The Carte de Sejour Saga: A True Story

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The ridiculousness of the situation must be broadcast. Consider this blog to be the accumulated frustration of months of bureaucratic stalling, inefficiency, and roadblocks. In other words, a typical anecdote of the French immigration & visa system!!!

Everyone is going to get an update on the saga of my carte de sejour-obtention efforts. Everyone must have a carte de sejour in order to stay in France (legally) for longer than 3 months. It's a long, drawn-out process that has now entered its fourth month since my arrival here in France. Today I went to the doctor (obligatory medical visit, mostly to check for TB) in order to complete the last step required before actually getting my carte de sejour. So...

Vendredi le 1 decembre

The good news is, progress was made. I saw the doctor and checked out fine. Vision, weight, chest x-ray...all normal. The visit took only 45 minutes. I was astounded by their easygoing efficiency.

The bad news is, more progress is yet to be made. The Prefecture de Police (typically) did not have the carte ready, and she told me to come back on the 18th to see if it's ready, or if not then, the 3rd of January. Not particularly helpful, because I'm coming home for Christmas on the 21st of DECEMBER. Next told her I was leaving for England on Thursday. "Oh. Well, then... you're going to have to get a Visa de Retout (return) for that." So I had to call Sciences Po to get in touch with the Visa liason people, who (for once) were really nice and helpful. Apparently Americans don't NEED visas to re-enter the country, so I will DEFINITELY have no problems with England and I SHOULD (she'll get back to me!) be fine coming back on New Year's Day. Go figure. Why the hell am I spending all this money if nobody's going to check it???? Grrr....french bureaucrats. It's the old "fill out the paper and dot all the I's just so I can photocopy it three times and stick it in a drawer and lose it" mentality.

Ok, destressing. It seems I WON"T need to go to the Prefecture of Police down at the Cite U for a Visa de Retou; I will be able to re-enter as a tourist. Isn't that all nice? Sigh.

Meanwhile, in previous episodes...

Lundi le 13 novembre

Robyn gets to spend 55 euro to buy a "Foreigner's Immigration Tax" stamp in order to go to her doctor's appointment. Even better, she has to go to an ATM and pay in cash, because the owner of the tabac where she buys it refuses to take a bank card...

She is now officially an illegal alien in France. Her visa expires today.

Vendredi le 11 novembre

Robyn receives her appointment for the doctor's visit in the mail. It should have come weeks ago, but apparently there was a 'bureaucratic snafu' in the Prefecture's office. While she was in Provence, Dominique received a call from a woman saying that they couldn't process the carte de sejour application, because Robyn had provided a telephone bill as proof of residence, rather than a gas/water bill. Dominique explains that it's impossible to send one of those bills, because the apartment utilities are paid by the Lycee Racine that we're attached to. Apparently this is just too much for the prefecture employee, who promptly despairs and says that "we're just not going to be able to get around this."



Dominique (thankfully) insists that they find a solution, and finally they agree on house insurance papers as adequate proof. Dominique faxes this over to the prefecture and they mail Robyn her appointment, which arrives the day after her return. She is blissfully ignorant of all the hubbub she missed while in Provence, which is good because she might have had a coronary had she known.

Jeudi le 12 octobre

Robyn brings yet ANOTHER copy of her visa to Sciences Po, following a phone call from the DAIE (visa people at Sciences Po) telling her that the Prefecture de Police somehow lost her other (2!) copies that she handed in. This has caused a delay of roughly three weeks.

Mercredi le 20 septembre

Robyn deposits the 'new and improved' photocopy of her passport photo (in triplicate) because the previous ones were too dark. She also drops off the photocopy of her bank statement proving that she has at least 400 euros in her bank account, thus fulfilling the last requirements of the carte de sejour request procedure. She receives her receipt acknowledging her request. Hooray! Now all she has to do is wait for her doctor's appointment to arrive in the mail.

Jeudi le 14 septembre

Robyn spends one hour in line waiting to deposit her demand for her carte de sejour. She has carfeully photocopied everything in triplicate, including her passport, visa, phone bill, health insurance card, birth certificate, translated birth certificate, landlord's social security card, application forms, and more. No matter how many times she checks and rechecks and shuffles her papers to make sure she has not forgotten anything, she is seized with a fear that something is missing...

Above all, she does not want to waste any more time in this small room, when the sun is shining brightly outside and her classes await her. She also does not want to have to make any more photocopies. She has rapidly come to detest the photocopier (10 centimes a copy), mostly on principal.

Samedi le 1 septembre

Arrival in France. Just for kicks, she waits at the airport for 1 1/2 hours waiting for her contact, whose car has run out of gas and been abandoned at a gas station. Later that day (after passing a very agreeable time with the Farrault family) she is in a slight car accident going around the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees...reknowned for its crazy traffic circle. The car is a rental, to replace the one that ran out of gas.

(Getting the picture??? This is one heck of a crazy country sometimes)

Best of all, ALL OF IT IS TRUE! The dates are even accurate, and I didn't exaggerate...in fact, I even abbreviated certain parts! (I got tired of typing, and and the rest of the editorial comments were purged by the censor board). It's a real live soap-opera saga.

At this rate, I should receive the visa after I get back from my only trip home to the States this year. As long as I have it before I go to Eastern Europe in April, I should be good...but keep your eyes open for 'The Saga Part II.'

P.S. Guess what happened to my chest x-ray? I had it with me when I went to the Opera tonight...I leaned it up against a wall in the -standing room only - section, and it slid down under the floor!!! I couldn't believe it...so that is now gone. Where will this craziness end???

P.P.S. The Opera was good. "L'Amour des trois oranges" at the Opera Bastille. Next, I am going to see "Idomeneo" at the Opera Garnier!

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Comments

[Janine]

Haai Robyn
Well, well.. It really is creazy! I read it with surprise! I had some problems too with stuff, but well I'm happy to be from the EU! But fine that the opera was nice ;). The museums were too! And I clumb up the Arc de Triomph! Also free on first sundays (from november till march)! See you soon! xxx Janine