I am sure this has been discussed many times before but this is the situation that I find myself in:
Hectic time as we have been back in the UK (Poorly parents/Nursing Home etc.) end of January and first week of February back on the 10th. I went into hospital as soon as we got back for an unplanned operation on my elbow on the 13th only went for a check up on the 12th!.
Went to the local CPAM Office in Jonzac this morning to try and get my Carte Vital sorted out, again (gave up last time), thought I had everything this time but they have now insisted on translated Birth Certificates, which I didn't think you needed now, due to the EU freedom of movement regulations.
Anyone else been through this and where do I get a translation from?
They noted what looks like www.candecanatian.fr ruhique experts judiciaires on the form but the handwriting is small and nearly indecipherable and I have tried various configurations all with 'server not found' responses.
Well all of the translations turned up very promptly and at a good price and off we trotted to the CPAM Office in Jonzac on Wednesday morning hoping all would be fine.
Surprise, surprise all locked down tight as this is one of the offices that close down for the school holidays.
Frustration now has really set in. Looks like a trip to Saintes to try and resolve this and this is where we started off and gave up well over two years ago. I have checked and apparently this stays open during the school holidays.
1€ per word! Extortionate. 35 - 40€ is the norm for a birth certificate etc
Interestingly I am beginning to translate for hospitals - two hospitals told me that all EU related documents now arrive in English and administrators no longer have the right to demand that documents arrive in the language of the country receiving them. English is the international language and all Euro countries are expected to accept documents written in English
This makes sense as I recently edited a doc for a legal consultancy that works for the European Parliament. The subject was children's rights in an Eastern European country but the document had to be sent to their gov written in English. Fascinating process.....drawn up by the EP by a Lithuanian expert, first draft edited by a Greek lawyer and then finished off by me.
It was actually quite amusing - one sentence referred to the European Sperm Court....I was very tempted to leave that one in!
Calm down Vic 'It's only a forum!'. However I can see where you are coming from, lobbing bricks over walls towards the glass houses from a secret hiding place, not good.
Wandered away a bit from the original posting. It is inconvenient having to do it all in French when your French is minute or you have to pay, but who's fault is that? Mine own! Just annoys me when the UK so called government and councils fall over backwards to translate everything free of charge to all and sundry while the taxpayer foots the bill.
As for the 'whingeing pommes' not me as of Scottish origins.
Why me? Why whingeing pommes? Surely Rosbifs here. Why is it usually black squares who post nonsense like you? Why are you here if you have nothing constructive to offer?
There is an English Helpline for CPAM, the number is 0811363646.
However, when I asked them they gave me the right information regarding my query, but were over ruled by the CLEISS, who were wrong.
I totally understand that sometimes you feel that as though you have not the will to go on banging your head, but we really need to make people aware that they are not right in this instance.
The French are very ready to say that the Brits do not want to be in the EU, which is not totally true, but they are one of the worst offenders when it comes to applying EU legislation.
If you are being held here against your will I suggest a visit to the local Gendarmerie who will no doubt help you on your way to wherever you consider better!
Then of course there is the special. They ask for something that doesn't actually exist in UK bureaucracy and either look at you as if you are telling porkies or as if you represent a country that is simply insane because it lacks a couple of pointless pieces of paper.
Just to show the things do work :- I had two teeth fitted with ceramic caps on the 14th Feb & didn't really expect much back on the 1,300 euro dentists bill. Blow me down!, this morning I found 430 euros reimboursement had been paid into my bank. I now wait to see what the mutual will cough up!!
The translations turned up in the post this morning so I will be trotting off to the CPAM Office next Wednesday with fingers and legs etc. thoroughly crossed. Wish me luck.