Translating documents CAF

[Georgina]

Every other month I get asked for a document from CAF.  Once I had three letters in one week!!!!

This time the document (just a continuation of others I have sent) contained five words, one was an English word that just missed an accent or it  would have been French. The other three contained the date.  I said to the woman at Caf that it was easy to understand as the words were the same in French.  I know that several staff also speak English although I never talk to them in English, they told me that I could if I so wished.  This woman was adamant that I needed to translate the document by an official translator (WTH)!!!.

Next day I get a letter asking for an official translation.

I think she was being awkward and did this herself.  I have sent two others documents both longer that were easily understood by the staff no problem.

It really pees me off, bearing in mind that in England we give everyone a translator, that something so simply can be dealt with like this.  Why should I pay gawd knows how many euros for an official translation of five words.  Can they do this????  I have jumped through hoops. Not that I think everything should be made easy, but I have enough stress as it is right now.[:@]

[Quillan]

Let me first say this is nothing personal, just my thoughts.

I think it should be the other way round, I think if you go to live in another country you either learn the language or use a translator at your own cost. Certainly most European countries do this as do many other non EU countries. The only place I have visited that had English as an alternative (apart from Wales) was South Africa where depending which part you go to its either English first or Afrikane (hope my spelling right). In Japan many shops have signs in English but like in France it's pot luck to find somebody that actually speaks the language.

If you compare this to the UK where public services offer mostly free translation services, often using contract staff it costs the government millions. The only figures I can find about translators used in the public sector date back to 2007 and are as follows.:

Number of approved and vetted translators for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in London - 4,500 of which 89% were in use daily.

The NHS spent £55m

The courts spent over £10m not including Legal Aid.

Local councils spent £21m

All the rest spent in access of £100m

Now if we believe what we are told about immigration then immigration has increased by 39% since 2007 so perhaps the money spent has also increased by the same amount. I just wonder how many new hospitals ans schools could have been upgraded or built with this money over the years.

(Source) Immigration increase figures from a cached version of THIS

So basically I make the French right, I don't like it when ever I have had to pay for a translator but that's just how it is. It (having to part with money) just spurs me on to improve my French.

[Georgina]

There is NOTHING wrong with my french, there is nothing wrong with translating five words. they have the staff, they have the technology.

I think the French are right not to give translators to everyone costing millions. The thing is, it is a case of bloody mindedness when it is easy to understand and a waste of time and money also.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Georgina"]There is NOTHING wrong with my french, there is nothing wrong with translating five words. [/quote]

Is that one of those Oxy whatsits, thingies. [;-)]

I did say at the begining that it was not personal so you don't have to shout. [:P]

[Georgina]

SORRY [:P]

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

[quote user="Quillan"]

So basically I make the French right, I don't like it when ever I have had to pay for a translator but that's just how it is. It (having to part with money) just spurs me on to improve my French.

[/quote]

But it's got nothing to do with improving one's French. 

I was told to pay for a translation of an EU standard document where the personal content was nothing but names and dates. As it happens I got a favour from a traducteur assermenté -- I copied the French version of the form off the EU web site and typed in all the details and she just proof-read it and stamped it at no charge. Otherwise it would have cost me 35€. And my wife is French, and an experienced (but not sworn) translator.

[Quillan]

I am not sure I got this right. Are you saying that because your not French then you obviously, in the French system mind, don't speak it so you are forced to have a document translated to your native language so you can fill it in even though you are married to a French national who obviously speaks excellent French. If that is correct then that's extremely racist of whoever told you to do this and I would complain and go to the police. The fines for racism are very large in France, up to €40k I am told.

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="Quillan"]

Are you saying that because your not French then you obviously, in the French system mind, don't speak it so you are forced to have a document translated to your native language so you can fill it in even though you are married to a French national who obviously speaks excellent French.

[/quote]

No.  Albert was saying that he had to have the document translated into French, which was clearly for the benefit of the French person accepting the document.

 

[idun]

Hein? We moved to France, we got same letter, we paid to get the translations done, about 400ff in 1982 which was a lot then;

 

What is your problem. You moved to France, they ask for paperwork, give them it.In these hard times you are wasting someone's time, and therefore costing the CAF, by not furnishing what they are perfectly entitled to ask for.

I am enraged at how much money is wasted on any translations for anyone who moves to another country, whether it be France or UK or where ever.

 

[Gardener]

It is the bloodymindedness of it all that seems to be the problem, eg those fontionnaires who seem to revel in any opportunity to be difficult above and beyond the call of duty.

[idun]

Ah come on. When we contact the CAF it is to get something, in fact something for nothing, a benefit. And so that they can tell if we are entitled to that benefit they have certain protocols and requirements.

They ask the client for 'proof' in french, because they are the french CAF in France, and now here we have someone having a moan about it.

Why should a public body that dishes out public funds be expected to work on other than proper official translations. I don't think that it is being awkward, but a good way to prevent fraud.

 

It must not be forgotten that the french themselves often have to prove who they are and when they get their ID cards, actually give finger prints, it is the system in France, where one choses (or not ) to live.

[Georgina]

My point being missed of course, that they speak English and there are just five words which does not prove anything it is just a date for a hearing which I explained IN FRENCH.  They would have to understand the English legal system for it to be any other use.  I suppose they will ask me for a translation of that next [:P].

[idun]

I had read your original post.

It appears that you have a problem  and need to get sorted out with the the CAF. Why can you not just do as they say.

 

I agree I am currently enraged about all the translations that are done in the UK. So as we always gave translations when requested, do you not?

[Sunday Driver]

I can't imagine that you turned up at CAF with a document containing nothing other than a date so there must have been other information on the document such as who issued it, the purpose of the hearing, etc that they wanted translating.

Perhaps they wanted to reassure themselves that the document wasn't a summons to appear in court on charges of benefit fraud..... [;-)]

 

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

[quote user="Quillan"]I am not sure I got this right. Are you saying that because your not French then you obviously, in the French system mind, don't speak it so you are forced to have a document translated to your native language so you can fill it in even though you are married to a French national who obviously speaks excellent French. If that is correct then that's extremely racist of whoever told you to do this and I would complain and go to the police. The fines for racism are very large in France, up to €40k I am told.[/quote]

Quillan, what are you on?

If that was a response to my post, immediately above yours, then try to sober up before you read it again.

I needed to have a document from a UK court translated into French. The base document is an EU standard one, hence available with parallel versions in all EU languages. It had to be 'officially' translated from English into French although all the information specific to my personal situation consisted of nothing but names, addresses and dates. If I hadn't had a friendly traducteur assermenté available this would have cost about 35€.

By the way, my French is pretty good -- quite adequate to work here as an IT consultant.

You might also like to ask Russethouse about my level of French.

[Russethouse]

You might also like to ask Russethouse about my level of French.

I'll vouch for it ( hope people don't talk [;-)][;-)] )

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

Thanks, Gay.

[Georgina]

Well it all worked out perfectly in the end.  I went to see the social worker who was able to tell them that they had the proof they needed and she does not speak English.  By the way SD the other word was Divorce, same word in French. And IDUN yes, just getting the benefit yes but of some of the E700 a month we paid n social contributions over the several years we have been here.  So try not to judge. You could be so wrong.[:D]  And by the way, I work here in France too. [:P]

[idun]

DUH! Do you want a medal or something. Everyone working pays social contributions and they are high, you weren't paying anything exceptional, the difference is that not everyone gets money from the CAF. All the CAF do is cough up, nothing more or less and only if a person is eligible AND they do so in their own sweet time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Charly]

Perhaps if you re-read your post you will see how very rude it is? Perhaps you know the OP, otherwise I can't see how all this relates to needing to have official documents translated and why all the really unpleasant sniping?

[idun]

 

If you found my post 'rude' well I have found the whole sorry story rather rude and acariatre. I do not believe that the CAF and it's functionnaires deserve to be messed around, nor do I believe that it is their job to translate either.

This is the CAF we are talking about, not the tax office.  The CAF has nothing to do with any cotisations anyone pays, it has to do with financial help for families so long as they fulfill the criteria to receive benefits. And obviously in order to give the OP what she 'wants' she has been asked for information in french in France.  We have been there done that and if they CAF ask, we gave them what they wanted.  

I don't come on here and moan or ask advice about things in my life at the moment. I get on with things, although I could say I was stressed and I didn't need XYZ happening, as I don't need XYand Z happening and yet they are. We too are currently sorting out endless reams of  french paperwork and do you know what, if they ask, we do as they ask. I haven't even moaned on here about the truly incredibly stupid functionnaire we have had dealings with during the last few weeks, because it happens, it is life.

 

[Georgina]

[quote user="Charly"]Perhaps if you re-read your post you will see how very rude it is? Perhaps you know the OP, otherwise I can't see how all this relates to needing to have official documents translated and why all the really unpleasant sniping?[/quote]

Thanks Charly, yes he is very rude and unhelpful.  We come on here for advise and to talk about our experiences not to be slagged off for actually paying our dues and getting what we rightly deserve just like any french person would in England and more. But there is always one eh??

[Cendrillon]

I think you'll find "Idun" is a "she" and has lived in France for many years.[:)]

[suein56]

[quote user="Cendrillon"]I think you'll find "Idun" is a "she" and has lived in France for many years.[/quote]

... and she describes life as it really can be. No frills, no smiles.

Sue

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Cendrillon"]I think you'll find "Idun" is a "she" and has lived in France for many years.[:)]
[/quote]

Trop acariâtres![:P]