of the pertinent rules and regulations, how to apply them and to whom to bring them,” she says. “I have this knowledge. My office handles the full range of issues. It can be something as small as correcting a clerical error that’s disrupted an application for a certificate of French citizenship. Or it may be giving administrative assistance to French immigrants in Israel and to Israelis with French roots with their French passports or citizenship. Or it may be about pensions for French senior citizens living in Israel.”
There are many ways to get a French passport
Five years ago, after more than a decade working in law firms in Jerusalem and Ashdod to get the French (European) citizenship of hundreds of clients recognized, Samama opened her own office. “Here, I’m able to provide clients with personal service, from A to Z, accompanying them throughout the entire process,” she says. “I use the broad experience I’ve gathered to ensure new immigrants from France receive their full rights both in Israel and from the French authorities. I also help veteran French immigrants in Israel with French bureaucracy — usually in updating personal status issues, such as marriage, children, divorce or death.”
There are two main paths along which Israelis obtain French citizenship — one through the French Embassy in Israel and the other through administrative petition to the French courts. Samama directs her clients to what is most appropriate for them. “The French government has recently become stricter in its granting of citizenship,” she notes, “but my professional knowledge enables me to deal with this, bypass difficulties, assess individual chances of success and assist throughout the process.”
By way of example, she cites the situation of couples in which one partner was a French citizen at the time of their marriage. “The marriage and subsequent births can be recognized through the French embassy, and personal status thus updated,” she says. “The children of such a marriage automatically have French citizenship, even if the marriage took place in outside Israel or France.” Once a marriage is listed in the French population register, the non-French spouse can apply for French citizenship, but marriage to a French citizen is not enough,” clarifies Samama. “Applicants must meet several other conditions, as well. I accompany them, and refer them, if necessary, to parties that help them meet these conditions.”
When it comes to citizenship for minors, she continues, and all conditions are met, success is almost certain. When, however, such children are older than 18 years, the French Embassy is not obliged to grant them citizenship. “I always suggest going ahead without delay, because applying to the French courts is complex,” she says. “Nor is success guaranteed: it relies on the evidence brought about the source of French citizenship and the discretion of the French Embassy in Israel. But it’s still worth trying.”
French citizenship can also be obtained through inheritance, before the court registrar in France. “There isn’t always sufficient documentation for such an application,” says Samama. “French origin and cultural connection to France must be proved so that it meets legal requirements. I perform an eligibility check for the client — examining their documents, looking for additional documentation with the French authorities, archival searches, ensuring that the evidence is less than 50 years old (after which it’s obsolete), and tracing the cultural connection with France. Not only are documents sometimes lacking, there are also instances in which mistakes or spelling errors in names are found in a ‘family book.’ This prevents a marriage or birth certificate being issued. In such cases, we have the mistake corrected in front of the Population Registrar.”
Once all the paperwork is gathered, Samama’s office has it authenticated, translated and notarized, and they then submit the application and monitor its progress. With a positive response, the client receives a certificate of citizenship, after which he or she can obtain a French birth certificate and a French passport from the French Embassy in Israel. “The procedure is long and complex, and success isn’t always certain, but I ensure that all necessary materials are correctly prepared and submitted to maximize a positive outcome,” she says.
Bridging between France and Israel
Translating documents and arranging pension payment for French citizens living in Israel is also within the remit of Galite Administration Services. “France pays pensions to its citizens in Israel, as well as those of deceased French spouses,” she says. “In one case I handled, a French-Israeli had received a pension from France for years, until, at age 85, it was suddenly frozen. The reason, as I discovered, was that during the COVID pandemic, he’d failed to renew his life certificate — a document that France requires is signed annually before a city official. I fought for my client and managed not only to reactivate payment but also get three years retroactive!”
Samama also helps Israelis with French spouses, who choose relocate to France. “The citizenship of your spouse doesn’t automatically allow you to reside in France,” she notes. “So it’s very important to obtain the appropriate visa prior to the move. The authorities tend to be unforgiving toward illegal residents — to the point of later refusing legal visas or even deportation. I ensure that my clients have visas suitable for their relocation to France.”
The services she provides to the French community in Israel, both to individuals and companies, expand as needed to any issues that require mediation. “I speak their language and am familiar with the culture,” she says. “At the same time, I know how things work in Israel. I believe that mediation is the best way because it takes less time and creates less emotional turmoil. I often feel that I serve as a bridge between the French and the Israelis.”
Galite Samama
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Israeli number: 053 987 0856
French number: +33757959817
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