Evianers

Long story - will condense. US citizen married to Italian citizen, wishing to live short term in France. Needs to be fingerprinted at police station in order to apply for Italian passport. The form then needs to be sent to the FBI for verification. Can anyone please tell me which police stations [any, all, some]? We are in Evian [natch]. Local PS closed down 2 years ago. Nearest one Thonon-les-Bains, but very provincial. Does the applicant have to go to a major regional centre such as Annecy? Thanks for all knowledgeable advice.

Very many thanks - this is most helpful and is what we all thought/feared - no inpayment, no outpayment which is understandable despite having Italian citizenship on paper.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that they are retired and already both on a small pension. Wondering whether this will make much difference?

This forum is full of helpful and informative people so we are hoping that someone can assist us here. Our American/Italian friends [Italian actually only on paper, born and raised in New Jersey] wish to come and live ultimately in France. They have contributed to any European health system of course. Can anyone please explain the implications of this and how long it will take for them to qualify for a Carte Vitale? Although this is covered on an American website, it is only for American citizens and not for dual nationals. Many thanks in advance.

How very kind of you, not only to respond to the question [difficult probably] but to enquire after my health. On 7 August I shall visit......... please sit down before reading further : Frau Dr. Med. Fachärztin Gudrun Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein-Blaul!!! Practicing my curtsy meanwhile, as for those who do not know, Gräfin is Countess, who has recently arrived in Thonon-les-Bains in partnership with a respected local opthalmologist. We don't really care if she is QEII as long as she can treat the problem where others have failed

If anyone has successfully swapped a house in France for one in southern England - that is south of Cheltenham - could they please let us know whether it was easy, or fraught with problems? TIA

[quote user="woolybanana"]It is a sweet little house, Norman, a bit different from the norm, the kind of place I like. The advantage of two bedrooms is that you cant have too many visitors at once, The second bedroom is vast (8.80 metres by 3.20) and would make a sort of holiday studio for your friends who wanna be independent, which was the layout when I bought it. The price is about right for the area, I think[/quote] The asking price would just about buy you a studio in our area. Good luck with the sale Woolly and don't lower the price too quickly. Seems like exceptionally good value for money [from where we live]

[quote user="idun"]People moved to France, even before the EU made it 'easy' to do so. IF you want to move then just get on with it. Keep up to date with every last thing and make sure your french is very very good so that you can deal with anything you need to as a french resident. [/quote] Amen to that. Oh and calling any political party "bloody" is not comme il faut in our book

We live here - aren't we lucky?

Good point. Last week, we had to have an emergency X-ray. Our dentist gave a prescription for the Radiographers one floor below. Went down, registered, had the X-ray done in less than 10 minutes and only waited for the results and payment for another 20 minutes. Whole escapade completed in 30 minutes. Yes, one does wonder how this will work when the BBC gives waiting times of up to 3-6 months to see a consultant - likewise Moorfields methinks!

this is very kind of you to point us in the right direction, and will mean a great deal when we visit in May. It costs nothing to say "thank you" and means a lot to the contributor to know that their input is valued.

Has anyone on the forum managed to obtain an S2 at any stage, especially after received [unsuccessful] treatment in France. The problem is, treatment IS available, and as previously stated, the medical profession have done their best with this pesky optic neuritis, but it still isn't any better, there is no further treatment seemingly available, everyone is shaking their heads, whilst washing their hands of the problem. Would love to go to Moorfields, but the convoluted problems of obtaining an S2 makes it seem virtually impossible. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience please?

Yes, seems to be correct. This from Yahoo http://news.yahoo.com/second-black-box-found-french-alps-plane-crash-134958557.html

[quote user="idun"]After the terrible loss of life in the crash near Digne les Bains, has the second black box been found yet? I thought that these things beeped or some such thing, don't they? I start to get distrustful when things appear not to be where they should be. All John LeCarre's fault, Absolute Friends made me very very distrustful of anything that is reported, or not reported. [/quote] Just reading ABSOLUTE FRIENDS at the moment - rather a bizarre book and not up to JleC's normal standard we feel. Lots and lots of gratuitous F words which is unlike him...... perhaps he's moving with the times. But otherwise, the dreadful disaster of the Germanwings flight is just too horrible to contemplate. Let's hope this is a "one off" and never, ever happens again. Terrible for the families. Bet Lufthansa are bracing themselves for the flood of insurance claims.

Does anyone else have problems with AXA paying out/reimbursing? Like all insurance companies, they are very quick off the mark when you have to pay them, but the other way around is very different. They are procrastinating and prevaricating in what should be an open-and-shut payment. Today in the post yet another request for further information - they have had everything in triplicate already! This for a hospital sojourn between 12-16 January, which is nearly three months ago. Seriously thinking of obtaining a quote from April - does anyone have any good/bad experiences please? Thanks in advance.

Good thinking. Thank you very much. Have sent off a request asking where to complain on the www.snof.org site

Many thanks for the prompt two replies. The second message sounds horribly familiar. I did not choose him - was sent there after a sojourn in CHUG. Waited 1h45 minutes [this with an appointment] and as it was late in the evening, he was cold, abrupt, uncommunicative and dashed off the Ordenance without proper care. Opticians said they would amend the glasses at a reduced price! Slight reduction. But bearing in mind we cannot get hold of the consulting opthalmologist, this is proving very, very difficult. Have completely lost confidence. And yes, we have asked our DIL to make an appointment with Specsavers in Rickmansworth during our next visit. But any further suggestions would be very much appreciated. Can see to read a book if I hold it at the right angle and no further than 20 cms away, but everything else is a national disaster! Thanks in advance.

Having a bit of a battle with our local overworked and overpaid opthalmologist who prescribed entirely the wrong strength of glasses, and who refuses to answer our letters pertaining to this complaint or to return our calls - that is, when we can finally get through to his office. Does anyone know, please, whether there is a French equivalent of the Ombudsman, or a regulatory opthamological body where we can complain? Even the opticians tell us the glasses are far too strong - ergo, it is impossible to work at the computer as the specs are for a distance of 20cms and above that, everything is blurred. Trying to put this into understandable French might be something of a challenge, but the first step is to find out to whom to write. Many thanks in advance if anyone knows the answer.

Sorry for the double posting. Had a great deal of difficulty accessing the forum yesterday. Others may have had the same. Seems all right today

Thank you for your response, but we have been advised that an S2 is only available from a French GP or from CPAM if the treatment is not available here in France, which is not the case, it is just that I have lost faith in those who are treating me at the moment, although they have done their best - it is a condition which is notoriously difficult to treat - just feel like a second opinion in English[:)] If anyone can advise further - thank you very much in advance.

Thank you for your response, but we have been advised that an S2 is only available from a French GP or from CPAM if the treatment is not available here in France, which is not the case, it is just that I have lost faith in those who are treating me at the moment, although they have done their best - it is a condition which is notoriously difficult to treat - just feel like a second opinion in English[:)] If anyone can advise further - thank you very much in advance.

Profound thanks Sue for your input and I am sincerely sympathetic if you son is suffering in any way similar to me. This problem has now persisted for +4 months and we are at our wits' end to know what to do. Ergo, the question put to Moorfields and their response for an S2. Called the neurologist who treated me in November and he said if it is not better, go to A+E. Oh Lord! Not more doctors and hospitals! But if it is necessary then so be it. Only hope they finally find a solution if we do have to go. Keep smiling eh?

It is not that I am exactly completely fed-up with the treatment I am receiveing here in France, they are, it seems doing their best, but still have not found the cause and therefore an effective treatment for optic neuritis. So having contacted Moorfields help-line, who responded within half a day BTW, they tell me that I need an S2 and that I would need a referral. But from whom please? Does anyone have definite information? Do I go to our GP for this treatment perhaps : or do I go to the consultant opthalmologist who has told me there is nothing further he can do for the moment and to come back in three months? It so happens that our GP is on holiday until 5 March, but as we do not leave for UK until 1 May, this is not a problem. But of course, to comply with all the EU rules and regulations, everything needs to be done correctly. Profound thanks in advance for anyone who can help. Grand Merci!

Many thanks for the positive support and for the invaluable suggestions. It never hurts to express profound thanks, cost so little and hopefully means so much

Thank you - but we have only just reduced the very expensive Mutuelle to hospitalisation only in September. Don't think they would like it if we suddenly increased it upwards again. Besides which, we have paid out thousands in the last three months, but hope that this will now diminsh