Fingers crossed for you Chris! This is the major problem - repeated requests for the same documentation. I can get a complete dossier in for people, but it depends how pernickety the person is that the dossier hits in the process of verification. It drives everyone insane! Which is why I sit here printing and photocopying and re-sending things for people so they stay slightly saner! Lol!
Nicole, it sounds so simple! We started at our local CPAM office but from there everything now goes to an office in Nimes, if you are not entitled to an S1. We send them everything required but often get requests for paperwork we’ve already sent. Have just sent tax return info that we’ve sent previously, and can’t think of anything else they might need, so it shouldn’t take much longer…
The process is that, once you have handed everything in, you should receive a letter within 4-8 weeks (depending on how busy your CPAM office is) stating a) your temporary Social Security number (Numéro Provisoire - starts with a 7 or an 8) and b) notification of any documents that they need to complete your application (yes, often documents you have already handed in!).
Your temporary number can be used to a) register your GP as your Médecin Traitant and b) to add to each of your brown forms in your mounting pile to send back for reimbursement. I actually called the English-speaking CPAM number just yesterday to confirm that this is definitely the case.
After that, it's a waiting game. But eventually you should receive your definitive Sécu number - starting with a 1 or a 2 - followed by a form asking you to send back a passport photo and a photocopy of your identity. Then 'at some point' (piece of string) you will receive your Carte Vitale. This last process can take months, yes, but you will have your temp number to be able to claim back what you are due from the CPAM. Hope this helps - I've had such fun creating a flowchart for this! This info is literally not available ANYWHERE presented in a clear and concise way and it has taken experience, many phone calls to the CPAM and a bit of blood and guts determination to get to this point! (It's on the end of a long in-depth doc I've written about the health system in my capacity as a French admin specialist - I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say who I work for here though).
You could also have a look at the site ( please help.fr ), they could sort it for you.
But that depends on your age Elaine. If you have an S1 then you must be in receipt of your OAP and therefore do not pay cotisation. If you are under pension age and have no S1 then you have lots of hoops to jump through.
I have been resident in France for three years now. I got my forms from Newcastle and then my Carte Vitale with no problems at all. At no point have I been asked for my birth certificate, or any other document, or asked to have anything translated. Under EU law of reciprocation, certified translations are not necessary.
Do CPAM ask for certain documents each year like MSA do? Every year they send me a letter asking for a copy of my birth certificate and marriage certificate (even though every year I tell them I'm not married and send all the relevant documentation to my name change). Frustrating to say the least.. Luckily they haven't asked for any of the documents to be translated.. they accept everything in English..
Good grief! We did it nearly 9 years ago and all that was needed was the exchange form from Newcastle! Later we had to do all the income and tax stuff (so they could assess what our contributions should be and we have to do this every year) but to begin with it was a straightforward transfer. Perhaps you could try talking to Newcastle for advice.
We put our dossier in to the Thiviers office in July last year and after letters fron Nimes requesting a couple of other bits of info. we got our carte vitales in September. Didn't ned any of the info you've been asked for-just provided our long birth certificates along with all the other stuff (not translated either). You seem to have encountered a particularly officious individual.
We started end of October so a long way to go then and feuille de soins are mounting up so that will be the next hurdle -reimbursement!
Thank you Brian I'm on it. It has also been our first encounter with one particularly officious b******d they have usually been very polite and helpful.
We are also in the same position. I think you may have to provide them with certified translations of your birth and marriage certificates. This was certainly what was required of us anyway, but if you only have the short form of birth certs they won’t have parents names on them. If that is the case you would be able to order the long version online from the UK. As to whether it is necessary, I don’t know, but nothing will resolve itself unless you send them everything they ask for. If it’s any consolation we are over 7 months into the process and at present being asked to send Tax Returns they have already had! Patience is definitely required!
You need the General Register Office - www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/
They will give you the full name of a person; your parents' names, occupation, ages and birthplaces; when and where your parents were married, if not married still give all known details; names and ages of any siblings alive or dead; the names of the doctor, nurse and other witnesses to your birth and any names added or changed after registration - such as in the case of adoptions.
If you do not manage a search and order yourself, go to www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/contact_us.asp then you will find a contact form at the bottom that page for your enquiry. Explain that it is for the French authorities, give the exact questions you need answered and rest assured that will have been there and done it many times over.
Apart from that, it should not be necessary at all but some officious b**********s insist on all of that documentation. Be very careful though, they may well insist on translations although they will know full well that the European Parliament is about to stop that.