To complete the French immigration process, you need to check in with the authorities within three months of your arrival in France. As this wasn't something that we were particularly looking forward to, for the first couple of months we procrastinated.
Finally, in about mid-October (with a month to go until the deadline), I pulled out the instructions and dug into the details. I was a bit concerned to see that they strongly advise you to mail in some required paperwork immediately after arriving in France as the process can take a considerable amount of time. What was particularly concerning, with my frequent business travel, was a statement that alluded to potential challenges in getting back into the country if the process wasn't completed within the required three months.
That got me moving. I sent in the paperwork and awaited a response. Fortunately the response did come relatively quickly and it was fairly clear. Erin and I were to show up at a government office at 9AM on December 5th for a medical exam, x-rays, and to complete the immigration process.
When the day came earlier this week, we brought our passports, more paperwork, and hopes that we'd be able to figure out what we needed to do.
We started off in a long line ending in a desk with a woman working through paperwork. Of course when we got in the line we had no idea whether it was the correct one. When we got to the front the process went smoothly although we weren't clear on exactly what she was saying about our enfants although I wasn't too worried as I did catch something about "18 years". If we didn't have to do something for 18 years or until they were 18 years old, that was fine with me.
We were then directed to a seating area where we awaited our names being called. Upon sitting down a British woman that was helping a French executive and his American or British wife through the process turned to us and explained the comment about the kids. Since they were under 18 they didn't need the carte de séjour (residency permit) that we would be getting.
Our names were then called and we proceeded with a group of about eight people to another room to await the medical exam. As we waited, I studied the process. The young woman with the long jacket would get her name called, go to the first room, proceed to the second room, come back and sit down, get called by a doctor to the exam room, exit the exam room, go to the front desk, leave the room. The young man with the gray jacket would get his name called, go to the first room, etc. This is what life in a foreign country is all about. You don't understand the process and can't really speak the language so you have to observe patterns and do your best to mimic them.
Sure enough, eventually our names were called and we proceeded to the first room for an eye exam. After that, three of us went to individual rooms where we stripped from the waist up (easier for me than Erin) then awaited a technician that brought us -- one at a time -- into another room for a chest x-ray. After that we got dressed and went back to the second waiting room.
Next, a physician grabbed our x-ray, called our name, and we followed him into an office to discuss our health. Fortunately, both Erin and I had great guys. They were both very friendly and spoke English well. Erin mentioned that she was a doctor and had a conversation about the process and government. It turns out they are primarily looking for TB, cholera, and plague.
After our visits with the physicians we returned to the first waiting room and waited for our names to be called. There we chatted with another American couple -- she grew up in Kirkland -- and enjoyed the anticipation of almost being done with the process. Sure enough, our names were called, we handed over our passports, the woman put in a sticker, and we were on our way. The immigration process, fortunately, is done and we can legally reside in France for a year.
Finally, in about mid-October (with a month to go until the deadline), I pulled out the instructions and dug into the details. I was a bit concerned to see that they strongly advise you to mail in some required paperwork immediately after arriving in France as the process can take a considerable amount of time. What was particularly concerning, with my frequent business travel, was a statement that alluded to potential challenges in getting back into the country if the process wasn't completed within the required three months.
That got me moving. I sent in the paperwork and awaited a response. Fortunately the response did come relatively quickly and it was fairly clear. Erin and I were to show up at a government office at 9AM on December 5th for a medical exam, x-rays, and to complete the immigration process.
When the day came earlier this week, we brought our passports, more paperwork, and hopes that we'd be able to figure out what we needed to do.
We started off in a long line ending in a desk with a woman working through paperwork. Of course when we got in the line we had no idea whether it was the correct one. When we got to the front the process went smoothly although we weren't clear on exactly what she was saying about our enfants although I wasn't too worried as I did catch something about "18 years". If we didn't have to do something for 18 years or until they were 18 years old, that was fine with me.
We were then directed to a seating area where we awaited our names being called. Upon sitting down a British woman that was helping a French executive and his American or British wife through the process turned to us and explained the comment about the kids. Since they were under 18 they didn't need the carte de séjour (residency permit) that we would be getting.
Our names were then called and we proceeded with a group of about eight people to another room to await the medical exam. As we waited, I studied the process. The young woman with the long jacket would get her name called, go to the first room, proceed to the second room, come back and sit down, get called by a doctor to the exam room, exit the exam room, go to the front desk, leave the room. The young man with the gray jacket would get his name called, go to the first room, etc. This is what life in a foreign country is all about. You don't understand the process and can't really speak the language so you have to observe patterns and do your best to mimic them.
Sure enough, eventually our names were called and we proceeded to the first room for an eye exam. After that, three of us went to individual rooms where we stripped from the waist up (easier for me than Erin) then awaited a technician that brought us -- one at a time -- into another room for a chest x-ray. After that we got dressed and went back to the second waiting room.
Next, a physician grabbed our x-ray, called our name, and we followed him into an office to discuss our health. Fortunately, both Erin and I had great guys. They were both very friendly and spoke English well. Erin mentioned that she was a doctor and had a conversation about the process and government. It turns out they are primarily looking for TB, cholera, and plague.
After our visits with the physicians we returned to the first waiting room and waited for our names to be called. There we chatted with another American couple -- she grew up in Kirkland -- and enjoyed the anticipation of almost being done with the process. Sure enough, our names were called, we handed over our passports, the woman put in a sticker, and we were on our way. The immigration process, fortunately, is done and we can legally reside in France for a year.
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