getting the info now. (on the phone)
The french helpline is more helpful than the english version.
Cheers Harry… I’m off out for an appointment… talk later…
The only option offered for CdS at the Aude Prefecture was to book an appointment by email. This was duly done, and we received a date for ten weeks hence – last Thursday. It was then very helpful then that The Connection published just the day before, new guidelines (apparently sent that day to all Prefectures with instructions to abide by these) from the Interior Ministry. Interesting however was a new provision to provide proof of “how long your resources will last”. My documentation did not.
Gobsmacked by the cost of translating what I considered “reasonable” documentation - €1080 for self and wife - I chose to take up the alternative to Pensions Advices offered in the Aude’s own list of requirements, of providing bank statements. However, these only show the source as “Worldlink”, “Citibank”, etc. I also baulked at printing 5 years statements, only doing one, but ready to hand over the rest on a memory stick, meanwhile providing a 5-year summary of each of our four pensions.
I found two statements on the EU Certificates Translation resolution. One said that member states had two years to implement it, i.e. by 9th June 2018, however another said it would not be adopted (in France?) until 2019, after Brexit. However, I also read of one applicant whose Prefecture was absolutely delighted by his self-translation, so I mocked-up French versions of our two birth certs to add to the 70+ year-old originals, and of our marriage cert. I thought I might just have succeeded with that package.
However, following the news of the “how long” requirement, I looked on the rendez-vous as simply an opportunity to learn the absolute minimum requirement for translation. However the Bureau d’Etrangers simply stripped my carefully presented “dossiers” (clearly not impressed by window-dressing) and although very friendly didn’t want to discuss the content. They also didn’t want to see any of the original passports, certs, health documentation, etc. but simply took our fingerprints, gave us six-month CdS’s and said “We’ll text you”. Who knows what will happen next (so pretty pointless me posting this actually!!)
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Just finished n the phone. They cannot seem to find the updated documents. but taking the fact sheet in french and English and print out the press release in french and English should be enough.
They are going to email me the other paperwork in the next couple of days.
Sadly it was part of the documents on my old computer what went belly up on me and its hard to back up every file.
not at all. I enjoyed reading that. Typical french bureaucracy. glad you got your card. Mine too I went in shown my ID along with wife and kids and 10 minutes later was back on the street. (this was last year) No idea abut now though.
Right im back to preparing the guest room in a rush for our guest that arrived in 24 hours. (ive only had 2 months notice) hahahaha. Just realised now the bed is covered in stickers my daughter decorated it with…
Oh and by the way. As there are other English speaking countries still in the EU “English will still be a language of the EU” so even after brexit. UK documents will still be accepted. It is not based on membership of the eu but on the language it is written in and even American ducuments are to be accepted as they are written in English.
Quote: The European Commission confirmed as much in their proposed budget for 2021-27, which notes that despite Britain’s decision to leave the EU, there’s currently no plan to reduce the use of English in the bloc. “The withdrawal of the United Kingdom will result in a limited reorientation of some functions within the administration but the scope of activities will not change,” the commission notes (pdf). “Translation and interpretation services in the English language will also remain unaffected.”
English is one of the EU’s 24 official languages. Though the EU provides important information on policies in all its official languages, the Commission only has three working languages: English, French, and German. Once Britain leaves the EU in 2019, there will only be two member states—Ireland and Malta—where English is the official language. (That’s just 1% of the total EU population.)
Morning All,
We have recently made our application for a CdS at our prefecture at St Lo, Normandy
You could not make an appointment but just had to turn up and take a ticket and wait your turn. As we arrived a bit late the was quite a queue and we had a 2 hour wait.
The lady helped us fill out the required forms and took copies of the documents she required. What they want really does seem to differ from prefecture to prefecture. She happily accepted our originals, no translations needed.
She created a folder for each of us and said they would be in touch when the CdS were ready.
We got a phone call 3-4 weeks later and went and collected the cards. Could not have been easier.
Guess we were lucky in comparison to others.
Have a great day
Andy
AND Harry, contrary to the experience of others, we were taken 15 minutes EARLY, and as you say, out in 10 mins - what a waste of 2 hrs parking!
However, we have only a “Piece-of-paper de Sejour” acknowledging our request, which expires 27th December - plenty of time to get their bureacracy fully engaged if they so choose!
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https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32016R1191
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/LSU/?uri=CELEX:32016R1191
English versions above.
French below.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32016R1191
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/summary/FR/230101_2
Having had a long conversation this morning it will be fully enforced by 2019 but again confirmed that France Is already (implemented by the former president) in full use of this service although they do agree it is slow to filter down the line to all departments and to all people.
They again suggest that all these documents are printed and you take them with you anywhere you need documents in English or any other language of the EU. They have also confirmed at this present moment in time UK documents are taken but it is for member states of the EU only at this time and there is currently no formal agreement to continue to take UK documents after the UK leaves the EU. It is for EU Member states only.
Hope this helps you @Stella
There will be no more documentation beyond the 2017 documents as there have been no changes. the review will be done in 2019 when it becomes mandatory for all member states to be in compliance.
Quote from my email:
“Please note that Regulations are legal acts defined by Article 288 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). They have general application, are binding in their entirety and directly applicable in all European Union countries, without needing to be transposed into national law.”
I have just made an appointment by email with the prefecture at Angouleme to apply for a cds for my partner. The earliest I could get was november.
On the prefectures website it says that they require 3 photos, a valid passport and 5 years proof of residency, ie, tax returns etc.
Does anyone know if they are likely to ask for other documents such as birth/ marriage certificates please?
Hi Malcolm,
Well every Departement / Prefecture seems to be a bit different, but here in Vendee I was asked to provide my Birth Certificate, Proof of Income, Evidence of home ownership or rental, Carte Vitale and Attestation des Droits, and a Justicatif de Domicile (Utility Bill) less than 3 months old in addition to the documents you mentioned.
If your partner is relying on your EU Member State nationality in making their application, and does not have EU Member State nationality in their own right, then I would expect that a Marriage Certificate, or equivalent, will also be asked for.
In the event that your partner’s name does not appear on all the relevant documents, then an ‘Attestation’ letter from yourself (in French) to briefly explain the situation will also be helpful.
By the way ---- it’s probably just an ‘accent’ problem, but you can’t apply “for” a CDS “for” your partner, as each person has to make their own application.
Many thanks for your response Robert. It isn’t clear in my previous post but I just mean’t that I had made the appointment on behalf of my partner. As you rightly say, she will have to do the rest herself!
I myself am in the process of applying for citizenship, and from this experience I know that you cannot always rely on what the official websites say!
The best course is clearly to take everything including the kitchen sink and hope it will suffice.
I have no personal experience to offer but did come across this. Hope it helps.
Has anyone had the experience of having tge necessity of being finger printed when you collect your card?
Yes Jane. When I collected my card I had to give an electronic fingerprint to compare to the full set of fingerprints that were taken when I deposited my application dossier. No doubt it’s a good ‘double check’ way of making sure that the person collecting the card is the same as the person who made the application.
I had no problem with it at all. It’s just the same as using one’s fingerprints for ID purposes when entering the country using the ‘Parafes’ automated immigration control channel at Orly airport. Quick, clean, and very efficient provided that the computer is working properly.
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I don’t believe that there is a necessity for fingerprinting in the Settled Status for EU applicants in the UK.
In fact, it seems, that although there is a charge, it can all be done via an App.
I think I will wait to see if a less complicated system can be agreed.
I don’t see how the fingerprinting can be regarded as ‘complicated’. The whole process only takes about 2 minutes. There is no ink used these days when taking fingerprints electronically so it’s a case of no mess, no stress, no problem.
I think fingerprints and/or retina-recognition is a great security measure… easy-peasy… 
Not that I’ve got anything (much) to hide, but when this fingerprint id is done, what happens to the record? Is it shared with security agencies in france, Europe wide? Stinks of big brother.