Mairie won't give us registration receipt?

[philv]

Hello all! I'll be to the point - we live in Treignac and are staying in France [not necessarily Treignac] forever...

We keep reading everywhere that you have to register your presence

with the mairie to be 'legally' resident here. Obviously we know after 5

years your legal status changes etc.

We want to be recognised as resident right away, so we went into the

mairie and introduced ourselves, they made us write our names down after

looking fairly confused about what we were asking. We went back to ask

for our receipt of registration that every website says you need to

have, and they said they don't do it and to try the préfecture in a

bigger town (Tulle in our case).

I'm wondering what the next step is? I'm planning on registering as a

business so does that prove residency? I know the official law says

without the receipt as proof you will always be seen as legally living

in France for less than 3 months. Or is this one of these things that

the internet says you have to do, but in reality you don't? The law says the mairie not the préfecture so maybe they didn't understand us.

I'm so confused. Can anyone help us sort this out?

Thanks ever so much!

[vette]

We have never done that. The only thing we went to the Marie for was for them to register our car, which they kindly did.

We have been here for nearly 10 years and also have a business.

Maybe it's a regional thing that some don't bother with. Having said that, it's a fairly small place where most folk know each other anyway.

[philv]

[quote user="vette"]We have never done that. The only thing we went to the Marie for was for them to register our car, which they kindly did.

We have been here for nearly 10 years and also have a business.

Maybe it's a regional thing that some don't bother with. Having said that, it's a fairly small place where most folk know each other anyway.[/quote]

Thanks for your advice.

My only problem is that we are young (both under 30) and want to be in the system as soon as possible. We will be registering with AE to start a small business so we can pay our taxes and get our health cover and all that stuff, and i don't want there to be a hitch when we apply to become citizens in 5 years or whatever and they tell us to prove we've been here.

If it really doesn't matter, then happy days.

[andyh4]

You do not say what your nationality is, but assuming you are British or Irish (or other EU state) then no registration is required.

Your proof of residency will be through having 5 years worth of tax declarations. The tax form for this year will be sent out towards the end of April next, but for the first year you will probably need to go to the tax office in April/early May and ask for a set of forms.

[Chancer]

Many ways to skin a cat.

 

A lot of people in so called positions of authority are actually **** scared of someone higher up remonstrating with them, ask them to put their name to something thats outside of their probably limited range of experience and instead of thinking, what is it this person is asking me for?  why would I not want to help them, they just go into "I dont understand or dont like the sound of that" mode and refuse, sending you and what they percieve to be a problem elsewhere.

 

Ask the Mairie for une attestation de domicile, dont say what for, if they baulk tell them it is their devoir.

[idun]

I thought that everyday paper work acted as proof, quittance de loyer and it's contract, bank statement, and all the bills one can think of plus a valid passport.

Why the Mairie would do such a thing I have not got a clue, I moved to France when there was an unbelieveable amount of paperwork and even we never had to do such a thing.

[lindal1000]

The Mairies stopped issuing proof of residence many years ago. As others said, it is utility bills, rental agreements, ownership of property, as well as proof of submitting tax forms, that 'prove' your residency. If you want to apply for citizenship they expect French to a level B1, proof of enough income to support yourself and evidence that you are integrated into French society.

[andyh4]

For most things you are absolutely right Idun, almost any utility bill and a passport will do for proof of residence; however the OP mentions getting French citizenship after 5 years, and I doubt that such documents would suffice.

After all if you live abroad and have a French maison secondaire, you will get a utility bill - which you can have sent to your French address.

[Patf]

Husband needed a certificate of residence last year when his carte vitale was stopped due to a misunderstanding - the UK said he no longer lived in France. We had lived in this commune for 7 years so the Maire supplied him with printed signed certificate which eventually cleared up the problem.

I think also that at one time you needed one for a french driving license, saying you had lived in so&so commune for at least 6 months - could be wrong.

[lindal1000]

Never needed it for my drivers license..that said, the departments are all different. Ours specifically don't do them..I asked for one when I arrived so that I could get a bank account, but they refused.

[NormanH]

You have the right to demand a carte de séjour, although EU residents don't need to have one.

I had to have it when I first came and have always found it practical.

Si vous êtes Européen ou Suisse, vous

n'avez pas besoin d'une carte de séjour pour vivre en France, mais vous

pouvez en faire la demande. Cette règle vous est aussi applicable si

vous êtes Croate.

La carte délivrée les 5 premières années de votre séjour porte la

mention UE.

https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16003

[suein56]

Our previous commune, where we lived for nigh on 7 years, was quite large and prosperous and the Mairie categorically referred us to the Préfecture for everything except for our registration to vote in the local elections.

Where we are now, but 6 kms away, the staff at the Mairie are much more helpful but, as most stuff is gradually being centralised, it is becoming harder and harder for them to play the pivotal role they had in the past.

That said our lovely adjoint is still allowed to sign our 'we are still alive' paperwork so we can receive our UK old age pensions.

Sue

[mint]

Strange how different all our experiences can be.

In our first house in the Charente Maritime, we duly presented ourselves at the mairie, they took photocopies of our passports and we gave them our address, phone number, etc.

Just as well as we subsequently had problems with EDF and with the fosse company that installed the fosse.

When we went to the mairie for help, we were known and the secretary made phone calls, wrote letters, etc for us.

Even when we sold the house and once more had problems with the neighbours' fosse being in our garden, one of the councillors came out to our house and issued the neighbour with a letter making them responsible for removing their fosse and building a compliant one on their own land.

Same thing in our new commune in the Dordogne.  Presented ourselves, gave our details, again they took copies of our passports.  BTW, forgot to mention that we registered to vote in both places and got our voting cards in due course.

Also, a very good move because when OH fell ill, the maire knew who we were, where we lived and came down in his car to talk to the pompiers before they carted poor OH off to intensive care in the nearest hospital.

Come to think of it, in our present village, we WERE given a certificate to say we were inhabitants and were registered to vote in the municipal and European elections.

I don't really know what the form or the norm or whatever would be but I thought I'd recount what I found in case it is of help the OP.

[EuroTrash]

If you've only just arrived, how does the mairie know for sure how long you're going to stay? As I've always understood it, residency is only established in retrospect, when you can show where you have actually spent the year. Right now you have the intention of becoming resident, but you haven't met any of the French conditions, ie spent over half the year here, earned the majority of your income here, made it the focal point of your life. Nor have you as yet met the UK's criteria of being a 'leaver' under the UK residency test, ie you haven't spent x days out of the UK (where x depends how many UK ties you have).

Carte de séjours are issued by the préfecture not the mairie and they give you permission to live here, they are not proof that you do live here.

If you've given HMRC the date on which you left the UK, and next April you put that same date on your French tax return as the date when you arrived in France, I think that if five years hence you need to prove exactly when you arrived, that will do the trick.

[EuroTrash]

Saying that, it's nearly December isn't is so the tax office probably won't want to know about you until April 2017. But it won't make any difference in the end. You arrived when you arrived, that won't change. And if push comes to shove, where you spent your time can always be established if it needs to be. Just living day to day leaves a papertrail - where you used your bank card, where you drew out cash, etc etc etc.

[HoneySuckleDreams]

Can I ask the OP why they want to become a French citizen ?

 

We have been in France for over 10 years and not once have we thought about becoming a French citizen. Each to their own I suppose but I never thought it really necessary, unless you want to compete in one of the French national teams (although the kids have competed in French National Championships as non French citizens) or become a Mayor.

 

We were given an attestation de domicile when we first arrived by the Marie and I think we have had to present it once, and for the life of me I can't remember what for...maybe something to do with the kids and university I think.

 

Set up your AE, pay your taxes and cotisations and all will be well. As I remember, I carte vitale is more important to you at the moment.

 

 

[EuroTrash]

A bit off topic but just checking that you realise there is an advantage in setting an AE up in January rather than December. You're exempt from the CFE tax for the calendar year during which you set up the business and it seems a shame to waste it by setting up right at the end of a year. OK it's only 300€ or thereabouts, but even so...

[alittlebitfrench]

What is all this nonsense about going to the Mairie ???

I am guessing (maybe wrong) that the OP is renting a house on the 'black'. They therefore don't have a renting contract or any bills as proof of residency.

The person renting the house out is probably not declaring the rent either. Naughty, Naughty.

You need a paper trail in France. Get yourself a proper renting contract and put all your bills in your name. I am assuming you are not paying tax hab.

[lindal1000]

If I was coming here as a young person with the intention of staying I would definitely be thinking of citizenship. The world is a changing place.. the UK may leave the EU, it's become fashionable to be 'anti foreigner', and who knows what else. I wouldn't want to live my adult life in France without any ability to vote for the government and to top it all I would become disenfranchised in my birth country after 15 years of residence overseas. When I lived in Canada as a younger person, had I stayed the 5 years requires I would almost certainly have become naturalized.

[EuroTrash]

When I first arrived, getting French citizenship seemed awfully important and I was itching to be able to start the process.

By the time I'd been here 5 years it didn't seem important at all. The lack of it hasn't ever been an issue at all apart from not being able to vote, which I agree I would like the option of doing. But, (a) although I do take an interest, I'm aware that my understanding as a relative newcomer is very superficial - when I get into political discussions with the natives and pipe up with my bright ideas, it's never long before they floor me by saying 'yes but this was tried by soandso's government and it didn't work because blah blah blah', I just don't have the historical background to see things in context; and (b) I don't imagine that my vote would change anything. By the time you've had a few run-ins with URSSAF etc you feel well integrated so I don't need it psychologically to feel part of things here, and nobody outside my immediate circle of acquaintances would know would they, they don't stamp 'French Citizen' on your forehead. Maybe one day, but to be honest there's enough paperwork and bureaucracy in my life right now without starting on that process as well.

The OP may feel the same when they've settled in and feel secure and no longer feel they have to 'prove' their commitment.

[lindal1000]

I do think it depends on your age. When I was younger the concept of nationality meant very little to me.. I would have become Canadian, Australian, French.. whatever I needed to do to get an additional passport. I also think that Europe is changing. I don't know whether you are EU citizen or not Eurotrash, but I do think the prospect of living in European country without even the rights afforded by being part of the EU leave you very exposed. With the FN gaining ground I think we would be foolish to think it doesn't matter.

I voted in my local elections and the FN lost in our small commune by one vote. Never think you don't make a difference.

[EuroTrash]

One vote away from FN, that's scarey.

[NormanH]

Not as scary as having a Maire who is to the Right of the NF...as we have.

[Patf]

That IS scary Linda - which dept. do you live in? And Norman, I had an idea it was like that where you live.

Here (Gers) they've got 10% in most communes, most locals seem to be communists. But the FN have opened a posh office in the main square in Mirande recently, previously it was in a side street. So they must have some money behind them.

We registered to vote in local elections a few years ago. It's very confusing though, there are so many groups to choose from.

[EuroTrash]

Our local election was pretty easy last time, there was no sniff of FN, only the current mayor (UMP or whatever it's called now) and 2 others standing independently, and one of those was away with the fairies. (We're a tiny town with high unemployment, low average incomes and a large proportion of elderly residents; OK there are kids, and they do need something to do, but we do not need the commune to spend our taxes on building a state of the art skate park...)