I have been in Paris now for nearly a year. I can live here legally because I am married to a citizen of the EU. I am entitled to get (theoretically) what is known as a Carte de Sejour, or, as I call it, the French green card. This has been a long and arduous process, that, to this day, has yet to be actually completed.
The fun all started last year when we were getting ready to move. We looked up on the French website what I needed to get into the country and live here legally. It said that as the spouse of an EU citizen, I needed to obtain a visa from the French embassy in DC. So, we got together all the paperwork it asked for, took the day off work and headed down to DC for our appointment. Very long story short, the nice people at the embassy told me that I did not need a visa, but just to show up and go to the local prefecture of police when I get there. Sounds easy enough, I ran out to Robbie, who was not allowed in and told him about how we just wasted a lot of time and cost ourselves a day of work for nothing. Little did I know this would be a continuing theme in my hunt for legal status, and insurance, here in France.
Fast forward to August. We have again been given a list of items to bring to the Prefecture in the 14th. We show up with our items, only to find the Prefecture closed for the day. Not a holiday, just for no particular reason, they decided to close. Ok, fine, be that way. We try again, and this time, they have stopped taking people for the day. Not closed, but no else is allowed in. Ok, fine, be that way. We go again. We get in, get a number, hang out, get called, I'm feeling good. WE sit down , the woman looks through everything and we hit our first snag. Whilst being translated into French, Robbie's birthday falls victim to a typo on our marriage certificate. DENIED! So, after a minor freak out and some local phone calls to translators, we decide to send the document back to the original translator for the correction. Done and done. It comes back, and away we go again. We go again, this time on my birthday. Wouldn't that be nice, to get my carte de sejour on my birthday. This time, we are denied again for not having something. i couldn't even tell you what it was we didn't have, but I'm pretty sure we either didn't need it or did actually have it. So we walk away, again rejected. This time I start to get angry. The other times, ok, I understand (ish). This time, I was getting a little hot under the collar. We decide to just give it a go again a few weeks later, maybe obtaining something close to what they wanted, but maybe not quite it, or not actually getting said item at all. Same woman, 30 minute before close, and without even looking at the paperwork, gives me the approval for the carte de sejour. Was it because she was training someone, was it because she just wanted to go home? I don't care, i just care that I got the rubber stamp!! Now, we just have to take the same stack of papers over to the big head office on this said day for my reception and I'm in like Flynn! (so she said.....)
The big day is in October, so I start looking for jobs. Now that I know I am getting my card, I can work legally. I get 2 jobs, good to go, so i think. I show up on the day, I get my rescipisse for my carte de sejour. It basically says I am able to work and live here and that my carte is on its way. Now I just need a paystub and to go back in 3 months to get the real deal. This is where it starts to go south again. One job I only work 4 hours and they pat cash, so no official fiche de paie (paystub). The other job, doesn't want to put me on the books, so they won't give me a fiche de paie. So, my hands tied, I go back in 3 months. Needless to say, they were not very happy. The woman was actually just down-right nasty. Now, she says, I need to come back showing that I have purchased 100% health coverage, the state health was not enough, I need to buy the other 20%. Meanwhile, my job situation has changed, and the job is now willing to put me on the books. So I start to pursue my healthcare.......
We go to the Assurance maladie office with my first fiche showing that I am employed, yada yada. By this point, I have also become very prepared with my dossier, and have my black folder filled with anything they could ask me for. The guy at the office was so nice, for once we get a nice person! He would love to get me started, only I haven't worked enough hours. Come back with my next fiche and this list of things and I will be all set. No problem, I can do that. So I put the paper aside and wait. We have simultaneously began the process to get me onto Robbie's insurance, which also continuously needs more and more paperwork. They love to keep sending me back the packet and ask for 2 more pieces of freaking paper. WHY DO THEY NOT HAVE 1 F(*$ING LIST?!?!?!?!?!??!? If each of these places had on god damned list they handed out, it would make every persons life easier. Get these items and come back. Done and done. But no, each individual employee can make up any old freaking list they want to, on the spot. SO, I am still, to this day, sending a large envelope back and forth with the stupid office.
In the meantime, I am running out of time to get my insurance to get my carte de sejour. So, I need to go ask for more time. I have a friend set up to go with me, as my French is not at the point where I can have conversations, yet. AS I am waiting for him, my number gets called. I have been preparing a speech using the very limited vocabulary I have. So, here goes.... I sit down and try to explain in my bad French that I need an extension because I do not have the things on the list yet. After some confusion and repitition, She gets my point and agrees. My friend shows up then and does a little clarifying and I am set for 3 more months. I leave there finally having a huge sense of satisfaction. Not only did they do what I wanted, for once, but I did it almost completely by myself!!
Back on the ranch, I get my secong fiche and head over to the office again. I am relaxed and assured thinking about all the docotor appointments I am going to make. But then we meet the mustache. I did not have the first thing on the list. Yes I should have, but seeing as how we had no idea what it was, we didn't know where or how to get it. She, yes the mustache is a she, got all shitty and just kept saying you get it from your employer. Ok, I can do that tomorrow, next. She wants my original birth certificate. I don't have it, but I have a copy. "No, I need a better copy or the original." Now I start to freak out a little. I haven't the foggiest idea where in the states I left it. I don't know why they want the original, because I have a perfectly good translation right here. Its not like she will be able to read the origianl anyway. So, I am less than happy and off we go, no insurance still. I will simply send away for it. A month later, I finally get an official copy from the great state of Maryland. I ge the paper from my boss and my friend and I go back. I knew we were in trouble the minute I saw that I had to go back to the Mustache. Her greeting to you,by the way, is "I'm listening" That's how she greets people, you know she's a c*%t. We sit down polite and smiley, only to be thwarted again. This time, she just flat out fucking lies! She asked where my translation is from, I say it was done in the US. Not good enough. She said that she told me I needed a new translation. Oh no she didn't!! (said very ghetto) I may not be fluent in French, but the words for original and photocopie are the same in both languauges. So last time, when she asked me for my origianl and/or a photocopie, I knew what she was asking for. She said nothing about the traduction (translation). See how they are very different words, traduction and original. I wanted to flip her desk and run out screaming obscenities. Instead I did what any nice girls does, I cried. She then tells my friend how her hands are tied, not in a nice calming tone, still like a c*@t, but if I make a photocopie of this traduction and send all the papers in, I will get approved. WHAT!!! So she can't, but other people can. Bullshit! This is a perfect example of how the administration works. Each person is given free range to make up the rules as they go along, treating each case however they feel that day. I am now taking this as personal, and I will bring that bitch to her knees if its the last thing I do. She will hand me my insurance card and she will smile. And I will laugh in her face and tell her off in English. "That's not very sober of you, Corinne!" You might say. Well, fuck it. What they are doing is illegal. I am married to a citizen of the EU, they can't block my Carte de Sejour, but they are, for no reason. I am employed, they have to give me insurance, but they aren't, because this woman has made it her life's work to make people miserable.
I will get my 2 cards and they have to do it, whether they want to or not. I will be victorious in this war. They will not break me, I will not leave. So they can suck it!!!
