NormanH

The purpose as with ALL  that albf posts is to wind up other people .Never anything positive, never any thing helpful; just  trying and failing to irritate. Ignore it[:D]

https://www.midilibre.fr/2018/10/19/beziers-nimes-perpignan-ales-ces-villes-doccitanie-dans-le-top-10-des-plus-pauvres,4738413.php http://www.observationsociete.fr/revenus/pauvrete/pour-la-premiere-fois-linsee-publie-des-donnees-sur-la-pauvrete-des-communes.html The queueing has been improved, but DID exist ...I experienced it and this is  the article that I suspect  is at the source of  albf's  'information'It confirms that they were queueing for a 'titre de séjour' http://www.leparisien.fr/hauts-de-seine-92/nanterre-92000/pour-la-prefecture-de-nanterre-il-n-est-plus-necessaire-de-dormir-dans-la-rue-07-09-2017-7242852.php

Fact1) Nanterre is a  north-western suburb of Paris, not central France http://www.cartesfrance.fr/carte-france-region/carte-region-Centre.html I would have thought you would know that since you claim to know Tours well. Fact2) Long queues outside préfectures  are unlikely  likely to be for Naturalisation  since  the applications are sent off by  post and the appointments  for interviews are given at specific times at wide intervals with a warning that being late will not be tolerated.  You can't just arrive and queue up for them. These queues were  much more likely to be for people needing a 'titre de séjour'  for which it used to be possible to join the queue before the introduction of an appointment system.Unlike ALBF I have been in such a queue several times. The first time I got there at 7 a.am but it was too late and I never made it inside.The second time I got there at 5 am and did get in, and that was just to get the forms to fill in. I had to do the same twice more, once to hand them in and a second time to collect the card.  This system seems to have been changed and recent applications have been much easier Fact3) I live in one of the poorest  towns in France where both the inner city and the 'cité' are "difficult", and I see  the social problems at first-hand on a  daily basis We have a 'centre d'acceuil' for people arriving in France https://www.lacimade.org/nos-actions/hebergement-langue-francaise/le-centre-dhebergement-de-beziers/and I have both helped with paperwork and given shelter  to those in need. Interpreting these facts: Don't confuse the urgency of  people needing a Titre de Séjour so that they may become legally resident in France with the approach of those who have been here a while and have made the decision to ask to acquire French Nationality, in my case as a second one. I know that the only purpose of albf is to irritate, do I don't usually bother  to reply. In this case the usual ignorance about France (not knowing where Nanterre is, and confusing the Titre de Séjour with Naturalisation) is accompanied by  an equally complete ignorance of  my reasons for taking  this step.It is an important moment for me which I wished  to share with  the few  contributors to the this Forum who are still here. Thank you albf for trying to spoil it by your petty-mindednessYou didn't succeed [:P]

Some préfectures deal with things more quickly. Montpellier is known to be one of the slower ones possibly because of the large number of 'étrangers' i the area. As others have pointed out there are many other nationalities involved and this area possibly has more of them than say central France.

Those who wish to question my choice might have quoted "You said, "I will go to another land, I will go to another sea. Another city will be found, a better one than this. Every effort of mine is a condemnation of fate; and my heart is -- like a corpse -- buried. How long will my mind remain in this wasteland. Wherever I turn my eyes, wherever I may look I see black ruins of my life here, where I spent so many years destroying and wasting." You will find no new lands, you will find no other seas. The city will follow you. You will roam the same streets. And you will age in the same neighborhoods; and you will grow gray in these same houses. Always you will arrive in this city. Do not hope for any other -- There is no ship for you, there is no road. As you have destroyed your life here in this little corner, you have ruined it in the entire world. Constantine P. Cavafy" 

I had expected an email or sms as some others have had, but in fact it was a letter by snailmail which has only just arrived.

Just got a letter to say that I am French since the 24th January...so I made it just before Brexit :))[:D]

I think it became unnecessary in 2002 for EU citizens  (but I haven't looked up the exact date) although as CT says they always had the right to ask for one. Some Préfectures may not have wanted  the bother but the rules  were there.2002 is about the date that a lot of Brits started to come over with Ryanair flights making  it easier;TV programmes about 'Life in the Sun; and more and more baby-boomers getting to retirement age. These later arrivals didn't have to go through all the palaver of  getting as CdS, which was very useful in introducing newcomers to the French systtem. Much of the panic and confusion recently would have been avoided if they had remained compulsory

Apart from the fact that I can't easily watch UK TV in catch-up I wouldn't watch this sort of programme because the misinformation and half-truths are infuriating. Further because it was 'on the tele' people  seem to think that it is correct and quote it at me to say I am wrong, just as happens with the Anglo sites and newspapers, run or written by folk who haven't experienced things at first-hand.Almost all the information I give ( as opposed to my OPINIONS) is either  based on lived experience, or on French official sources to which I usually give links.

There have been a number of answers to some of these questions if you manage  to get the search function working; but quickly: 3) No Mutuelle needed just the evidence of the CV2) Your Avis d'impostiin for the  last 5 years is what they are after, but in any case you will have had to declare all your income when you made youe declaration even if it wasn't taxable in France1)  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/858806/DT_Ind_France_01_20.pdf that you  may have  filled in when you came here would serve as giving a date of moving.Utility bills can help to show continuous residence

Thanks for that link. I am past that stage as you are, but I have friends who are thinking of applying and it is good to have the correct source:)

Wb is correct.Since the 31st January Brits can no longer vote in local  elections in France, nor for European ones either. Those who  were previously on their local councils are no longer entitled to be there either. This means that I and other like me no longer have a vote in any elections here or in France. mint that programme sounds very fishy to me.Apart from the issues you highlight it takes a few weeks for the CdS to be printed. Even if you are simply renewing you have to hand in your dossier then go back a few days or weeks later to collect it. It is simply not possible to go in and walk out with it an hour later....

I was sent this today from the Préfecture: Dans le cadre de la sortie du Royaume-Uni de l’Union Européenne, vous avez déposé une demande de titre de séjour en ligne sur le site « Procédure en ligne de demande de titre de séjour pour les ressortissants britanniques résidant en France avant la date de retrait du Royaume-Uni de l’Union Européenne, en cas de Brexit sans accord ». Ce site avait été mis en ligne pour préparer l’hypothèse, désormais écartée, d’un Brexit sans accord.Le Ministère de l’Intérieur procède actuellement à la mise à jour de ce site afin de s’inscrire dans le cadre des dispositions de l’accord de retrait du Royaume-Uni de l’Union Européenne qui a finalement été conclu et ratifié de part et d’autre.Nous vous informons que votre demande de titre de séjour avait bien été enregistrée et qu’elle sera bien traitée par la préfecture dans les mois à venir.L’accord de retrait prévoit que vous n’aurez d’obligation de détenir le titre de séjour que vous avez sollicité qu’à compter du 1er juillet 2021.Dans l’attente de l’instruction de votre demande, vous n’avez aucune démarche supplémentaire à effectuer. Vous n’avez pas besoin de refaire une nouvelle demande en ligne. De même, il n’est pas nécessaire de vous déplacer à la préfecture pour le moment.

https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1266

I expect that English lawyers will charge...

I hadn't seen that mentioned,  but in any case the oral  interview is pretty demanding so it wasn't a case of people getting an easy ride.

Don't forget  that Notaires in France MUST offer advice free, and there are many who speak English. Be careful of advice from  well-meaning but unqualified people. There are very specific laws regarding inheritance and if it "has been suggested by the person liasing with us over in France that I could just put the house in my name due to my brothers mental health issues" I would politely ask that person to show you the 'texte' in French law that says that.   https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCode.do?idSectionTA=LEGISCTA000006150544&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070721 For information about renouncing one's share:https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16251 I am NOT a lawyer so  take vice. Those links are to show you how complicated it can all get

That has happened to me a couple of times, so now, if I am starting to get even more long-winded and detailed than normal I tend to write in Libre Office then copy and paste here, but it does leave a weird line of text at the bottom of the post...

I am interested to hear that others  have had a reaction to steak tartare since I developed the same thing quite recently. I am almost pleased to  hear it because I very much like (and trust) the two restaurants where I had it and this confirms my suspicions that it is the dish itself  that caused my reaction and not poor hygiene on their part. I even dare to eat raw mussels in one of  them with no adverse effect. In hospitals (and I believe schools but I am not sure)  only powdered eggs are allowed which makes for a VERY grim omelette [:(] https://www.hygiene-securite-alimentaire.fr/verite-deplaisante-utilisation-oeufs/

The whole point of the article in The Guardian is that  it reassuring [:)] It mentions that some people are worried, and shows where some of those concerns come from (I would to thet add the various anglophone misinformation sites. The only valid sources of information are the French and UK governments official site, not those set up by self-important unelected  busybodies) It then goes on "Under the withdrawal agreement, at the end of the transition period in December 2020, anyone with an existing British S1 reciprocal healthcare form will continue to have their healthcare costs met by the government, as long as they remain legally resident in their host country. An S1 form will also entitle the holder to a UK European health insurance card for treatment when travelling within the EU. Pensioners living on the continent will also continue to be entitled, under UK law, to free treatment in the UK. Any British nationals working in their host country and paying into its social security system will continue to be covered for healthcare. The withdrawal agreement also states that British state pensions – and all other benefits paid to non-residents – will be uprated annually during the recipient’s lifetime. Looking at   some of the replies here I wonder if people read and understand  the links I post [6]

Sung au Parlament Europeen https://www.midilibre.fr/2020/01/30/nous-vous-aimerons-toujours-lemouvant-adieu-du-parlement-europeen-aux-elus-britanniques,8697728.php BUT look at the  readers' comments ..I think that they show what I have often  said is the  opinion of many French people despite  the claims of "expats" about how well Brits are liked [:P] Des Anglais Européens ????? comme le vieux port , bouché par une sardine artur rainbow Il y a 4 heures J'en connais de ces Britanniques anti brexit : RSA et CMU en France, propriétaires d'apparts loués pour un max de livres sterlings au pays natal , plus les dividendes d'actions bien placées à la City. Finie la belle vie. yann34 Il y a 2 heures pourquoi fini ? être extra européen ne fait pas que l on ne soit pas éligible au RSA et a la CMU ... et oui juste être résident suffit et même mieux les sans papiers on des droits aussi !!! vincent Il y a 4 heures Les Anglais sont et resterons toujours les suppositoires des ricains. Europe,The End. (pour les autres états) Le pouffre grillé Il y a 4 heures Ce sont les Anglais installés en France qui vont l'avoir amer.. Plus de CMU et les occasions de se faire soigner à bon compte. De plus, à part certains, ils ne s'intégraient pas du tout, ne parlaient pas Français ou très mal même après des années de présence en France et faisaient même venir d'angleterre leur bouffe dégueu. Il n'y a plus qu'à assumer maintenant. Go home boys... Le pouffre grillé Il y a 4 heures "621 voix contre 49, avec 13 abstentions." Cela veut bien tout dire. Les anglais n'ont jamais été des Européens convaincus, ils ont toujours regardés vers le nouveau monde qu'ils ont largement contribués à peupler (Pilgrim father). De gaulle l'avait bien dit. Un petit "channel" nous sépare mais il est plus vaste que l'atlantique. Bon vent... p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 115% }

A more reliable source and a  intelligently-written article which explains the reasons for the confusion https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/30/britons-in-eu-remain-fearful-of-post-brexit-healthcare-and-pension-provisions

I recently watched a very good film called "Bait" about a similar problem in Cornwall, where the incomers arrive and clash with the local fisherman whose Cottage they have bought up.It may seem irrelevant but in fact the issues of monied  South East England hooray Henry's (whom I saw start to  destroy the community in the Devon fishing village I lived in) have a close parallel to the Ryanair brigade of British 'expats' (SPIT) imposing their boozy lazy lifestyle on working people in  rural France. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/01/bait-review-mark-jenkin-cornish-fishing-village

I may seem to be muddying the waters, since my card is in fact issued by France, just a couple of pieces of information.The French equivalent is called a CEAM card so that might help when you are talking to them and want to explain what you are talking about. I renewed mine last year when  Brexit was looming and it now seems to be for two years rather than the one year it was previously. I would  not be  at all surprised if the French are not yet ready to issue something different given the uncertainties and confusion and incompetence that have that have bedevilled  the British end..

I have noticed the same thing in MidiLibre so it isn't just in the Allier....