chessfou

I read somewhere that the avis were being sent out in August and September, so I'm not quite panicking but am getting a bit nervous that we've not received one (our first) yet. There was a post by Irlandais back in August that s/he had received one. The impots web site currently says: "Les avis d'imposition sont en cours de distribution. Si vous n’êtes pas mensualisé, vous devrez régler le solde de l’impôt pour le 17 septembre au plus tard." which kind of suggests that we should have received an avis before the 17th of this month (or maybe this is not relevant to first avis). Is anyone else still waiting? For those in second or later years: (a) can you recall waiting this long in your first year? (b) are any of you still waiting this year?

[quote]If Newcastle will include you on your wife's E121, please let us know how it is received by the French in the current climate.[BJSLIV][/quote] Well, it's 18 months away, so the climate will have changed somewhat (better? worse?) but if it applies and if I remember ... Your earlier point (wife with UK state and husband with company pension), though, won't apply. It's my wife who has the sumptuous company pension (now) and will add a minimal (30% or so) UK state pension but (at that time, her 60th) her total will be comfortably double my Personal Pension (I have more to come after 60 and after 65).

[quote]How many times do we need to say that having paid tax and NI in Britain, for however many years, does not give you any entitlement to use the French health service? If you want French benefits, then you should work (easier said than done, I know) and/or pay contributions in France.[Will][/quote] I have no idea how many times you need to say that but it has no relevance whatsoever to my message. Here is a simpler version of what I said: - it appears I won't be allowed to pay (€X,000 p.a. in anticipated contributions for CMU after E106 expiry) to use the health service; - I would like the UK to pay (via E121, "piggy-backing" if possible).

[quote]I said what I said because in the past people have seen piggy-backing onto another's E form or salaried contributions as a way of avoiding paying cotisations in France to which they would otherwise be liable.[Will][/quote] Not necessarily. I see "piggy-backing" on an E121 (if possible) as potentially a way of getting the UK (to which I paid my "cotisations" -a.k.a. NI - and taxes for many years) to cover the cost of CMU base here since it seems that I am going to be precluded from making the relevant contribution (admittedly less than €3,750 p.a. but not all that much less and, from memory, more than about 75-80% of the residents of our département pay) once our E106s expire.

Yes, I think the only remaining question in this precise area is what happens to a husband (under 65) when his wife reaches the age of 60 and (necessary pre-condition) receives a state pension (and therefore E121) in her own right. It seems to have been common (various mentions on several of the current threads) for this "dependency" to have been accepted in the past and for the husband to be accepted by CPAM on that basis.

[quote]How did you manage to get a T de S?[spg][/quote] We applied via our Mairie (only 550 hab. total in our commune, so more personal service - especially since this was about our third visit, so we had begun to build a relationship with the Secretary). As for whether the TdS was necessary or not, I was concerned about the legislation* (now in the limelight) that as "under-age" retirees who would be "inactif" we did not have automatic right of abode. TdS duly arrived after we supplied details of our income (can't remember now whether we supplied copies of E106s or not). *If under state retirement age and not in receipt of E121 and "inactif" then "EU citizens must have health cover and they must have sufficient resources to support themselves without recourse to the social assistance of the host Member State" (the 2006 EU wording which is almost identical to the old French wording), otherwise no right to reside in France. At the time we applied for the TdS this was something of a gray area since the old French regs said one thing and EU rules something contradictory. Now, of course, they are in harmony (even if we don't like it).

[quote] Have you tried your MEP ? At first glance that would seem the obvious route.[russethouse][/quote] Hmmm. I've just looked at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/ Problem is, we could be in either (most likely) "Sud-Ouest" or (conceivably) "Massif Central-Centre" and I don't know which and I can't find any dividing lines on the site. Do you know how to track it down by Département? Link made live by a mod

[quote]Will any of the processes that are taking place weed out the likes of these?[sweet17][/quote] I think it is reasonable to suspect that this may be the beginning of a concerted attack on the "levitationists" (those without visible means of support).

[quote]the change applies only to new applicants[Cat][/quote] That leaves the question of what is a "new applicant:" - someone who applies for CPAM attestation without so much as an E106 and/or - someone who applies for CPAM attestation with an E106 in the dossier; or - someone whose CPAM attestation needs to be "updated" on the expiry of the E106. (plus any other circumstance I haven't thought of). Personal position: "inactif" retired couple, both 58, CPAM attestation to be "updated" in Jan 2008 (termination of E106). Financially it may not make much difference to us what the outcome is (we would be contributing nigh on €4,000 p.a., inc. mutuelle, so not vastly different to insurance) but the inconvenience would be substantial: pre-existing conditions; having to stop/start both carte vitale and our mutuelle sub (with, presumably, another "stage" or waiting period), especially since it would probably be a shortish period, my wife qualifying for an E121 after 15 months which, on current practice, would likely see me being an "appendage".

[quote]Do you think we should go to our local Mairie and enquire about a Carte de Sejour as we live here now [suninfrance][/quote] Yes, absolutely. It may not be the answer to the (potential) problem but it can't do any harm and it doesn't cost anything (beyond a couple of passport photos). When we arrived in France in May last year, getting a Titre de Séjour (it's "proper" title) was very close to the top of the "to do" list (immediately after car registration - insurance was sorted beforehand). I can't say that the TdS has yet been invaluable but it has been extremely useful for all sorts of things (especially for opening our PEA accounts).

[quote]Even just a few years contribution will qualify for a pension of some kind.[/quote][Logan] It's a bit more than "just a few". 9 years is the absolute minimum - that qualifies for 27% of the standard rate basic State Pension = £23.57 per week. A magnificent £1.2k p.a.

No mention of any specific routes in that Guardian article (admittedly, Rodez winter timetable, with just 2/3 flights per week, would be an obvious candidate). Anyone got anything definitive? Certainly the airport won't be closing - that would be most inconvenient for the Paris (& Lyon?) flights.

Are you sure there will be no flights? Where did you get your information? I have read plenty of rumours about Ryanair's Rodez flights but nothing from Ryanair to suggest there would be no winter flights. Are you basing your comment on no flights being available at the moment? If so, remember that they usually only load up the winter period flights about the end of August/September. The current wording on the Ryanair site (if you try to find a flight for such a date) is: [quote] Sorry, there are no available flights going out on XXXXXX This may be because: - The flight you have chosen is full - The travel dates requested are for our next schedule period    and the fares/seats are not loaded for this date as yet - There may not be a flight scheduled for this date [/quote] [my bold]

[quote]I use FF 99% of the time and I always have to make the links live by using the ball and chain icon above...[/quote][Clair] Ah, useful to know. Thanks.

[quote] Chessfou, I've just looked at the site with FF without any problems[/quote][Clair] Curious. Typically, when using FF (2.0.0.6 - latest version) I get something like (having just tried it now): HTTP Status 500 - type Exception report message description The server encountered an internal error () that prevented it from fulfilling this request. exception javax.servlet.ServletException: Filter execution threw an exception at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:186) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:144) PS. Thanks for "livening" the link (again, I tend to use FF most of the time and, for whatever reason, when I post to this forum the links are not live).

[quote]I am too mean to buy a tele guide![/quote] For you and others of like mind: http://www.tvmag.com/accueil.jspx provides complete listings (fully searchable up to almost a week ahead). [NB. Firefox usually spits out the site, so use Internet Explorer]

[quote]Guaranteed Broadband connection..............as near as possible i e probably a town centre, to an exchange. In other words don't go looking at idyllic little cottages in the middle of nowhere; stick as close as possible to civilisation.[/quote] Not necessarily. We live in a hamlet (only travelling shops) on top of a hill, 8km by road from the nearest town BUT we have broadband (along a neighbouring valley and then up the hill - opposite side from the road and just makes it). When we first investigated the place, it seemed that there was no chance of broadband (all the "nearby" phone numbers I could find drew a blank when punched into FT's broadband searcher) but only very few numbers are served by the connection. So if you see your ideal home and you doubt that it has broadband, don't give up without making absolutely certain (I don't think we'd have forgiven ourselves if we had missed out on this place).

Yes, two warning triangles for Spain. Possibly only one is compulsory* but word here (Halfords equivalent) is that lots of French drivers (and, presumably, others) are being spot fined in Spain for carrying only the one triangle. *according to the AA but my local Halfords equivalent insists that two are now compulsory.

Thanks for the confirmation (I last did M25 to Andalusia ten years ago).

A century ago I used to drive (from the UK) to and from Spain a good deal. I never left home without green card and, especially, Bail Bond. Has anyone, resident here in France with French registered and insured car any knowledge of the Bail Bond issue. I have twice asked my insurers here. They seemed to be blissfully unaware of Bail Bonds but when it was explained to them (on two separate occasions) insisted that no such thing was required (any more) for Spain. Can anyone confirm this?

2006: €90,35 (for 11 months = €98,56 p.a.)

[quote]I second Patf's comments - my hotel des impots is very helpful indeed.[cooperlola][/quote] Yes, ours too; they had some special sessions for the hard of hearing (maybe also sight-impaired, I can't quite recall) this year in the hectic run-up to D*-day in May. *(Declaration / Delivery)

www.seloger.com is clearly number one (that applies to buying or renting). www.groupe-seloger.com for the corporate stuff. I have just seen their amazing figures for the first half of 2007: http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=20070717170300P0011 including: Turnover € 26,840,000 (ca. £18M) up from €12,450,000 (H1, 2006 and about the same in Q1,2007). incredible growth in announcements: June 2006 - 1,048,000 June 2007 - 1,950,000

[quote]He will also have to produce his passport and a utility bill as proof of address.[SD][/quote] Not necessarily (best be prepared though) - I was not asked for either at the Prefecture in Rodez (but they did ask for a stamped addressed envelope - to send the licence when ready - they don't do them on the spot) and they need BOTH bits of the UK licence (card & paper).

I listed the "big five" in the previous thread (PERMANENT RENTING).