Can also highly recommend Christi!
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Thanks George for your detailed information on this and it’s definitely worth knowing about as it gives confidence when facing these situations
But as has been pointed out the sooner the paper trail is ended the better, there are so many more important issues that need dealing with. Thanks to the link to Christi and other helpful comments the process of getting the documents and translations has been very easy . So I shall post the official copies and translations tomorrow and hopefully there should not be any more problems
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Geoffrey, thanks very much for the update. I always enjoy reading about the ‘what did he/she then do next’ on threads, after a poster receives advice/suggestions from all and sundry.
Looking forward to (hopefully) hearing you got your EU family member CdS without any further delays.
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Yes it is a good idea as everyone seems to have a different experience with the authorities. At my interview on Nov 3rd I asked how long it would be before I would hear anything from them and she said 1 to 2 months. They did give me an official looking document with my photograph called
Récépissé de demande de carte de séjour valid until the end of May. Anyway I haven’t heard anything yet. My main concern is that we have to go back to the UK in April for a few days. So if I haven’t my Carte de séjour would this document do instead. My other concern is I would like to sort out my tax but I thought it best to wait for my carte de séjour to arrive
A Récépissé should be ok for border guards, but take another document proving you live here just in case. Oh, and just check your passport is valid!
Geoffrey, I agree with Jane. Your récépissé should specifically reference your UK passport number, to confirm to the French border guards on your return that you are provisionally ‘in the system’, (and effectively that the 90/180 day Schengen restrictions on visits don’t apply to your stay in France).
The prefectures are supposed to prioritise EU citizens/family members CdS, under standing ministerial instructions, so I’m sure you’ll get good news soon. When you do get your CdS, out of interest have a look at the date it was officially issued. In my case it was several weeks before the date they actually told me it was available for collection, but it means they probably hit their ‘prioritisation targets’.
Thanks so I must remember to take all relevant documents with me and I’ll check that my passport number is on the document
Hopefully it’ll be the last time we have to go back to the UK!
I just received an email about my carte de séjour being ready for collection. First I have to buy a stamp for 200€. I assumed I could just go to the post office and buy the stamp but after checking on the internet it is a tax stamp ( a new thing for me)which I can buy on the internet or at a tabac. The internet seems easiest, presumably I can just print it out?
You either print out a piece of paper that has a QR code on it they can scan, or you get a long reference number that does the same thing.
However if you have a local tabac that does this service then buying from them helps them, as well as you. Same price and they will give you the bit of paper.
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Hold on a second… Your EU family carte de séjour is free. No charge whatsoever! Why are they suggesting you pay for it?
@geoffrey_Croshaw I would suggest printing out the attached and showing this to the Prefecture. They do not appear to be totally familiar with the special, privileged status of EU family CdS, eg regarding the waiver of all charges etc. You’ve already seen this lack of familiarity earlier on with their prior demands for translations of marriage/birth certificates etc. They may be confusing this with the demands of French domestic CdS.
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I am afraid I will always take the easy way if I can and I am not comfortable with confrontation especially with admin who I assume know a lot more than me . But it does look very black and white and that the card for me should be free. It if had been 50 euros then that’s okay but 200 is too much to throw away. Interestingly the interviewer at my last appointment did say I needed a 50 euros stamp but then changed her mind . So I will do a print out of that section but also have it on my phone so they can see the source. But I shall also get this stamp for 200€ as it does seem to be refundable. Then I shall just present it if I have to. Thanks George and Jane for your help and advice
The Gov site clearly says the CdS will be free… but also… that 200 € will be charged if the Demand was made more than 3 months after the applicant’s entry to France…
so I’m wondering about @geoffrey_Croshaw 's timeline in all this…
No that can’t be the problem as we arrived on April 1st 22 and I received an email from the prefecture on march 31st informing me of my appointment on Nov 3rd
Sorry should have said may 31st!
when you arrive… you could gently ask “why 200€” ?? and show them the printed screenshot from @George1 where it clearly says “free…”
If you take the printout of that email, dated 31st May… confirming your appointment… it might tip the balance in your favour (financially)… as it shows you were trying to do the right thing… ie not your fault.
I would surely hope they would allow for the fact that you tried before the 3 months and it was due to them being booked-up… that the earliest appointment to hand over the Demand was beyond the 3-month “deadine” thingy… certainly worth pointing that out
As you have said… get the stamp anyway… and you can get it refunded if not necessary…
and… .of course… the 200€ might be for a completely different reason… still certainly worth asking the question
Best of luck
Well I arrived 10 minutes early, spoke to a friendly receptionist who told me to sit and wait for my name to be called. It was very quiet so I was hopeful though a bit worried about my car as I hadn’t been able to get a ticket out of the parking machine. I’ve already been fined once for illegal parking. The place soon got busy and I began to notice some people were not waiting for very long and did not wait for their name to be called. After 45 minutes I’d had enough so went up to an empty position and showed my appointment letter. So fine they got out my folder and asked for the 200€ stamp at which point I asked why and showed them my print out. They read my printout very carefully.There was two of them and were having a good laugh and said it was free for any of my children but not for me! At which point I gave in and handed over my stamp and got my carte de séjour dated 19th Dec. They seemed surprised I was questioning it and obviously had no intention of investigating it any further. I for my part did not want to delay getting my carte. So now my next task is to register for tax which I understand can be done entirely online which is a relief!
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Very pleased for you that you’ve finally obtained the EU family members carte de séjour, hopefully to your own satisfaction, and you can now move on/register for tax etc…best of luck with all that.
For any future readers of this thread, can I just emphasise for the avoidance of all doubt, that the Prefecture in this case is plainly mis-informed. The EU family members carte de séjour remains free of charge…