One of the most common questions that I receive from the expat community is about their parents’ birth certificates. People applying for French nationality have to submit the birth certificates of their parents. Often, their certificates are not available or have a few errors.
So, this article explains the common details to be added in an affidavit with an actual example. You can add the applicable details on an Indian stamp paper and get it signed from a notary public in your city.
This affidavit should be apostilled and then translated to French.
Any errors in your own birth certificate too can be supported by an affidavit. Some of the common errors are spelling mistakes, initials, name change, name not matching the passport, etc.
However, it is recommended to update the original birth certificate and remove these errors. Many states provide an online facility for this process.
You can find the example template below.
It is highly recommneded to attach an Attestation sur l’honneur along with the affidavit. It is a self attestation that the contents of the affidavit are true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and nothing has been concealed therein.
Affidavit (Example Template)
I, Mr/Mrs/Ms. Full Name, an Indian citizen holding Indian passport number xxxxxxxx. I further state that I am giving the particulars of my Date of Birth, Parents’ name/surname and their date/place of births.
- Self : your First Name LAST NAME
- Date of Birth : xx-xx-xxxx
- Place of Birth : City, State
- Father’s Name : First Name LAST NAME
- Father’s Date of Birth : xx-xx-xxxx
- Father’s Place of Birth : City, State
- Father’s Date of Death : xx-xx-xxxx (if applicable)
- Father’s Passport Number : xxxxxxxx (if applicable)
- Mother’s Name : First Name LAST NAME
- Mother’s Date of Birth : xx-xx-xxxx
- Mother’s Place of Birth : City, State
- Mother’s Date of Death : xx-xx-xxxx (if applicable)
- Mother’s Passport Number : xxxxxxxx (if applicable)
I further state that my parents were married on xx-xx-xxxx. The following documents (whichever applicable) such as Father’s / Mother’s High secondary school/High school marksheet, marriage certificate, death certificate, legal heir certificate, passport have been attached as the concerned proofs along with this affidavit.
This affidavit is to be produced before the concerned authorities in Republic of France for the purpose of xxxxxxxxx.
I further state the above said particulars are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Verification
Verified that the contents of the above affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and nothing has been concealed therein.
Date : (Seal & Signature of Notary Public)
Place :
An example affidavit
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Hello,
I am residing in France for about a decade and want to apply for French Citizen citizenship. My parents do not have a birth certificate. The model affidavit which you have provided is enough to apply or will the french authorities would demand for separate birth certificates of parents together with their marriage certificate. My father is expired. Please let me know. Thanks
Hello,
The apostilled affidavit will work.
Hello Prasanth, thanks for sharing the affidavit sample and link. I have made affidavit in name of my mother as attached herewith. Would this work? Also I should get this apostille with district and state and the. MEA authorities?
Hello Himanshu,
As explained via email, have a single affidavit for the BC & MC of both the parents.
Yes, the affidavits must be apostilled with state and central govt attestations.
Hi Prasanth, thanks so much for sharing this helpful link. I just have a few questions
1.My parents only have passports and no MC, school certificates, marksheets. Hence can i just say I am attaching passport as proof?
2.Since I am sworning this affidavit, should I sign on the 1st and 2nd page and if yes where?
3.Towards the end, where there is date and place, under place should I put France (where I reside) or place in India where my parents reside?
Thanks so much,
Sonal
Hello Sonal,
1. No, a passport is not considered as proof of DoB. You can attach the passport as supporting docs to the affidavit, in the absence of birth and marriage certificates.
2.Sign in all the pages at the bottom just like signing any contract or agreement. Nothing special.
3. Please check the example affidavit.
Hi Prasanth! Thanks a lot for this, I think it helps loads of Indians in a similar predicament due to lack of supporting documents.
In my case, apart from a lack of my parents’ birth and marriage certificates, my birth certificate (that I got apostilled and translated into French to move to France) also has a minor spelling error (a space in my surname). Is it enough to just write the correct full name as in the template above, or is something else needed too? Additionally, I will be asking my father to write the affidavit from his point of view so he can get it notarized and apostilled until I can visit India.
Thanks a lot!
Hello Sarthak,
Thanks for your feedback.
Personally, I would go with correcting the Birth certificate to match the passport. If not you can go for an affidavit but it must be done by you and not your father.
I hope you are doing good. I wanted to ask you my mama papa both died mama died in 2000 and papa in 2014 for papa I have death certificate. But for my muma I don’t have any certificate, and as I don’t have any brother sister I don’t know where to ask in this case what can be done?
Get one affidavit for both the parents as explained in the article. It must be done in India via a local Notary public (lawyer).
Hello! Thanks a lot for the article, it has been a lifesaver for those of us who don’t have the necessary documents. One thing I’m not unsure about that I’m hoping you could clarify for me please – in my case, the missing docs are both my parents’ birth certificates. So I have prepared 2 affidavits, one for each parent, attaching High School marksheets, marriage certificate and passports.
1. Is this the right way of going about it? 2. do these supporting documents also need to be apostilled and translated into French, the same way as the affidavit itself?
Thanks.
Hello Avantika,
As explained in the example, one affidavit containing the details of your parents is enough. Don’t have to do it separately for each parent.
Only the affidavit is required to be apostilled and translated into French.