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We're embarking on the bureaucratic process of getting ourselves established in France, and I'd appreciate any hints on the order in which to do the following tasks, since they all seem to be rather inter-related. Would this be right?:
1) Applying for my husband's French pension
2) Declaring residency
3) Applying for the Carte Vitale
Since we'll be "inactif", I gather we'll need to prove we have sufficient financial resources when we declare residency. Given that we're both dual US/UK citizens, all our income (investment, pension, royalties) is paid into our US bank, and we just transfer funds over as necessary, what would constitute adequate proof of resources? They seem to require it from a French bank. (We have maintained about a 5-10k euro balance in that account for several years, using it to pay EDF, impot locaux, that sort of thing, but since that's essentially a float, I don't know if it'd count.) The French pension will be paid into our French bank, but my husband is just putting in the paperwork for that in April (he's retiring from his US post in April, hurrah!).
I also gather we'll need to show proof of health insurance. We have, and will maintain for a couple of years as a safety back-up, US health insurance. But I doubt they'd accept that - would they? We'll be applying for the Carte Vitale, and getting a mutuelle.... but should we do those BEFORE declaring residency? Except don't you need to show the declaration of residency to apply for the Carte Vitale?? (Pauses to chase tail, scratch head and sigh!)
Also - it seems that since the 2003 "Loi Sarkozy" a EU citizen no longer needs a carte de sejour, but the feeling seems to be that it's a good idea to have one for ID purposes. Would you agree? And if so, would we apply for the carte de sejour at the same time as we declare residency, or later/as a separate effort?
And is it true that dealing with French bureaucracy has a similar anti-Alzheimer's effect to doing a daily crossword?
I should add that the folk in the various offices are always really sweet to us, but I'd rather not look like a total idiot in front of them too often!
Cheers! And sorry for the convolutions.....
NMMove
1) Applying for my husband's French pension
2) Declaring residency
3) Applying for the Carte Vitale
Since we'll be "inactif", I gather we'll need to prove we have sufficient financial resources when we declare residency. Given that we're both dual US/UK citizens, all our income (investment, pension, royalties) is paid into our US bank, and we just transfer funds over as necessary, what would constitute adequate proof of resources? They seem to require it from a French bank. (We have maintained about a 5-10k euro balance in that account for several years, using it to pay EDF, impot locaux, that sort of thing, but since that's essentially a float, I don't know if it'd count.) The French pension will be paid into our French bank, but my husband is just putting in the paperwork for that in April (he's retiring from his US post in April, hurrah!).
I also gather we'll need to show proof of health insurance. We have, and will maintain for a couple of years as a safety back-up, US health insurance. But I doubt they'd accept that - would they? We'll be applying for the Carte Vitale, and getting a mutuelle.... but should we do those BEFORE declaring residency? Except don't you need to show the declaration of residency to apply for the Carte Vitale?? (Pauses to chase tail, scratch head and sigh!)
Also - it seems that since the 2003 "Loi Sarkozy" a EU citizen no longer needs a carte de sejour, but the feeling seems to be that it's a good idea to have one for ID purposes. Would you agree? And if so, would we apply for the carte de sejour at the same time as we declare residency, or later/as a separate effort?
And is it true that dealing with French bureaucracy has a similar anti-Alzheimer's effect to doing a daily crossword?
I should add that the folk in the various offices are always really sweet to us, but I'd rather not look like a total idiot in front of them too often!
Cheers! And sorry for the convolutions.....
NMMove