Apparently I am Profession Liberalle. They didn't really understand what I did, so they gave me this moniker
Henry - keep trying - are you profession liberalle? I'll have a look through my blogs later to see if I mentioned the name of the competent lady at RSI/RAM gamex in Bourges who sorted out my docs.
Thanks for the replies.
Regarding the Apostille, I was born in San Francisco, but I was registered at the British Consulate Generale, so I have a British Birth Certificate (I also have a US one, but I only use that for the US, showing it to the French would seal my fate)
Although, I have a UK Passport and a British Birth Certificate, perhaps the Born in Les Etats Unis is too confusing for the Vogons?
Henry,
Check this site: http://www.askandrewnow.com/aboutme.html
I can recommend Andrew as effective.
Good luck
My husband and I had the same problems in 2010. I am afraid that telephoning them is no good or emailing them for that matter. In the end I went to the RSI ofiice. The women got all sh**y and said I would have to go to RAM, which we had done several times and RAM had no dossier. On this visit she told me it was en cours and I would just have to wait. I replied NON forcefully. I told her that she had been emailed 11 times and she said she had nothing, so I gave her copies that I had printed to prove this had been done. To which she replied, we don't always read the emails because we are too busy. Unfortunately I said how dare you tell me you are too busy, that is your problem, not mine and I would suggest that you get your boss down here now, so that you can tell him you are too busy while I am here. She backed down at this point, asked me for copies of my documents again, and then produced the certificate within 10 mins. Unfortunately you have to be firm and do not take no for an answer. The problem will not be with RAM the problem will be with RSI. RAM just administer and pay the bills. RSI have overall responsibility for accepting you and issuing you new Social Security number. Without this RAM can not issue a carte vitale, although once you have your attestation you will then have other forms to complete to obtain the refunds. You will also have to fill out a nominated doctors surgery form as well or they will not pay up for any treatment. You can get these forms in advance from the ameli web site. Be prepared. Oh, and don't forget to take all you receipts for the thing you have posted. They can't deny receiving them then. These things always throw them and put them on the back foot.
O Henry! How I can understand what you're going through. I had no trouble with my carte vitale because I'm married to a Frenchie. I did have trouble getting married though. It took years of running around in circles trying to prove the validity my American birth certificate. I finally ended up having to fly all the way back home for the required apostille of my birth certificate. Back in France I had to have it translated into French by an official translator who typed that I was born in Washington which is in the state of Columbia instead of Washington DC. Since when is there an American state called Columbia? Nobody here seemed to notice and I was able to marry my husband after living here for ten years and having two babies. Then I thought that it would be good to have a double nationality. Nobody could give me a clear answer to the question of whether this is legal or not so I went ahead and started the paperwork and BLAM! Now I have to come up with an acceptable document showing that my father who has been dead for over 25 years was really an American citizen. I don't get it! There's no logic at all! I surrender! I wish you luck and most of all patience Henry.
Strange how the truth rings so comedic here, isn't it? ;-)
Don't refuse to pay, it will cost you in a fine, make progress to getting your Carte Vitale all the more delayed and simply work against you. I hardly qualify to advise since we both got out CVs toute suite, have never had payment or repayment problems and have usually found the people we deal with very helpful and prompt. Mind you, we did everything by going to the offices, taking our ticket and waiting our turn then discussing questions, filling in forms there and so on.
The different offices is for an inexplicable French reason that none of our French friends understands either. We have heard so many tales of woe from friends that it is not a 'foreigners' or 'Anglais' thing at all, so do not work that into the equation. My view is that once some people settle into a functionary post for the whole of their working life which has bad pay but at the end of it has a decent pension, then there is nothing else to aim at in life so they just become complacent. No need to move a bum ever again, but we pay the price.
Have you looked exhaustively through the AE group where this is an often repeated theme and where you'll find as many other questions as solutions Henry.
Hi Henry - I notice Tracy already shared my experience with you :) - 2 years to get the CVs. I still get letters asking for translated birth certificates for the children randomly - latest request was for a copy of Maisy's passport. I've lost count of how many phone calls I made, letters sent avec avis de reception etc. In the end I was lucky & got someone who pressed the right buttons & out came the forms for the CVs & a short while later (in comprison) the little green cards arrived.
My advice is try to stay calm, be polite, get your Mairie to stamp everything as a true & certified copy - keep copies of everything you send & note down when you called & who you spoke to at Bourges RSI/RAM. Phone each week and ask what is missing from your dossier...could they please send a request. Then duly copy everything & send it back. If you are supposed to be dealing with RSI provinces (bourges) for prof liberalle) then deal only with them - don't get your local RSI office involved as it will add to the confusion. Keep phoning, ask what is missing & repeat. And don't give up - you will finally get a decent fonctionaire and it will be sorted...my luck is with you that its soon x
Deborah, just one thing that may be muddying the waters is that you say your husband registered as AE and you are on his attestation but you are working as a freelancer which means you should you have your own number and are not entitled to be on his card.
RSI is the only option if you are self employed unless, you are a profession liberale then you coticise to URSAAF not RSI. IT depends what you do for a living, it's definitely not CPAM, I have a vague feeling that photographers are a different kettle of fish, hopefully someone will let you know.
Thanks Deborah,
I find it so frustrating dealing with matters that I don't understand and can't control.
I have 5 different addresses on separate letters. Last conversation I was advised that all of my documents are lost because I sent them to the wrong address, even though they responded to the returned letters!
I asked "Ok, which address do I resend these documents to?" and they gave me a new address.
Out of interest, I phoned the SAME NUMBER again, 2 hours later, pretending that I hadn't phoned up before and asked for confirmation of where I should resend my documents and they gave me a different address.
I know I'm not going to get anywhere by following their instructions, so I'm going to refuse to pay my next cotisation bill until they send me my Carte Vitale.
First of all, I'd like you to know that you are not alone, there are so many tales of woe on here, regarding RSI and if you look at any of the French AE forums, it is happening to many of them as well, so don't feel 'got at'. It is also very normal for different offices to be dealing with different parts of the paperwork - this is France, if it wasn't complicated the unemployment figures would be much higher.
The important thing is that you have the attestation, so you are covered for healthcare, the plastic Carte Vitale just makes the admin run smoother. As you don't have it yet, make sure you keep all the brown 'feuilles' you are given, then you just fill them in and send them off when you claim, this is what we had to do till a few years ago anyway, so it works just as well as the CV, it just takes a bit longer. If you look through the blogs for Suzanne Fitzgeraldsblogs, you will see how she has been struggling through having 2 babies in France without a CV and how it has taken up to 2 years before she received them - this is not unusual.
My own experience of dealing with functionaires is that you have to go and see them. Take everything you might possible need but only offer it up if asked for. They will ask for things they don't need, just show them the relevant piece of paper that shows the rules, if they don't budge, ask to see a supervisor. Often they are scared to make a decision so are happy to tell their superior, that you insisted on it. Have a look at my blog, on dealing with officialdom, you just have to be as stubborn as they are. Good luck and remember 6 months is no time at all when waiting for a CV, I would offer up a guess and say that most people dealing with RSI wait around 18 months.
Right guys. I'm off out now so can't post for a bit but this sounds like one for all you helpful SFN'ers to join in with please!