More bureaucracy woes

Health Care & Carte Vitale
1

Apologies in advance: this is a bit long-winded. But then, so is the situation…

In April 2017 I registered with URSSAF. They lost my dossier.

In June 2017 I reregistered with URSSAF. They decided my name needs to be rewritten so now all the documentation is in the name of KIRKBI, despite the fact they have scans of my birth certificate and passport. Apparently, I, the British government and its registrars and passport office, do not know how to spell my name.

August to October 2017, various enquiries from RSI and Mutuelles du Soleil. RSI asked for, and got, my passport and birth certificate (initially having asked for a translation but backed down when tackled over the phone).
The Mutuelle however returned my declaration de medecin traitant with a letter that told me I am not insured and do not exist, despite sending previous documentation. Apparently, they had not tried using my SECU number to find out that they had misspelled my name. This got sorted… we thought. But on my last visit to hospital, we found my medecin traitant doesn’t show up, and my name is still spelt wrong on the system, and my 100% reimbursement (chronic rheumatoid arthritis) is not on the system either so I end up still having to pay 20%.

As for URSSAF, they are not answering the phone at all. I think we up to 19 phone calls.

I now have an attestation for my carte vitale, after nine months, and it is in the wrong name. And the Mutuelle tells me that now I need to supply
(a) a birth certificate, with a certified translation, with an apostille,
and
(b) a carte de sejour (which of course I haven’t got - Chartres may or may not issue one, but won’t do so until I have documentation as an auto-entrepreneur with my name spelt right).

The problem is that the whole thing is like a ball of spaghetti. Every time I get one thing sorted out, another thing goes wrong. I don’t know where to push or what bits of string to pull… and I really don’t want to shell out £200 on translations (oh yes, I’ll need to get my change of name declaration apostille and translated, too) if they then say ‘Oh, but this birth certificate isn’t for you, it’s for someone completely different’…

Question - is there any kind of shortcut along the lines of ‘write to your MP’? Or any kind of pressure that can be brought to bear to stop this lasting another nine months? My partner is French but alas, as a former fonctionnaire, has always been registered with the same mutuelle and never had to do any of this stuff… and he is as bamboozled as I am.

2

I’m afraid I have no magic solution for you, but having had similar administrative woes I do want to convey sympathy! It is a ball of spaghetti. So far, the best thing that has worked for us is persistance - phone calls, letters. But also turning up in person at the caisse and the office of the Mutuelle seems to work the best. Even if the person at the caisse can do nothing they generally have internal systems of communication so get messages to the right people.

The demand for a name change is bizarre. If Kirby is your name then making changes will only complicate other things further down the line. I never changed my name on marriage, which does cause problems as I am in the health system as my husband’s ayant droit. However I took out the mutuelle so he is in my name for that… but we were never asked for things like a carte de séjour and it clearly says on the info on service-public that it is not needed for EU members.

However, if you have an attestation, as well as copies of when you first applied, and the copy of the formulaire your médecin traitant filled in for the ALD you should eventually get reimbursed as long as you keep all your feuille de soins. I too have rheumatoid arthritis, so know that the monthly costs without the 100% would be high.

Good luck!

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3

point them in the gentle direction of the eu court translations are not needed for driving licences marrige birth etc anymore from any eu country.

Otherwise get some pro help its a rough road indeed

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4

Or perhaps this might be worth looking into?

5

They have until March 2019 to comply with the EU regulation doing away with translation of civil documents.
Look at your eu on google.
There will be a system whereby you can ask for a multi language document when you apply for your copy, for a fee.

6

no no no please in may 2016 it was given 2 1/2 years and FRANCE has already submitted they are fully complicit . I have not submitted once single translated document in the past year and every single document INCLUDING my marriage has been accepted with welsh and English documents

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-2092_en.htm

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-2092_fr.htm

please do provide me a Europe law document stating 2019

@Andrea_Kirkby show them this website which is a legal website they wil soon stop asking for translations

Yes some place will have till March but FRANCE GERMANY and a few others are ahead of the game and are fully operation this policy already

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7

I have some issues as (owing to complex family circumstances) I changed my name at the age of 18 by statutory declaration. So i have a birth certificate that’s not in the name I use. The statutory declaration being a tailored rather than standard document will be stupidly expensive to translate. RSI and the Prefecture have accepted the English version without any problem. (Oh, I was asked by one person could I kindly provide a translation of my own, and I did.)

But I still have the issue that they’re telling me my name is Kirkbi, which it isn’t and never has been.

Thanks for the ref to websites. I’ll be emailing them with those to prove it is not my unsupported assertion that they shouldn’t be asking for certified translations!

8

very same boat as me ive pmed you how ive done it for the past year. stat decs

9

Harry, I sent a request to your Europe asking them to define the law as it now stands. That is what they told me.

If you do the same you will be directed to another document than the press release.

10

yes, my no no no is the fact that yes they all have until next year to get their act together. The fact is that France and several other countries are already accepting all documentation . You would be surprised how many countries are already at the point that they accept pretty much all documents without translation. No one filters the info as its doing translators out of a job but they all know for fact that France already accepts the official documents but if they told people who rang them oh you dont need that anymore… shoot themselves in the foot

11

Harry, whilst it may be the case that if you take the press release with you, you would be better prepared if you downloaded European Commission Fact sheet June 2016. Certifying Your Public Documents When Moving Around the Union? Not for Much Longer!
This is available in all the languages of the EU.
Of course, you can still meet difficult fonctionnaires who will say that they do not have to comply until the last date.

12

ive not met a single one yet and nor has anyone who ive given this info to. on Facebook where ive shared this many times ive had loads of thank you’s and the relevant authorities when reading it just go okay and take the documents

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13

Good. I am simply pointing out the facts.

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14

You know what - not once in 14 years have I been asked to provide a translation of any document - maybe it’s a regional thing? Far be it from me to be contentious but…do ‘they’ see some folks coming…maybe…:-:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

15

I think it is your personal charm, Simon… :hugs:

Over the years I’ve done several weddings and funerals in Aquitaine and Haute-Vienne… we’ve had to get translatations of every darn thing… each time… :roll_eyes:

Once, someone did accept my “amateur” translation of a particular document (all the rest were officially done) , but it was noted higher-up the tree and yet another “official” translation was swiftly requested. Grrrr.

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17

Hi Stella - I think I just wear them down :wink:

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20

Well we live in the Jura and there are hardly any other UK residents, and we have always found our English documents accented sometimes alongside a home-made translation. So it can’t be offices that are used to British people that are more accepting. For us we have assumed that it helps that we speak good french, so can explain things thoroughly.

21

i stand by with 2 principals.

1: How you present yourself, ie calm, chilled, relaxed, the “French zen” as i call it. or the I want this done right now and im not prepared to wait.

2: your face is happy or you walk in like you just got a slapped arse.

These 2 things are whats most important. even in the face of problems, just keep that zen and let the process revolve at its pace. Getting angry or getting frustrated and making the person doing th work feel like they are something on your foot or a slave is never a good idea. You are clearly at one with your commune Jane.

Ive just been up for my bread after dropping kids off. (i rang to order some at 5am.) 7 folks in front of me and a couple behind me. One of our delightful English residents while i’m mid convo with one of the french ladies just buts in and starts talking at me in English. You can see the air change when it happens. the french just took offence a them I just said bonjour and continued my conversation. they stood there and tapped their foot impatiently.

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22

I can do French zen too, Harry, having been a practising Buddhist for 30 years :blush:. And I always use French although I am not proficient. French people recognise my accent but never use English to respond to my efforts. One very nice woman, propriétaire of à local poissonnerie, sometimes corrects my pronunciation with a kindly smile. I think she is encouraging me to buy more fish.

I agree that some non-francophone English people feel ill at ease in shops and offices, and irritable if they can’t make themselves understood, so want to get out as soon as they can. Like all emotional states, irritability and anxiety are contagious, as we know. And zen.

I don’t claim to know why French people I’ve met in Normandy don’t ask for translations, I was just “thinking aloud” in my last post. Alternative ideas are also available :grin:

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25

One of the only sensible religions out there.

(I am not looking for a debate or grief just naffed off with the wars associated in the name of other religions)

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