I'm not sure you're going to need much more than the basic documents (birth certificates, visas, proof of residence, etc.) for any sort of visit to the prefecture. You've justified your husband's professional cred to the consulate in order to get your visas. The prefecture is only going to want to validate your identities and legal status to issue you with your residence permits (carte de séjour).

Take a look at the website for the prefecture where you'll be living. They usually have a page (or more) that indicate what the process is for foreigners looking to get their residence permits. The information is often broken down by visa type. But I've never seen any indication that you'd have to have anything other than your identity documents translated. (May include your marriage license.)

In any event, bon voyage - and see you real soon in Toulouse!
Cheers,
Bev

 

Thanks, Bev, for the suggestion! I was able to find the website for the Haute-Garonne prefecture and check out their list of requirements. Unfortunately, according to the link below, for first-time CDS applications, we need to provide all of the same documentation that we did for the consular visit. Oof.

http://www.haute-garonne.gouv.fr/content/download/12259/85898/file/09a+-+PT+Renomm%C3%A9e+CSP+4808-d%C3%A9c+2016.pdf

Anyone with the old CeT visa or the new Passeport Talent visa (or any other visa that requires lots of documents) have any feedback on this?

 

Jessica

It’s possible that the new Talents visa is different from all of the others and one only has to work with the Prefecture.

When we arrived in France, our first contact was the Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII). We were given a letter by our Consulate in Boston and told to mail it to the OFII when we arrived in France. We did and several weeks later we received a date & time at which we were to present ourselves at the OFII. At the OFII, we had a physical and answered medical questions, presented our chest X-rays to a doctor to examine, and received the final stamp on the visa in our passports. We did speak with the Prefecture to exchange our US drivers licenses for French ones, as is required during one’s first year in France. But we didn’t meet anyone about our Cartes des Sejour at the Prefecture until it was time to begin the renewal process, 10 months after we arrived initially.

At that point, yes, we had to provide pretty much all the same documents to the Prefecture that we’d originally provided to the Consulate. The only differences were

• We had to provide updated copies of some documents. In our case, documents such as current bank statements and proof of health insurance for the upcoming year to demonstrate we could support ourselves and had the required health insurance.
• We had to have our birth certificates and our marriage license translated by a certified translator (whom we found on the Prefecture website). The translation was only required to be done once (one doesn’t have to provide a new translation each time one renews).

Best of luck.

Ray

 

Thanks, RayRay. That's very interesting. We didn't receive a letter from the Chicago consulate, just a paper stapled inside our passport, next to the visa, telling us that we must go to the Prefecture within one week of entry to apply for the residence permit.

I'm assuming that's just to ask for an appointment, as no one would be able to provide translated documents within one week of getting to France...

 

Actually, it's often best to simply follow the instructions you are given and see what they tell you to do next. They really do seem to be trying to simplify some of the bureaucracy, and if you have to visit the prefecture within your first week in France, there's a good chance that will be primarily to take an appointment and get their current list of the documents (and translations) you'll need for that appointment.
Cheers,
Bev

 

Hi again Jessica, my wife and I are going through this process too. We moved to the Aveyron at the beginning of November on a passeport-talent visa. We also received the stapled note inside our passports telling us to go to the prefecture within one week of entry. In Rodez, they require you to book an appt online. The earliest we could get was 3 weeks after entry, which was last week. Unfortunately we had only made one appt for the both of us (this was the same for the visa appt at the Chicago consulate so I don't know why we messed this up - too much going on I guess). They told us that it'd be better to reschedule than doing one of us then and one later and so this appt became about going over which forms we needed. They gave us a list which is more specific than what we were finding online. We went with someone who could translate for us and we're glad we did. No one mentioned anything about managing to handle the appointment within one week so hopefully we're ok. Attempt two is later this month. Feel free to message me if you want more details. And I hope you're settling in well. See you at the furniture stores in Blagnac!!

 

Thanks to everyone for recounting their experiences and for the advice. I wanted to give an update on our situation. Shortly after my first post, we went in to the prefecture to set up an appointment (in Toulouse, newbies have to come in on Mondays to see someone about scheduling the official appointment to request the carte de sejour). The woman helping us did not seem to be at ALL familiar with our type of visa (Passeport Talent - étranger ayant une renommée nationale ou internationale). She tried to give us the list of documents for the "salarié en mission" type of Passeport Talent visa, which requires showing a work contract - which we do NOT have. I explained that to her in very bad French and finally pulled up the Haute-Garonne prefecture website on my phone to show her the document list for our visa that they publish on their website. She was unable to even find any printed copies of that specific list of documents that we needed, but just said to print it off from their website. We are scheduled for our actual visit on 18 Jan.

However, contrary to what everyone has said (even the lawyer helping us put together our visa application from Paris) and common sense dictates, the Haute-Garonne prefecture requires that, for the first application for a carte de sejour, you present pretty much all of the same documents as presented to the consulate - except this time translated into French. In the words of our French lawyer, this is "insane" to ask for everything twice, but what can you do? He even emailed the prefecture on our behalf, thinking that there must be a mistake and they had given us the wrong type of appointment...no dice...we really do have to bring everything.

@jt_chicago - Is the list the same thing for you, or do you just have to present the usual birth/marriage certificates and proof of residence at your prefecture?

Needless to say, we're now trying to figure out how much stuff we actually translate for the prefecture. Our dossier for the consulate was about 3 inches thick with newspaper & magazine articles, dance programs & posters, letters of recommendation, bank statements, etc., which would be probably thousands of euros to translate everything. So we're going to pick and choose the most relevant and hope it's enough.

Does anyone know if you need a traducteur assermente if the document isn't "official" - i.e. not a certificate/license/diploma/etc.? As I said, we have a lot of articles, many of which are just printed off from online news sources, and having a certified translator seems like overkill when you can just use the translate extension on Google Chrome (I realize that Google translate leaves a lot to be desired, but it can usually get the gist of things).

Needless to say, we're going to try to find someone who can help us interpret for the prefecture visit, as our French is basic (we're learning, but it's never great in stressful situations).

So that's where we are in the process of getting our cartes de sejour passeport talent. So much for trying to simplify the paperwork...

 

The folks at our prefecture were also not familiar with processing a passeport talent visa. They said it was their first one.

Here is the list of necessary docs from their website: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16922 - it’s pretty much what we needed in Chicago for the original application. And on our first visit to the prefecture, they gave us a physical list of documents (some but not all of the items on the website were listed) and specified photocopying our passport ID pages, visa pages, and recent stamps, bringing a self-addressed stamped envelope for each of us for the sending of the convocation, 3 passport photos each (we got those in a photobooth at an Intermarche) and finally a Formulaire de demende d’autorisation de travail (CERFA no: 15187*01). This last form I couldn’t find anywhere. We printed out a couple other forms that seemed close. Fortunately, it never came up at our appointment.

When we were there for the scheduled appt, they wanted a photocopy of every single page of our passports, even the blank ones. Fortunately there was a photocopier at the prefecture. The friend who came with us to translate kept going back and forth to make extra photocopies per request. We had a layover in Munich on the way here from Chicago so when we got to Toulouse the passport control said we didn’t need a stamp. I insisted and they said “ok, if you want a souvenir.” It turned out being really important for the prefecture appt to have this - they wanted to see that specific stamp of entry to France.

So we went with all our papers from the original appt: marriage & birth certificates, the past few months of bank statements, project proposal, work contract (my wife is working for an American music ensemble remotely, representing them in France), related press. The only things we had translated were the project proposal, letters of referral and the work contract. I just did those myself using Google translate.

They definitely read through the proposal and work contract and bank documents. I had copies of all the press on hand but they didn’t ask for it.

At a certain point, it seemed they just wanted to get us out the door, but in a good-natured, friendly way. The translator was essential to us. I’ve been able to get buy for most things with my french here but having a translator for this took quite a bit of burden off of them and streamlined things for everyone. They said we should receive a ‘convocation’ in the mail which tells us when we can pick up our carte de sejours and how much we need to bring in tarif stamps (which I understand can be purchased at a tabac). And I understand that if we don’t receive the convocation by a certain date we need to return to the prefecture (sans appt) with some photos to get an extension or some such. Taking each step as it happens.

Bon courage!!

 

...They said we should receive a ‘convocation’ in the mail which tells us when we can pick up our carte de sejours and how much we need to bring in tarif stamps (which I understand can be purchased at a tabac)...

JT

The amount one pays for a Carte de Sejour is odd, e.g., 247 Euro rather than 100 Euro even. Stamps come in many denominations, but not all. Tabacs may or may not have enough stamps or the right combination. You cannot overpay as the Prefecture does not make “change” for stamps and they don’t accept an overpayment. As they likely told you, they do not take checks, cash, or credit cards...only the correct amount in stamps.

In addition to tabacs, one can get the stamps at Trésoreries (Treasuries). Trésoreries typically have more stamps and are likely to have the right denominations...but not always.

FYI, the letter informing you that your Cartes des Sejours are ready to be picked up will not, I don’t believe, be a convocation. Convocation letters tell you a date and time and you’re required to show up. The letter to pick up your Cartes will likely be a letter informing you that your Cartes may be picked up after a certain time of day on / after a certain date.

As soon as you receive the letter, I recommend you go to the tobacconist and purchase the required stamps, if they’re available. If not, ask if the stamps can be ordered. If that’s not possible, call the nearest Trésorerie and do the same.

And congratulations on getting the Talents Visa!

Best of luck.

Ray

 

What can I say but, "welcome to France!"

Yes, being their first Passeport Talent through the prefecture probably means that they're kind of improvising as they go. Having a translator with you takes the pressure off both sides, and it does sound like you're definitely on the right path.

Keep us posted on your progress. I'm sure there are a few folks lurking here who will benefit greatly by your experience.
Cheers,
Bev

 

Apparently, you can now also get your timbres fiscaux for a carte de séjour online. https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F33071 (and click on the drop down for carte de séjour). That has to be one of the best "innovations" the State has come up with. Somehow the tabacs never have the right denominations when you need them! And it's not always easy to get to the "local" Tresorerie.
Cheers,
Bev

 

Bev

This is great news. Going to the tresorerie has worked well as it’s on the way to the Prefecture for us, but buying them online is so much better.

Here’s the URL for the online stamps: https://timbres.impots.gouv.fr/pages/achat/choixSeries.jsp. One should select the button for <<timbres pour étrangeres>>.

Ray

 

Check out where else you can purchase your timbres fiscals as the tabacs can't always supply to your specific requirements, or you can purchase an electronic version online at https://timbres.impots.gouv.fr/pages/achat/choixSeries.jsp, which is probably the simplest way - but remember to purchase separately for each of you

 

I wouldn't worry about entering France via another Schengen country. I would make a couple copies of the Spanish stamp in your passport to take to your appointment at the prefecture. If they ask about your entry stamp, just show them the Spanish one and explain. You're hardly the first to fly into a Schengen country rather than directly to France.
Cheers,
Bev

 

Hi @jesshammer, I did not translate any bank documents. I don't think they looked at any of them anyways. Maybe just the french bank account. I was careful to clearly give evidence of income & savings above the SMIC value.

As for the entry stamp, I would think that bringing a copy of the train ticket would suffice.

And thanks Bev for the heads up about buying les timbres fiscaux online! We have a tabac next door so I'll try them first but good to know we can go here as well.

I'll post when we get our convocation. Good luck at the appt, Jess!!

 

Hi everyone. Here's an update about our appointment with the Prefecture:

We brought a translator with us, just to be sure that we understood completely what they were asking for and in case of anything irregular. Our meeting went very smoothly! We arrived about 20 minutes early, which was good because we only waited about 10 minutes before our name was called.

The man who handled our dossier was very pleasant and stuck to just asking for everything on the list of documents (granted, the list for my husband's Passeport Talent visa is quite long and not terribly specific). Counting French translations of the important documents, plus 2 copies of everything, his dossier measured 13 cm thick. Those 3-ring binders with plastic page inserts are now our best friends.

Not having a French entry stamp didn't pose a problem. We simply explained that we traveled through Barcelona and offered to give him copies of our train tickets, which he said wasn't necessary. Our list asked for copies of every page of our passports, which we provided, so he was able to see the entry stamps (after he checked for copies of each page to make sure they were all there, he threw away the blank pages).

We didn't have our bank statements translated, which was fine, but he did ask us to circle the account totals on each statement (we had quite a few statements between our various savings and investment accounts) so that he could easily pick them out on the page and add up the amounts.

So, we ended our first appointment at the Prefecture without being asked to come back with more information and how have our 4-month récépissés while we wait to see what happens how.

Thank you all so much for your encouragement, advice and reassurance! It went a long way towards making sure that we knew what to expect and were well-prepared.

 

Well done! It usually turns out that, as long you are well prepared, and have a couple of "extra" documents handy ("just in case") everything moves ahead quite smoothly.

But I know how nerve wracking it can be! Congrats on clearing this big hurdle - now, on to the rest! eace:
Cheers,
Bev