I’ve been approached by a gent I helped some years ago, as always, it was car related!!
Poor guy has come unstuck through what is, I think, an error made when inputting his info into ANTS. He asked for help at his Mairie and I’m wondering if the “helpful” person didn’t understand what the CdSWA (WARP) Sejour Permanent actually is.
This attachment is what he’s received, explaining why his DL exchange has been refused.
His license expires in a couple of weeks and he’s feeling rather worried…
He phoned me … and I said, zap the letter through and I’ll take a look when I get home…
must confess I only had time for a quick peek at it before I dashed out again.
I think I shall suggest he goes back in to his Mairie and asks them to do it again… (in view of the Official response to their actions) and hopefully they’ll get it right this time…
Agree with Andrew, it looks as if he has entered his information incorrectly. Perhaps selecting “titre de séjour special” which is the diplomatic titres which make you ineligible for exchange.
He needs to go back into his account and check and modify the information. Or start a new application.
Edit: why is the marie doing it for him? They are actually more likely to make a mistake as not used to non-eu applications. Far better for him to work through it quietly at home.
Many Mairies… offer help to those who are unable/ill-equipped to do things on-line.
Our own Mairie does the same… even though we are only a tiny village. Folk can make an appointment and they come along with all their docs (whatever)… and zap… the helper does the necessary.
I suspect that many folk (French and Others) are confused by the CdS / TdS and all the different things they get called…
I know folk who talk about their 10 year CdSWA WARP… as if it expires in 10 years… and they have to Reapply… and they are worried in case they get refused…
Whereas in reality what they have is a Permanent Resident card (clearly marked ) which merely needs to have the photo updated in 10 years and any change of details.
Andrew… after my discussions with the Brit… he now knows the difference !!
He has gone back to his Mairie, talked it over with them and redone his Application.
So far, so good…
Incidentally, I would expect folk who work at a Mairie to know the difference between Visitors to their commune and their Residents… especially those who have been there for many years and been involved in local stuff …
EDIT: I think we Brits should stop talking about the “10 year card”… better to talk about Residence Permanente…
But there are something like 18 different types of titres de séjour, and most are treated the same by ANTs. So I don’t see why anyone should bother to take time to pander to the British anomalies. To me it is up to us to know and explain things as needed.
The chap in question… asked if someone at his Mairie could help him with the ANTS system… there was a computer available for the Public to use and someone came forward to assist him.
I was not aware that it was only Brits who could have a Permanent Resident card…
even so, I would not consider it pandering for a French person at the Mairie to be able to understand what is written in their own language…
Sure they can understand titre de séjour, but the subtlety of the difference between a titre de séjour special (diplomatic and not eligible for licence exchange) and a titre de séjour spécifique (accord de retrait) is something that requires more effort than just being helpful. Which is why I say the onus is on us to know our status - like any other immigrant does.
