I have applied for a carte de sejour (I am a UK citizen - French resident) and am told by my Mairie that I will have to attend an interview at the prefecture. Has anyone else had experience of this ?
Regards
geoff
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They probably want to know why you want a carte de séjour when you don't need one! I had one 15 years ago and had to provide all sorts of info at the mairie, even had to get my employeur to sign things!
As I understand it, the rules changed about a year ago (maybe 2) making it necessary to visit the Prefecture as opposed to filling in masses of forms and being 'signed off' by the Maire.
In that case, for a few dollars more, why not just go the whole hog and go for naturalisation?
IIRC, if you are over 60 (as you seem to be) the language requirements are much relaxed...
You don't need a carte de séjour . You are a Europen citizen by virtue of being a subject of Her Most Brittanic Majesty. You are here as of right because the UK is a member of the EU. Applying for a carte de séjour just undermines your existing rights. Time enough to apply should the lunatics take over the asylum.
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I recieved my titre de sejour about 2 months ago after moving departments'Ive had a titre de sejour since I came to France in 1991.The interview wasn't an interview in the sense that they asked you questions, it was to take my fingerprints and I imagine to check that I looked like my photos.I was then sent away and had to return a couple of weeks later to obtain the final card.It isn't a short process I think it took around 3/4 months in total.
As to applying for a titre de sejour undermining my rights ,I see it as part of my integration, as my titre de sejour is accepted as proof of identity,helps when you are applying for work because most employers think that all foriegners have to have a carte, releases me from having to hump around a passport, which I paid for, titre de sejour is free and the size of a credit card.
thanks for all the useful input. I guess you realise that my underlying desire for this card is (was now, I think) that it may offer me a little more protection wrt residency here should the UK pull out. I will not willingly have my finger prints recorded as Florian mentions so I think i will not persue my application if for that reason alone.
In looking at the government website, I see that there is also a card called "carte de resident de longue duree - UE". Anyone know what this is?
The replacement for the Carte de Sejour I think. For UE read European Union. It is available to EU citizens who are legally in France for more than 5 years and is a form of identity.
To obtain the card, there are certain conditions:
- your commitment to the principles governing the French Republic,
- the effective observance of these principles,
- and your sufficient knowledge of French (but exempt if over 65 years of age)
Not too onerous, by all accounts...
My 5 year CdS expires in January 2017. Has anyone renewed theirs lately. Is it as onerous as the orginal application or just formality.
Having read the articles on https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F12017, I can't see any advantage for myself and spouse as we have been resident for 10 years. After 5 years' residence our right to reside is permanent, as I understand it. If the UK ceases to be in the UE, I don't believe our residency will change, although I could understand if the French insisted that we maintained a guaranteed bank balance in France or otherwise illustrated our capability to continue our retirement in France without cost to the state. Our medical costs can still be cross-charged to the UK, we don't ask France for a pension or financial support, and we pay income and local taxes to France, and have no French debts.
For people running businesses in France or employed here, the Carte may be advantageous, but I couldn't say.
Geoff, when I first came to France in 1989, we had to apply for a Carte de Sejour, we went directly to the Prefecture in Bordeaux, we were issued with one for 1 year, after re-applying at the end of the year, we were then issued with a Carte de Sejour for 5 years, When I re-applied we were told that it was not necessary, they were not issuing anymore carte de sejours, that was from Bordeaux. Things have changed now, I always carry a copy of my Passport in my handbag of my husband & Son, but I have been here in France for 28 years, so there is no problem.
Geoff, when I first came to France in 1989, we had to apply for a Carte de Sejour, we went directly to the Prefecture in Bordeaux, we were issued with one for 1 year, after re-applying at the end of the year, we were then issued with a Carte de Sejour for 5 years, When I re-applied we were told that it was not necessary, they were not issuing anymore carte de sejours, that was from Bordeaux. Things have changed now, I always carry a copy of my Passport in my handbag of my husband & Son, but I have been here in France for 28 years, so there is no problem.
Whilst you are absolutely correct about the legality of carrying your passport, we have found that our French driving licences serve equally well as ID for the majority of circumstances. Indeed, in the 8 years we have been in France, the only place where I have had to produce my passport as acceptable ID is for hospital appointments at Limoges. Girac in AngoulĂŞme have always accepted the Permis.
I much prefer the carte de séjour if only because it's instantly recognisable to French people as a Carte d'Identité, it's in French and has my French address on it. Never had any problem renewing it. When they tell me I don't have to have it, I just say I know, but I want one. My French driving licence dates back to 1962 so the photo does not look very much like the current Terry Williams!
Well I am only able to say yes to your final bullet point Graham!
after reading all the responses from contributors, I think i am tempted to withdraw my application as I am wondering if it may open up the proverbial can of worms for probably no benefit and with the added risks involved in having my fingerprints stored.
Ah! The good old carte de séjour! I remember once being interrogated for 4 hours under a bright light in the Ajaccio police HQ because I was Irish ... and there were rumours at the time of collusion between the IRA and the FLNC. In the end I got my card upon which they had written: né à Belfast, IRALANDE.
No thanks: I'd rather carry my passport around with me than face those interrrogators again!
For us rotten Canadians the Carte de Sejour is a necessity. We need it so that we can pay for exhorbitant health care and ridiculous Mutuelles. OH ya just got my receipt from the clinic where I had surgery 130 euros to the surgeon, Assurance Maladie CPAM and the Mutuelle paid their shares and left me 40 euros out of pocket after 3500 euros in premium. 3 tiers or is that tears.
I was thinking of applying for one and was advised to by Europa last year but then with all this talk of Brexit I thought maybe applying for nationality would be better. Not sure if you can get that just based upon residency and language (which I've started practising, just in case) though or if you need to be working or have a business.
Hi David, Have you not applied for your Carte Vital. The Carte Vital covers 70% of your medical and if you take a Mutual or pay Oreade (Which I pay) they pay 30% so you should be 100% covered.
Hi David, Have you not applied for your Carte Vital. The Carte Vital covers 70% of your medical and if you take a Mutual or pay Oreade (Which I pay) they pay 30% so you should be 100% covered.
I have a carte vitale it costs me 2000 euros per year the mutuelle cost an addition 1500 per year. I am Canadian so I do not enjoy the health care privaleges of British expats. Is that clear???