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To see if you're French,contact Service Central d'État Civil in Nantes. That's where all births of French citizens born abroad are registered,if your parents did the paperwork.
If you're not,your possibilities of becoming one depend on different things. I.e when you were born? Persons birthed by a French mother before 2006 May claim citizenship,but there are conditions .
I'll try and find you some Intel.
But start with checking out if you're already French.

Hi Kelmain,
The first thing you should do is inquire at the French embassy. My grandchildren were born in the US with both parents who are French. The parents declared my grandchildren at the French Embassy so they acquired double citizenship.

talatta wrote:

To see if you're French,contact Service Central d'État Civil in Nantes.

So I talked to a nice lady at the local embassy.  She checked something online and said that I wasn't registered and because I was born abroad, it wasn't compulsory to register me.

She seemed to think that meant I was in no way French due to not being registered before I was 18, though there is some conflicting information about that online.

One is French through birth,but in your case it might be more complicated since the citizenship wasn't claimed before your majority and since your mother is no longer there.
Try Nantes despite what the embassy said. And maybe ask for your mother's birth certificate.
"Copie intégrale d'acte de naissance " to see if your birth is registered on it.

I will.  And I will report back what happens.  Thank you.

Let me know if you run across any other information or advice

Thank you!

You have dual citizenship ! My sister was married to an american, their kids all born in France, they have dual citizenship and one is living and working in France.  So now you know.

You can submit a file to your French consulate, requesting a Certificate of French Nationality (CNF). It can take a while, and requires some paperwork and family research, but as long as you can prove a French parent, then you are French - that is what this process does.
Here is a link (through Google translate, since you don't speak French) that explains it:
~~~
A note on French consulates - they have bern consolidating responsibilities, so not all of them handle CNFs - if you post where you live (city, state), we can help you find the right one.
Julie

I should have said that your French consulate can help you with the CNF, but the dossier(file is sent to a court in Paris for determination. Here's the list of things to provide, along with the form:
1 identity photo
1 proof of identity (national identity card, passport, driving license, etc.)
1 proof of address (recent electricity bill, rental agreement, tax notice, etc.)
1 complete copy of your birth certificate and your affiliation. The act must be recent because an old act does not make it possible to verify a possible change of nationality (foreign judgment, renunciation of French nationality, etc.).
1 full copy of the birth certificate of your French parent.
1 complete copy of your parents' marriage certificate or, if they are not married, 1 full copy of the recognition act proving your filiation
This list is indicative. Additional documents may be requested to prove nationality (including documents proving state ownership ). Documents must be provided in original . Civil status records drawn up abroad must be translated and, if necessary, legalized .

Ooops..  I meant my sister's kids were all born in america and yes they have dual citizenship.. one work and live in France.

Thank you for the link, as well as the information about the CNF, I am going to follow up on that!

JulieH wrote:

1 full copy of the birth certificate of your French parent.
1 complete copy of your parents' marriage certificate or, if they are not married, 1 full copy of the recognition act proving your filiation

Not sure if I can get those documents or not, given that my family are many years deceased.  I will need to follow up on that, as well!

If you know the town where your mother was born, contact the Mairie there for her birth certificate.
Good luck!