I need an "Attestion d'Acceuil" for anon EU relative. I went to my hick Mairie which said they no longer deal with it - I should go to the Prefecture (1 hour away). I looked up on the Gouv websites- no it's the Mairie. Shall I go and tell them that they don't know what they are doing? Maybe not. I respectfully show you this page from the Gouv website etc. Here we go again! Another dose of "functionnaires disease" !
If it has a rubber stamp and is in 'foreign' but looks vaguely respectable it could be the 'Carrot Growers of Little Venice' for all it matters. My theory, even so I am going to the mairie on Friday.
I got one of these last week. I was just about to set off to the pharmacy to collect my medicaments (always take half a day to arrive) so I asked the pharmacist, (who is also the recently-ex mayor of the village and whose son we met in Leeds completely out of the blue). As a local official, i.e. bumph-pusher in all locations, he has developed a signature that is no more than a wiggle, but the official stamp is another pre-requisite.
I had to translate everything, of course. The DWP knows where I live, so why not provide an official translation of the signatory's instructions? All it needs is a selection algorithm based on the "client" country of residence and a few stock pages in, say, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese ...
I was also going to the AGM of Retromecaniques, our local old car/bike/tractor/you name it society - an organisation recognised by at least the Conseil General of Indre et Loire. The form would certainly have perplexed their president/secretary, and as for an official stamp, I don't know if they even have one. My former (British) allotments association, recognised by the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, who would equally be foxed? By whom does an organisation have to be recognised?
Koff : "Status (Latin, plural: statūs)"
*orders another brown top with mild*
We get these every year, and have done since year dot. Also on a tiny yearly payment from Belgium, and another from a short-lived private pension scheme in the UK, so we have SIX of these things to fill out each year.
I was interested in the point that they 'can't claim it back' Well patently if you are dead it could be tricky, but assuming it was still being claimed by say, spouse, would that still apply, even for the remaining year?
With regard to Pensioners generally yes I do believe there is genuinely a move to accelerate our demise(s) as according to everything I read we are regarded as drains on society, non-working and non-contributing. No-one seems yet to have addressed where all the jobs are for pensioners to change our status, but there you go.
I haven't got the faintest idea what the plural is for 'status', and what's more I don't even care.
David, you can still sign as retired from an eligible profession and save the subs too.
Joseph, look at the DEP on line and look for the overseas pensions in Newcastle.
Just done my wife’s but forgot to take a copy, do you have email address that I can bombard with trivial emails checking if they have received it?
On the plus side, can have her pension even if Angela dies until next time the form comes!
:-D
Much prefer him clad in black with his head on the block!
I suddenly pictured Iain Duncan Smith clad in black, hood over his pate, holding a large scythe and wishing us not to draw it for too long :-(
We too need to provide proof that we are alive.
Since Jim has only been receiving his pension since November, they obviously think that we do not last long here in France!
Arthur, do you know how many couples can write each other's signatures? Add somebody with all of the credentials and keep taking the loot. The DWP were very aware of that in 2013 but seem to have bypassed it and gone for expatriates wholesale, although the parliamentary report recommended a level playing field. No account is properly made for people who are medically unfit to sign although recommended since a pension is payable until actual decease as certified by the appropriate medical examiner and/or registrar or equivalent thereof. It is also noteworthy that the report recommended that at least within the EU a brief introductory note be included for those living outside of the UK. As ever the DWP has skimped to save pennies which may cost some Euros since a jobsworthy bureaucrat might well demand to see everything translated by a certified and acknowledged translator, which until the end of this year or early next is still very possible.
Damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
I think it’s good that they are checking up that there are no false claims after having just watched Saints and scrounges.
The letter and notes that come with your form is specific to living abroad and states who in authority as acceptable as witness.
Rather than make a mountain out of a molehill simply go to to your regular pharmacy as the enclosed notes approve him as witness. Take passport or driving liscence, complete the form and only sign the form in front of the pharmacy and ask him to sign after witnessing all and checking identification, do be quick in posting as the letters are dated early January. Make a copy of all completed forms etc before posting!
Accept it for what it is, that is stopping people making false claims on deceased names, as it does happen.
I think DWP are having a purge. I received a Life Certificate on Monday and have an appointment with the Mayor tonight ..... hope he's happy for me to translate the form for him. I have an expat friend in the next village and he's also received a form.
Would have thought they would have saved more money if they did this on a universal basis but guess that there would be a pensioner riot if they did it to UK based pensioners .... trouble is we're soft targets.
We have just received a demand for Certificate of Existence too. I just filled in the relevant bits such as date, place etc. for our lady at the Mairie. It didn't take long, then sent a scanned copy per email with a request for Acknowledgement of Receipt. It's a blasted nuisance though! One of our French neighbours got something from a government office. He went in, and said "Voilà - here I am, alive and well as you can see" but he STILL had to get the paperwork signed. Far too many bureaucrats here in France, in my opinion :-*
I never had one of these when I became eligible back in 2005. Haven't seen one since either. I do quite often sign certificates for people as a British qualified architect. However the annual subs in the UK are now so high, and I do very little work, that I am thinking of resigning from the professional bodies which will save me £500 a year. I can't set this all against income as the architectural work is very little indeed and there are limits to eligible expenses. I am about to enter a sort of Sanctuary for Old Architects- pathetic really! There won't be any WFP either next winter. I'm waiting for Child Benefit to be scrapped for expats as we live in warmer climates and obviously one's five year old daughter can go to school every day in a tee shirt only! I can't find anyone I like enough to vote for in the general election.
Doctor...professional
Should be sent by recorded delivery.....
Can not be trusting in these circumstances..