Help with the Compétences et Talents card

[LaFrancesaCubanita]

Hi everyone!

I'm officially new to the forum, though I've been visiting the site for quite a while now. I am so grateful to see so many informative and rapid responses to so many of the serious issues that arise when you decide to leave your home country and venture out into the world!

While I've read several posts about the compétences et talents card, I still am not quite sure about my situation and felt compelled to see if anyone could help clarify things for me. I came to Europe last year for the first time on a debut music tour (I'm an indie artist). I stayed for the allowable three months and absolutely fell in love with France and the general reception of my music abroad. It was earlier this year that I decided this is where I needed to be for a while to continue developing my artistic career.

Though all of my friends at home thought I was crazy to just pack up and leave, I've always followed my heart and believe enough in my dreams to take big risks and go where my intuition leads me. However, this sometimes means that I've done things "not-so-by-the-book" at first. I hadn't really decided where I wanted to live, so I came over on a visitor visa to keep touring and test the waters out. I originally started out in Germany, but found out quickly that while it was easy to open a bank account there as an American citizen, I wasn't really happy with my geographic choice & didn't really find the country, the people or the food to be my idea of where I'd feel most like home.

It was after leaving Germany that I remembered how much I loved France and decided to make the switch. I stayed a little over 90 days and made the trip back home for a few days to "renew" my visa (I know that "technically" this wasn't really kosher, as I think I should have remained outside of the Shenegan area before returning again). But, luckily I've found the French immigration officers to e pretty lax and had no problem re-entering the country again.

Now that I've been here about another month and a half, I really want to straighten out my status and started researching how to do so. I came across several sites speaking about the compétences et talents card. I have an audio engineering degree from one of the top schools around the world for this field, I've worked for a high profile celebrity in the US for a year at their commercial recording studio, I've been a professional dancer & dance instructor, released several records of my own, appeared in a number of independent films and theatre performances, worked for a well-known cable television station in the US, started an organization that brought artists and workshops to the incarcerated youth in my hometown for a year and have been collaborating with several French artists & performing at well-respected French venues since last year. I'm currently starting a new album with a French producer and working closely with several "associations" in the city which I'm residing in.

I've read the requirements for the CET card it seems pretty simple, except I'm wondering a few things. With all of my different creative experiences, can what I present be too broad? I know that I have to find an interesting way to present a "project" worthy of being approved for the CET card. I have friends here who are willing to help me translate my description for the application as well as helping me to format my CV. Second, I'm confused as to whether or not I need to go back home to apply for this card in the US or if I can apply for it here in France. I don't have health insurance and haven't had any for some time, so I'm assuming that will be something I'll have to take care of. Are there any financial requirements that I need to have in order to obtain the CET? And for the criminal record, can I just request this file from my home county in the US or does it have to be an FBI background check? If the latter is necessary, can I apply for this online? Does anyone know approximately how long it takes to get an answer from the French gov't about being approved or denied and IF I'm denied, can I reapply again and how soon?

I really appreciate any feedback I can get on this. Sending all my well wishes to those with enough courage to pursue their dreams, follow their hearts & take big risks!

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

The CET thing is pretty new - possibly one of those things they slipped in in the most recent round of immigration changes. I'm not certain if it's absolutely necessary, but in your case I would most definitely go back to the US to apply for the thing. Most of the new rules just coming into effect (June 1st) seem to point toward requiring most sorts of visa applications back in your home country - or at least in your current country of residence (and that means legal, long-term and preferably tax residence).

You'll have to deal with the health insurance issue unless somehow your project involved being employed by a French employer who will withhold the appropriate cotisations from your pay.

And chances are, you're going to have to get an FBI "rap sheet" as that's the only national police record the US offers. It costs $18 and requires you to be fingerprinted on the official FBI fingerprint card. If you can get hold of one of the cards (try the personnel department of a local, friendly defense contractor back in the US) the local police will often do the fingerprints for you for free. If you can't find a defense contractor, you will have to find the closest FBI office back in the US. They will give out the cards if you go in in person, but they won't mail them out on request. (Maybe this policy has changed since I had to go through it - call to find out.)

The US consulate in Paris will also do fingerprinting for you (and has the cards!) but they charge 35 or 40 € and you have to make an appointment to go in and have it done in Paris.

Always assume any sort of visa application will take 3 months. Sometimes you're pleasantly surprised, but at least you won't be overly disappointed. According to everything I've read on this CET card, you can apply the next day if you get turned down and just keep applying until you wear them down.

Keep us posted on your progress!
Cheers,
Bev

[LaFrancesaCubanita]

Thank you so much Bev. I really appreciate your help and I will definitely keep everyone posted on how it goes I'm giving myself a two week deadline to get all of the necessary paperwork done on my end (i.e. the required CV, long-stay visa apps, my project proposal, photographs, photocopies of my degrees & credentials, etc.) After that, I'll make arrangements to travel back to the US to apply for the remainder of the process.

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

The CET thing is pretty new - possibly one of those things they slipped in in the most recent round of immigration changes. I'm not certain if it's absolutely necessary, but in your case I would most definitely go back to the US to apply for the thing. Most of the new rules just coming into effect (June 1st) seem to point toward requiring most sorts of visa applications back in your home country - or at least in your current country of residence (and that means legal, long-term and preferably tax residence).

You'll have to deal with the health insurance issue unless somehow your project involved being employed by a French employer who will withhold the appropriate cotisations from your pay.

And chances are, you're going to have to get an FBI "rap sheet" as that's the only national police record the US offers. It costs $18 and requires you to be fingerprinted on the official FBI fingerprint card. If you can get hold of one of the cards (try the personnel department of a local, friendly defense contractor back in the US) the local police will often do the fingerprints for you for free. If you can't find a defense contractor, you will have to find the closest FBI office back in the US. They will give out the cards if you go in in person, but they won't mail them out on request. (Maybe this policy has changed since I had to go through it - call to find out.)

The US consulate in Paris will also do fingerprinting for you (and has the cards!) but they charge 35 or 40 € and you have to make an appointment to go in and have it done in Paris.

Always assume any sort of visa application will take 3 months. Sometimes you're pleasantly surprised, but at least you won't be overly disappointed. According to everything I've read on this CET card, you can apply the next day if you get turned down and just keep applying until you wear them down.

Keep us posted on your progress!
Cheers,
Bev

[LaFrancesaCubanita]

So, I've made my travel arrangements to return to the US to apply for the CET card and I have also managed to make my appointment at the French consulate to apply just a few days after I make it stateside. My project has been conceptualized and my French friends are assisting me with the translation as for the presentation as well as my CV. I've begun asking for letters of recommendation from various people that will partake in and support my project in order to show that I'm capable and likely to see my project through to it's completion. Now, my focus is also shifting towards obtaining the remaining items necessary for my application (i.e. my FBI background clearance, international health insurance, copies of my tax returns & college degrees, etc.) My only real concern is that I will only be in the US for two weeks before needing to return to Europe. I'm thinking about applying for a secondary passport in order to travel, while the French consulate makes their decision. My question is the following: once the consulate has decided to grant/deny my application, will I be required to come back to the consulate offices in person to retrieve my passport or will they mail it to my home address? Could a friend or family member pick it up for me? And should I tell the Consulate that I will be traveling after I've applied or is this an unnecessary risk? The idea is that if they just mail it back to me, I can have my friends or a family member ship my original passport to me after which I'll take a trip out of France with my secondary passport & re-enter with the passport that has the visa stamp (assuming they've approved me). I know it's risky because if I'm not so lucky and get denied, I'd have to go back home anyways in order to reapply, but I'm confident enough about the letters I'm receiving and the project itself that things will go smoothly. Anxiously revving up...

P.S. Can anyone recommend a good international health insurance provider? Merci et bonne journée à tous!