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[quote user="Âme"]

Blue badge fee 'set to increase' (link to BBC news)

This story in today's news made me wonder, what are the options for expats when their blue badge expires?

Can it be renewed with an overseas address or is it necessary to re-apply in France? Does anyone have experience of doing this?

[/quote]

There is absolutely no problem in applying for a French Blue Badge. Firstly go to your Mairie & ask for a form for a “Carte de Stationnement” pour personnes handicapées. Fill in your details & then your doctor will complete the rest. My card took about 10 months to arrive & from what I have gathered this was very quick – so I would advise anyone to apply for a new one if they are within a year of their GB card expiring.  If you have any problems with the form or any queries, please PM or email me & I'll do all I can to help. [:)]

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  • 5 weeks later...
I got my first parking badge here in 2004 and have just applied for the second. I had to visit the Centre Sociale to obtain the necessary paperwork. My GP completed the blue form and the Centre Sociale assisted in completing the second part. My Macaron (blue parking badge) expires in June. At the same time the lady at the Centre Sociale helped me apply for a Carte d'Invilidité which allows for travel on public transport.

As my husband also has health problems and I use a wheelchair I asked about an electric wheelchair. I have had three strokes and have rheumatoid arthritis which means that I cannot self propel a wheelchair. My GP says you have to be paralysed to be eligible and I have some mobility. The lady at the Centre Sociale made an application for an electric wheelchair, a ramp for the car plus adaptations for the house such as a stair lift, hand rails and some one to come in three times a week to help me and give my husband some respite. She also said if I ring her she will come and see us at home and discuss anything else that would make life easier.

I live in a village in Burgundy and our Mairie is only open one and a half days a week and do not hold all necessary paperwork but according to my GP it is the Centre Sociale which is the place that disabled people should visit.

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Useful information again Burgundy Maid.

When Mrs Benjamin applied for her blue badge in January 2005 we went through an organisation known as COTOREP. We were given a very simple application form to complete and Mrs Benjamin was interviewed by one of their own doctors. Five months later the badge arrived together with (surprise surprise) a carte d'invalidité.

We intend starting the renewal process in July this year so I'll try to remember and report back.

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It's useful to hear about

others' experiences, thanks for posting them.  Benjamin, does the carte

d'invalidité have to be renewed too?

Here's an update on the

application I'm making for my partner...  I went to the Mairie but, like Burgundy Maid, couldn’t get the documents there.

I was referred to a centre social in the nearest town.  They gave me three

forms (online links below), and advised me to apply for a carte d'invalidité at

the same time.  I

posted them to the nearest MDPH (formerly COTOREP), with the photocopies (&

photo) listed on the last page of the demande_carte form. After 10 working days

I received a request for a second photo.

To be completed by the

claimant

http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/identification-2.pdf

http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/demande_carte.pdf

To be completed by the medicin traitant:

http://www.cnsa.fr/IMG/pdf/certificat_adulte.pdf

The guidance notes HERE

say that the processing time is four months  ...I'll let you know.

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Yes I sent my stuff to MDPH (formerly COTOREP), and I asked should I send the photographs but was told to wait and they would request them. So I have them ready and waiting, just as long as they don't take too long or I shall look older!

I have found people to be really helpful over everything concerned with my illnesses/conditions and am as truthful as possible. Sometimes dates are a little blurred but I think if I try and hide something and it comes out then I will be the one to miss out.

As to the other things I have requested I will report back if anything happens; I hope so but it is fingers crossed at the moment.

I have signed the on-line petition for DLA from the UK as I really need help now. In the UK after my third stroke I was given a wheelchair and Incapacity Benefit and sent home to get on with it. No physio, occupational therapy nothing. My husband and I paid into the system for years in the UK but we cannot get anything despite the European Court of Justice say Disability Living Allowance is exportable. The UK government are still debating what the implications will be in paying the benefits deemed as exportable to those living in the EU.

I have contacted the MP for the last place we were registered to vote in the UK and obtained the paperwork for DLA from the Exportability Co-ordinator, Room B120D, Pension, Disability and Carers Service, Warbeck House, Warbeck Hill Road, FY2 0YE     e-mail:- [email protected]

When I telephoned them I was told I had to see my GP here in France and get copies of the 'necessary papers' and a report from my GP on my health and conditions which I would then have to have translated into English; but not to hold my breath as nothing has been agreed.

Coral

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[quote user="Âme"]

Benjamin, does the carte

d'invalidité have to be renewed too?

 

[/quote]

Yes every five years.

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[quote user="Burgundy Maid"]obtained the paperwork for DLA from the Exportability Co-ordinator, Room B120D, Pension, Disability and Carers Service, Warbeck House, Warbeck Hill Road, FY2 0YE     e-mail:- [email protected]

When I telephoned them I was told I had to see my GP here in France and get copies of the 'necessary papers' and a report from my GP on my health and conditions which I would then have to have translated into English; but not to hold my breath as nothing has been agreed.

Coral
[/quote]

 

That's strange as we phoned up about the possibility of applying for AA from France and they just sent us the forms and told us that if a positive decision was made then the claim would be dated from the date of the phone call. Nothing was asked for in the way of GP's reports although, naturally, his details were asked for on the forms.This was in November last year.

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Thanks Benjamin.

Burgundy Maid, like you I have received kind assistance from everyone I've spoken to (with the exception of one lady in CPAM who is now known as Mme Menopause in my household. She was having a very bad day, I think!).  Good luck with the request for equipment.

Re: reinstatement of DLA, no forms from the Exportability Team, just a letter saying they will contact OH when further info is available and that he does not need to contact them again. Any comments/suggestions?!

(I have signed the petition too, by following a link in one of Burgundy Maid's articles [:)])

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[quote user="Âme"]luck with the request for equipment.

Re: reinstatement of DLA, no forms from the Exportability Team, just a letter saying they will contact OH when further info is available and that he does not need to contact them again. Any comments/suggestions?!


[/quote]

 

I didn't realise that you were trying to get DLA reinstated; my husband's AA application is a new claim so I suppose the process is different. I think that people in your situation are being dealt with first.

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  • 2 months later...
[quote user="Âme"] I posted the three forms (links below) to the nearest MDPH (formerly COTOREP), with the photocopies (& 2 photos) listed on the last page of the demande_carte form.


To be completed by the claimant

http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/identification-2.pdf
http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/demande_carte.pdf

To be completed by the medicin traitant:
http://www.cnsa.fr/IMG/pdf/certificat_adulte.pdf


The guidance notes HERE say that the processing time is four months  ...I'll let you know.
[/quote]

An update, or rather, the conclusion.

About 10 weeks after submission, my partner received an appointment with an MDPH doctor.  Surprisingly, no medical checks were done; all the information needed was on the medecin traitant form.  The doctor transferred this information to another form in the dossier.

During the interview financial assistance for equipment was offered and there were a few questions about how my partner and I cope day-to-day (I'm a carer, I've never been asked before! [:-))])  This made us feel that further assistance would be there, if needed in the future.  At the conclusion of the interview we were told the date that a panel would meet to make a decision and the approximate date that a 'decision letter' would be in the post.

The carte d'invalidite was received when expected, but no mention of the blue badge, so I called the person named on the accompanying letter (person in charge of Mr A's dossier) who retrieved the dossier very rapidly and apologised for the error, saying that the blue badge would be in the post later that day. It was.

Overall I am impressed with the efficiency of the process even though the forms and justications took a whole afternoon to complete and collate... thank goodness for the photocopy function on the home printer!

Finally: Thanks to the forum members who kindly pointed me in the right direction to start the process.

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  • 1 month later...
I have written about the help I am now getting or going to get on the health forum. My blue badge and carte d'invalidité arrived about a month after appliaction!

I am going to get a home help, allowances, adaptations to the house and hopefully an electric wheelchair.

Coral

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  • 2 months later...
[quote user="Benjamin"]

We intend starting the renewal process in July this year so I'll try to remember and report back.

[/quote]

More forms than five years ago but fairly straightforward. Our Doc very kindly completed his part whilst I waited and then refused any payment ("I only charge when an insurance company is involved as I know you'll get repaid by them").

Received  an acknowledgement two days after handing it to MDPH saying the dossier was complete and we should receive the updated badge and invalidity card within four months.

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[quote user="Benjamin"][quote user="Benjamin"]

We intend starting the renewal process in July this year so I'll try to remember and report back.

[/quote]

Received  an acknowledgement two days after handing it to MDPH saying the dossier was complete and we should receive the updated badge and invalidity card within four months.


[/quote]

Unless this was a postdated application, then why a four months delay?

Baz

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  • 2 months later...
Mrs Benjamin's blue badge arrived today. It is valid for 10 years.

On an accompanying leaflet is the following:

"A Paris et d'autres villes les vehicules arborant la carte de stationnement peuvent stationner gratuitement.

Verifiez la réglement locale."

"In Paris and other cities vehicles displaying the parking card can park for free.

Check the local rule."

This is a new one on me but we'll keep the leaflet in the car and see how we get on.

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