Hey, welcome to France, and the insanities of dealing with the administration! Good training for your ultimate arrival in the Hexagone.
Go ahead and put "indefinitely" on the visa application form. As long as you're married, it's the truth. You can also say that you intend to work (again, the simple truth) and for blanks like "Name of the Employer" just enter "néant" (which means, does not apply). There is probably a blank somewhere for your profession, and that you should fill out - whatever you're trained for that sounds the most impressive. It tells them that you won't be out there, scrambling for "any job" with all the immigrants' uneducated wives.
According to everything I've read, you should be able to work right away - but finding a job in France takes time. You can certainly start looking right away. Show them your validated visa (if you go through the OFII instead of getting a carte de séjour) or your recippissée for your carte de séjour if they ask for your work authorization. Show them nothing if they don't ask for it - generally they won't need to see anything until your first day of work, or possibly when you sign your employment contract. It's your first employer who will get you a social security number and carte vitale for the health insurance.
As far as the consulate website not working - well, the French never have been that great at maintaining websites. Keep trying. If they insist that's how you have to book your appointment, it will eventually get back into shape. If there is any other way to contact them (e-mail address, for example), you might drop a friendly little note saying that their website sign-up doesn't seem to be working. (Sometimes the websites require a particular browser or version of the pdf reader or something. My bank website keeps complaining that it needs a PRIOR version of Acrobat reader and that I should downgrade from the latest version I'm on.)
BTW, I just went over to the website and the appointment thing seems to be working now. From what I can tell, you may have to get yourself to Sydney for that appointment. I know in the US, you don't have any choice which consulate you can use and some folks have a rather long (and expensive) trip for what may wind up being a 10 or 15 minute "interview." Part of the joys of expatriation - I know the US makes would-be visa holders do this, and I suspect Australia might do, also.
Cheers,
Bev
Go ahead and put "indefinitely" on the visa application form. As long as you're married, it's the truth. You can also say that you intend to work (again, the simple truth) and for blanks like "Name of the Employer" just enter "néant" (which means, does not apply). There is probably a blank somewhere for your profession, and that you should fill out - whatever you're trained for that sounds the most impressive. It tells them that you won't be out there, scrambling for "any job" with all the immigrants' uneducated wives.
According to everything I've read, you should be able to work right away - but finding a job in France takes time. You can certainly start looking right away. Show them your validated visa (if you go through the OFII instead of getting a carte de séjour) or your recippissée for your carte de séjour if they ask for your work authorization. Show them nothing if they don't ask for it - generally they won't need to see anything until your first day of work, or possibly when you sign your employment contract. It's your first employer who will get you a social security number and carte vitale for the health insurance.
As far as the consulate website not working - well, the French never have been that great at maintaining websites. Keep trying. If they insist that's how you have to book your appointment, it will eventually get back into shape. If there is any other way to contact them (e-mail address, for example), you might drop a friendly little note saying that their website sign-up doesn't seem to be working. (Sometimes the websites require a particular browser or version of the pdf reader or something. My bank website keeps complaining that it needs a PRIOR version of Acrobat reader and that I should downgrade from the latest version I'm on.)
BTW, I just went over to the website and the appointment thing seems to be working now. From what I can tell, you may have to get yourself to Sydney for that appointment. I know in the US, you don't have any choice which consulate you can use and some folks have a rather long (and expensive) trip for what may wind up being a 10 or 15 minute "interview." Part of the joys of expatriation - I know the US makes would-be visa holders do this, and I suspect Australia might do, also.
Cheers,
Bev
