My husband had a similar situation where his BC shows his full first name yet all government docs and passport showed his everyday use of his shortened name. Think Frederick/Fred. If you haven't submitted yet, I would suggest submitting what they asked for without adding anything. Don't over volunteer documents! If they raise a stink (as they did with my husband), send them as many documents as possible with your 3 names and a letter explaining that you understand that things are different here however would they accept...blah blah blah. Wait for them to direct you. Don't call. The person on the phone is not the person that will work with your dossier.

 

A couple more paths to follow which might, or might not, be helpful:

- I had a problem (not the same) because my justification for registering changed after a year and it was hard to explain why. In the end I went in person to the CPAM office and after 2 or 3 visits was eventually handed over to the local rep of the "Services des Relations Internationales" who sorted it out in one go. Apparently the Services cannot be contacted directly - you have to be referred by the CPAM office. The CPAM de la Haute-Garonne office is next to the Canal du Midi but entry is by appointment only. (I hope there's no Catch 22 along the lines of having to have an Ameli account to get an appointment to get an Ameli account.) But she did understand the problem and how to fix it.

- the other is just another forum, in case you haven't already found it: The forum-ameli pour les assurées. Lots of questions about how to sign up, with answers from other users and/or a "community manager" who gives a response labelled "Certifiée par un expert ameli". Seems to be run by the Assurance maladie.

 

Sorry Chrissippus. I reread your original post and obviously misread it.

I still would send them a letter saying that you understand that things are different here than in the US and that the document they are asking for doesn't exist. I would explain that your situation is extremely common and would they accept the documents you have already provided as proof that you are indeed...you. That is what we did and it satisfied them. I have called CPAM in the past and even with a dossier number, the person on the phone gave me the incorrect information.

ToulouseRob has an interesting option, but not sure you're "there " yet.

Again, my apologies

 

I will call CPAM to explain the situation. Are they likely to accept it?

I would visit CPAM and take as much old stuff showing your middle name as you can. If they still don't buy it and you have no other options, you can get a court order in the US that proves that you are the same person as listed on your BC. They should accept that. They evidently are persnickety about this sort of thing.

 

The problem is trying to get an appointment at CPAM. The RDV section is very specific. You can't show up under false pretences. They are very particular. The OP should send a letter of explanation via Une Lettre Recommandee with the dossier number and name of the person (if there is one). They will respond with further instruction. The OP can then decide what action to take.

 

Many CPAM offices in France are in fact open to the public and you can indeed just walk in and ask questions or make an appointment. That may not be the case where you live, but I believe many CPAM offices in Toulouse, which is where the OP lives and ToulouseRob lives close in to central Toulouse.

 

Do you have access to any document (even one from when you were 10 or 12 years old) that shows you with just a first and last name? (Social Security card, perhaps? Any old church records?) You may be able to get some leverage on the issue by availing yourself of the "nom d'usage" convention here in France. Strictly speaking, that's normally used for women to indicate their "married name" - but hey, equality of the sexes and all that good stuff....

I have managed once or twice to get around these sorts of requests by explaining that the document they were requesting simply does not exist. Unfortunately for you, with all the budget troubles they are having at the moment, there is lots of attention being paid to the rather high levels of fraud involving CPAM registrations and the Carte Vitale. But in the US it has always been the case that in most states, you can use any name you like, as long as the purpose isn't to defraud.

I'd go with TacTac's suggestion - reply via lettre recommandee explaining the situation (very briefly) and just asking them what they suggest.

 

As a side note Bev, my husband received a letter from CPAM (he was randomly picked) requesting proof that he is still in France. 6 months quittance de loyer, titre de séjour, 2 years of impots and/or 6 months proof of consumption at EDF. Not bills...actual consumption. All in an effort to stop fraud.

 

The main thing you want to be doing here is to demonstrate that you are more than willing to cooperate and provide the document(s) they request - but in the case where no such document exists, you just state that fact and ask for their "advice" (also known as "throwing yourself on their mercy" <g>). Ultimately it may come down to them issuing you a Carte Vitale in the name that is on your birth certificate and that's what you deal with.

 

In the US unlike in France, the birth certificate is not amended.

I had my US birth certificate amended.

 

How did you do that? In my state of birth a birth certificate can only be amended to correct an error present at the time of birth, not for subsequent events such as a legal name change.

 

Yet another of those things that are handled strictly at the state (or lower) level in the US. There simply is no unified registry of births (or deaths, for that matter) for the US and thus no "standard" for record keeping.

 

I have had a couple of phone calls on the English-speaking line with the Assurance Maladie, whom I must say were excellent. I explained that it is not possible to modify the birth certificate, which they understood. The upshot is that I have today received a letter from the Assurance notifying me that they have sent my birth certificate to the INSEE/SANDIA with the single prénom and are waiting for certification of my number of the Sécurité sociale. They also note that if SANDIA refuses to accept my birth certificate without both prénoms they will contact me.

So, is sounds like progress, but may still be a bridge to nowhere.

 

I have received a letter from CPAM informing me that I will be receiving my carte vitale, despite the discrepancy between my birth certificate and passport. They have accepted my explanations.

I will add that since this process took longer than anticipated they the birth certificate which they accepted is by now older than six months. I had included a professional translation into French, which the CPAM also informed me was not necessary.

 

I have received a letter from CPAM informing me that I will be receiving my carte vital, despite the discrepancy between my birth certificate and passport. They have accepted my explanations.

That's good news.