lundi 8 février 2010
Round trip ticket on Marseille Metro: 1.70€
Official stamps: 70€
Not having to go back to the Prefecture d'Enfer for ten years: Priceless!
Two weeks ago (right after I had been back to the Prefecture to get my récipisée renewed, naturally) I received the notice that my carte de sejour was ready to be picked up.
I had to bring: the letter, my passport, the current card that I have and the récipisée, and a stamp for 70€.
It didn't say which card was granted (1 year or 10 years) and the tax was the same as previous 1-year cards, so I wasn't sure.
I took the day off from work and headed down to the Prefecture a little before 8. Stopped at a bar/tobacco store and bought the stamps, then went and waited in line. Took me 40 minutes just to get in the building, another 15 to get the numbered ticket, then another hour and a half to have my number called, then 2 minutes to hand in the papers and get my card.
10 years!
If it wasn't the 10-year card I think I would have had a hissy fit right there in the middle of the Prefecture and the police would have had to come drag me out.
Anyway, I don't care, I am free!
No more going back to the Prefecture every three months to either:
1) withdraw the file to be filed out
2) get my récipisée renewed for another 3 months or
3) get my one year card
(which usually was good for only a few more months before I had to repeat the entire process).
Here's hoping that I will get my French nationality before Sept. 30, 2019, but no guarantees.
I'm Free!
Official stamps: 70€
Not having to go back to the Prefecture d'Enfer for ten years: Priceless!
Two weeks ago (right after I had been back to the Prefecture to get my récipisée renewed, naturally) I received the notice that my carte de sejour was ready to be picked up.
I had to bring: the letter, my passport, the current card that I have and the récipisée, and a stamp for 70€.
It didn't say which card was granted (1 year or 10 years) and the tax was the same as previous 1-year cards, so I wasn't sure.
I took the day off from work and headed down to the Prefecture a little before 8. Stopped at a bar/tobacco store and bought the stamps, then went and waited in line. Took me 40 minutes just to get in the building, another 15 to get the numbered ticket, then another hour and a half to have my number called, then 2 minutes to hand in the papers and get my card.
10 years!
If it wasn't the 10-year card I think I would have had a hissy fit right there in the middle of the Prefecture and the police would have had to come drag me out.
Anyway, I don't care, I am free!
No more going back to the Prefecture every three months to either:
1) withdraw the file to be filed out
2) get my récipisée renewed for another 3 months or
3) get my one year card
(which usually was good for only a few more months before I had to repeat the entire process).
Here's hoping that I will get my French nationality before Sept. 30, 2019, but no guarantees.
I'm Free!
Libellés :
Dealing with the French
Inscription à :
Publier les commentaires (Atom)
About Me
Blog Archive
Libellés
- 101 (13)
- Aix en Provence (13)
- Alain (22)
- Baby (11)
- Bureaucracy (14)
- Cooking (14)
- Daily Life (31)
- Dealing with the French (33)
- Entertainment (1)
- Ex-patness (14)
- Family (37)
- Food (1)
- French Customs (40)
- French Language (20)
- Friends (10)
- Fromage (14)
- Health (21)
- Hobbies (4)
- Holidays (29)
- Homesick (11)
- Jobs (10)
- July 22 (5)
- Marriage (1)
- Marseille (10)
- Me (3)
- Memories (3)
- Misc (40)
- Mishaps (16)
- Motorcycle (5)
- Music (2)
- Nationalité (3)
- Our Apartment (45)
- Overheard (2)
- parenting (2)
- Patents (24)
- Pictures (25)
- Provence (32)
- Ramblings (21)
- Random (1)
- Rants (30)
- Restaurants (1)
- Rugrats (7)
- S. (2)
- Scientific Stuff (4)
- Social Awkwardness (1)
- Sports (1)
- Strasbourg (13)
- Trips (52)
- VMI (12)
- Wedding (24)
- Wine (2)
- Wordless Wednesday (3)
Favorite Posts
-
I picked up my French passport this morning. It has been ready for awhile, I received the text message saying it was available for pick-up a... -
The above cartoon for kids to color, cut out, and fold into a cube shape. Then the cube is to be placed in the center of the table for remi... -
Here is the other cross-stitch I finished this year, this one is for Alain's Aunt, Lydia. I have now done at least one for every hous... -
Come to an end. My maternity leave is ending and I return to work on Monday. Alain will then take his two weeks of paternity leave, then we... -
you buy something from Sephora and get "premiér rides" (first wrinkles cream) samples. Sigh. Today is my birthday. The big 3-0. Su... -
Someone had other plans. Our daughter S. decided to make her appearance weeks ahead of schedule. (We have decided not to post her full name,...
-
One more month... More or less. One more week of work. I was actually supposed to stop February 4th (six weeks before D-Day) but now French...
-
I think I am entering the 'tired' stage of pregnancy. And no, not just physically tired. Tired of lying down, tired of sitting, tire...
-
Got back from Strasbourg just fine. My wallet however, did not. After my long train trip back home, and being called "sale race" (...
9 commentaires:
Congratulations---slow and steady wins the race! Perseverance pays off!
Mom
Congratulations, I hear you on the freedom note!
And it's funny, but it was actually easier for me to get citizenship than it was the 10yr card (which I never actually go).
That's so nice. I remember that feeling all too well. I am not sure about getting French nationality though... Guess I am just not ready for that yet.
Congratulations on the 10-year card.
how AMAZING!! i read this then thought of you this arvo, listening to a France Inter thing about people getting naturalised French at the ceremony. I dont know if i'll ever do it. but I'm SO grateful to the baby Jesus that i will never have to go back to rue St Sebastien and live thru the George Orwell experience. Congratulations!!!!
Congratulations. I totally know how you feel. And like KSam said, it only took me a relatively 1 hassle-free (in comparison) year to get citizenship.
Congratulations not for your 10 year car but for going to the prefecture !!!
Where are you in Provence? you are in Marseilles ???
I am not sure I would return to live in France without the citizenship. If we retire there as planned, then no way I am going to spend the first few years going to the Prefecture every 5 sec.
Well done!
hi, just perusing your blog....funny how every city is different...or maybe it is just the big ones. In my neck of the woods, you pay your timbres up front. and the 10 year is 140 euros, 1 year is 85. maybe it varies by departement? I always find it fascinating when I read complaints about the prefectures, etc. again, maybe it is the departement, but here it is a breeze. I'm american and, after I got my first CDS, every year has been a breeze (knock wood!!! lol) can't wait to apply for citizenship (got another year or so more to wait)....