Visa, resident card, green card.. the nightmare for all immigrants. I finally had mine so I thought I should share at least my experience so it could guide other resident card aspirants here in France.
In my case (PACSed), I had to wait 5 years before the obtention of this resident card. For those who are married, the waiting time is reduced to two years.
As usual, the request for visa renewal is 2 months prior to the validity date. Aside from the usual paperasse, namely:
- valid passport
- old visa card
- 3 months address (electricity bill for example) and salary justifications
- PACS certificate - not more than 3 months (from the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris)
- 3 recent ID pictures
- 1 envelope with mailing address and stamp
I also provided the following papers:
- birth certificate of Louna
- family book (livret de famille)
- motivation letter justifying my request for a 10-year visa
When my visa expired, the Prefecture issued a récépissé (receipt) valid for 3 months which is sufficient enough for travel (I was able to travel to the Philippines with the récépissé) and other administrative needs (CAF et CPAM). Before the end of the récépissé, I was asked to present to the Prefecture for an interview on Proces Verbal d'Integration Républicaine. And here are some sample questions:
- How would you prove that you're well integrated to the French Republic?
- What are the 3 symbols of France?
- What do they mean for you?
- What are the roles of the President? Prime Minister? National Assembly?.... Prefecture?
And I swear, I wasn't able to answer half of the questions, especially on the last part. The interviewer filled-up the questionnaire while explaining to me the different roles of each government entity. I was half-joking half-anxious that I hope I won't be judged because of my ignorance. And he seriously said YES. So I was actually negociating for another interview so I could review each of the questions before the D-day when he said 'Don't worry, you will have your 10-year resident card soon.' Yohooo!
By the way, I was asked to read an article and write a sentence before the interview. During the first exchange of conversations, he told me that I should speak a lot more with my daughter, indirectly telling me that I speak shitty French. How to destabilize an enemy. I swear, he was the first ever to tell me that. Good thing he told me I speak really well before the end of the interview. That's an additional ego booster.
13 years ago
19 comments:
ay katakot naman. I tell you the French have lots of paper trail when it comes to handling Visas.
I guess that's why I half hearted to get a French Passeport. I don't want to be interviewed in French and be told how shitty I am with it! I'm sure you speak way better than me. Sometimes I myself couldn't understand what I am saying!
hey hey hey way to go.. CONGRATULATIONS bading! alam mo ba nung maliit ako. Narinig ko na ang green card na yan noon noon pa sa mga tyahin ko sa States. Ang buong akala ko tungkol sa green card, pag meron ka nyan eh ibig sabihin milyonarya ka sa states, kaseh akala ko noon.. convertible sa million dollars yan ahaha! Anyway jokla, binisaya mo na lang sana si mister interviewer ahaha! musta sa inyo dyan lahat bading..
I will be back later to read!
Belated Happy Valentine's day!
mas istrikto pala dito!
sa amin, iyong old passport lang ang kailangan ;)
OMG! They really asked you this kind of questions on France & it's government & politics??? Is the Proces Verbal d'Integration Républicaine for everybody now applying for a resident card? I'm really surprised with this!
Les trois symboles de la France sont pas egalite, fraternite et liberte??? Et le coq ou Marianne? Naku, mapapa-research tuloy ako :D
Congratulations Ana ***clap clap clap*** Champagne !!! They've actually asked you those questions! I am sure that it is the Sarko Rule! They are trying to be strict with strangers for the integration. Teka yung magsalita lang nga pranse eh laking integrasyon na yon ha! Dapat sinabi mo na magiging engineer ka ba dito kung hindi ka marunong mag pranse ;) !
Yahooooo !!! Big big hug :) !!!!
hi analyse,
congratulations!!!
buti na lang dito sa canada, they only require those taking the citizenship to be able to converse in english... I'd be totally lost if they require french too! ",)
Congratulations Ana!
They would be crazy not to have you welcome!
exciting story ... hirap naman ang mga tanong. kebabaredad ... kung ako yung baka ngiti lang ang maibibigay ko. ehehe
Duke, and I haven't talked about the papers I prepared to enter the university here...
Nao, haha, ako rin nun, malay ko ba sa green card na yan hehe, i thought it was like a green atm card which you could use to get moolahs!
Agring, same to you ;)
Racky, ang saya naman dyan senyo..
Makis, as haze said, it must be a sarko thing. and the questionnaire, i dont know if it varies from one prefecture to another, but the interviewer had a file on his computer which he filled up during the interview, so it must be something common to at least les côte d'oriens.
and since i never heard of such interview before, i came really unprepared without any notion of what questions they might ask.. as in inisa isa from president to prefecture by passing to députées and conseil regional ha, grabe.
re: symbols. liberté, égalité, fraternité nga. and he asked me what those words signify for me... he also asked me about my views on racism, discrimination, violence... and also asked me if im a member of any association.. dami no...
Haze, korekek. he actually asked me what language i use at home and at work. so i told him i speak english with my daughter so she could prepare herself for the future, and besides, ce sera dommage if i dont take advantage of our situation to teach other language to my kid... and then at work, of course it's french .. and a lot of english because it's a multinational company.. i was like trying to tell him that french is not suffcient enough to survive in his country hehehe..
Jo, good for you. french is such a complicated language .. but i love it, i find it romantic hehe..
KK, hehe, actually on the first question, i answered him if the fact that i pay taxes is proof enough, that in no way im a parasite of their system hehe.. and he smiled approvingly..
Airwind, i was really surprised on the questions. actually, half of the time, nginingitian ko na lang hehehe.
ako sagot ko: integration sa france? camembert, pastis, red wine white wine? pink wine...
ana, they will notify you of your ten years ready for pick up, by mail, sa cityhall or sa prefecture. Ten days or less after your interview.
TEN YEARS? WOOOHOHOHOOO!
congrats, ala eh, tagay na!
Hello Anna, the next step, pag-aralin magtagalog ang dayuhan na nasa Pilinas. If i will be the President sa NINETEEN KOPONG KOPONG, they'll be oblige to recite "Panatang Makabayan" and sing "Bahay kubo". ha ha (just kidding)
It's nice of you to share the experience.
How many times i have renewed my passport and etc. But everytime, they always find other reason to delay the issuance of the document.
Hei Ana,
It is getting more and more difficult to get residence visa etc in Europe. Even here, residence visa is getting more and more difficult.
congratulations!
Francesca, I got it in my pocket na ;)
Relly, papperase à la française.. as usual.
Al, thanks.
Nakakaloka naman yan mga tanong. what does the President do? Ngek, pwede ba sagot, mangurakot. Ay sa Pinas lang pala yun, he!he!
Congrats!
Babababahh, kataray, hawak na pala, aba saan tagay ko, lol
Congrats Analyse! Finally u got it na, such a good news.
But i was surprised with those questions! lol bago ata yan, ano? Buti na lang din hindi ako tinanong ng ganyan noon or else mapanganga lang ako..hehe I had my 10 yrs card after my 2 yrs here, and it was not really difficult...i even had no idea or i did'nt remember the papers required, Si FIL din kasi nag-asikaso noon isinama lang ako pag may rdv.
Mas nahirapan ako dito sa driving ko. I always taking the examine blanc and i still did not get the less than 5 mistakes kaya the school won't allow me to take the final code...diosko, bago rin kaya to or depende ng auto ecole? hindi kasi ganito kay hubby noon. how 'bout yours?
Leah, hehe, i can't give that for an answer, baka pauwiin kaagad ako.
Francesca, hehe. punta ka dito.
Lucille, i guess they've changed a lot of procedures in terms of immigration. parang ako nga lang ang dumaan sa ganyan, but malamang, sa mga new comers, obligatory na yan.. that's why i posted it here, so they could get an idea..
on driving, i just got the equivalent. in fact, you could exchange your national driving license to their pink license here if you apply within the first year of your obtention of the first titre de sejour. check out the blog of haze, she just got her driving license after years of agony..
Congratulations! Buti na lang hindi ako dumaan sa ganyan kahirap na interview. After being married 2yrs with my hubby I was able to get my citizenship by doing a very informal interview with the consul here in the US. I'm sure bagsak ako if I had to do it over there!
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