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A sense of identity is often considered one of the defining aspects of immigrant children’s ties to France and to their parents’ native country. Based on the results of quantitative studies and a field survey of immigrant children born in France, this article endeavours to show that declarations of a sense of ethnic identity are in fact an inadequate indicator of their national ties. Indeed, not only is this indicator reductionist, as their affective attachment to a country cannot be assessed by means of a few simple questions about their feelings of identity, but it also proves inconsistent. The sense of identity turns out to be tenuous and variable according to the respondent’s situation. Consequently, the responses to such questions are of no great significance.