Compulsory French Class for Long Stay Visa

After the whole saga of getting our Carte de Séjour (CDS), I got stuck in an obligatory French lesson for 280 hours. The only good news is that it is free! But that is all...280 hrs translates to 7 hr/day for 3 days/week for 2.5 months. If I'm absent without a medical certificate or reasons related to OFII, I'll have to replace the hours that I've been absent, this is why there are many people in the class who have been there for aeon.

Good things never come free. When I finally got my CDS, the interviewer decided that I should go for the free lessons before giving me the form to test my understanding of the language. She commented that I write well, but still offered the course to me on "goodwill", which I regretted accepting. After which, I spent another half a day at another place to take an evaluation test. The examiner told me that I have a good level of French, but the highest level that they can give me is DELF A1, and advised me to ask the teacher if I can take the test ASAP since I'm already ready for it. Question no. 1: Why send me for it when there isn't a need to? 

If you think that the evaluation test is to place you in a class of your level, then you are very wrong....EVERYBODY goes to the SAME class!!! From someone who does not even know alphabetisation to DELF A1 and A2. In my class, there is an average of 25 people in a classroom of 30 sq metres. Question no. 2: Why do I need to go for an evaluation test when the same class takes in all levels?

The curriculum is random, but I could pick up new things to learn in snippets. This is fine if I've got nothing better to do in the day, but I really hope to speak the language well within the 1.5 years that I'm here, and this is a little inefficient in my opinion. On the other hand, I do think that the teachers in these classes are formidable to be able to handle a class of varied personalities and learning abilities.

Here in France, I find that Murphy's law is much more rampant, perhaps due to the uncertainties in everything. I was told to take the DELF A1 written examination on the 24 October, and have the oral exam on another day, which is a floating date likely to be in the same week as the written paper. I would be receiving a convocation letter to confirm the dates, which was just 2 weeks before the dates of the exam. We met "Murphy" again when we have to go to Amsterdam on the week after the written exam for a conference. And yes, the oral exam turned out to be a week after the written paper instead. Surprises make France romantic isn't it? Bienvenue en France!

So what happens if I can't make it on a date that they have not informed in advance? There is no contact whatsoever in the letter, and it was written that no changing of dates is allowed. Brilliant! This is what our government should learn to do, send a mandate and leave no contact. Why should we even have a customer service hotline to receive all sorts of requests and complaints?

Our 1st Speeding Ticket

It came as a surprise that I will be the 1st to get a speeding fine, given that I'm usually such a law abiding road user. Unfortunately, the French doesn't agree on this and gave me a ticket for driving at 57km/h with a 50km/h limit. What is more frustrating is that there are constant changes on the speed limit along the road, and there are long stretches that they don't even bother putting signs on. With such a strict governance on the speed limit, I would expect better conditions and clearer road signs for users, but I can't help feeling that all is a conspiracy theory to get some fund raising for other social benefits. It states in the letter that the fine by law is 135 Euros, but oh...there is an early bird discount if I pay within 15 days from the letter, amounting to just 90 Euros...yippee.But if I do not pay or contest after 45 days, the fine becomes 375 Euros... brilliant, and they work so fast to answer requests in a month or 2. 

Coming from orderly Singapore, the roads in France is simply annoying. Even the roads leading to my kampong in Malaysia are in a better state than some of the roads here. Here, there are ridiculous road mergers, like merging into a fast lane on the autoroute. Missing road markings on 2 way streets, no marking on 1 way streets. Crooked no entry signs that you can't even make out which route it is referring to. 2 islands on a round about, so am I supposed to make an Eight? And they fined me for exceeding the limit by 7km/h on a road with ridiculous filter lanes!

And so I paid my fine on-line using my credit card, it is the most efficient system that I've experienced so far. The system has no other functions except to pay fines, that explains why it is so efficient, with clear English on every page explaining what to do. There are 2 options, option 1: Pay 90 Euro in full now; or option 2: Pay a deposit of the full fine, which is 135 Euro if you want to contest. I guess I don't have much choice given the faith I have in their administration.

How We Welcome Summer Here

I can't believe that we passed Spring in a jiffy! I had wanted the Student to take the 1st signs of Spring in the valley, where the trees were so covered with little pink flowers, and the walkway lined with wild flowers of so many different vibrant colours...but it seems that we have to do that next Spring after we got used to the seasonal changes.

Now, the neighbourhood is filled with roses, lavender and cherries for us to pick, our neighbour just picked 2kg worth of cherries 2 weeks ago, I tried them and they are pretty sweet for something in the wild...

So this is a list of what we did and will do in summer:

1) On a fine sunny Sunday afternoon, open the windows and enjoy the breeze with a pot of fine tea and cake.

2) Before time stands still in August, settle all outstanding administrative matters, like exchanging your driver's license for this piece of paper (the locals also hold the same paper, since eons ago). This process is the most straight forward of all the French administration, whereby everything can be settled within an hour or so at the Prefecture (after getting your CDS of course). Documents required: True copy of translated driver's licence, original licence, 2 photos (same size as for CDS), true copy of CDS, and fill in forms given by the Prefecture on the day of exchange. Exchange is immediate, since it doesn't take much effort to laminate this piece of junk...which we cannot live without...

3) Go for a concert and summer sale in Paris. In the first week of summer, there were a number of free concerts to go to...but unfortunately, the weather was not very agreeable.

4) Go for a hair cut. I had mine done at a local hairdresser's, and had a great time speaking in French to her! She was really nice and patient to have understood my half-past-six French. Now that we are spending in Euros, I'm a little more thrifty when it comes to a haircut...so we save some Euros by cutting the Student's hair at home instead. Easy peasy...a full set of clippers just cost 10 Euros from Carrefour. But the Student's head is getting bigger, so I'm taking a little more time to get it in shape. I'm taking an average of 2 hrs to cut a  "hawk" style.

5) And of course....go for a vacation since there is NOBODY working...:)

The Alien in France - Conjoint of a Scientist Visa

Finally, I've received that piece of paper that weighs a tonne after 5 months of patience. A tonne of French labour and administration to make my long stay possible in France. Seriously, I've always thought that my treatment would be the same as the Student, but apparently not. In my case, I'm the conjoint (or spouse) of a Scientist visa. Below is what just happened to both of us to get that golden paper.

Both the Student and the Wife:

Got a 3 months visitors' visa from the French Embassy in Singapore. Free for the Student, but I have to pay about SGD 150 ( EURO 99). This has to be done in our home country, and just the beginning of the visa saga.

After we arrived in France, we have to make an appointment with our prefecture to submit our documents to apply for the Carte de Sejour (CDS in short) to enable us to stay for 1 year. The appointment was made by the school, Supelec. Since we are not in centre Paris, there is not too much crowd and hiccups here. After all the documents are in, we received the recepisse (read 25 Feb 12 entry), a temporary paper, valid for 3 months until we get our CDS. I waited for about 4 months, and so the recepisse expires, making me an illegal alien for a while. But ah...this is very normal, I'll just have to make sure that I stay in France and not wander around the EU region.

Between the recepisse and the CDS, the visa saga starts to brew...

The Student: 

Received 2 parallel letters to go for a medical appointment at OFII at Creteil (1.5 mths after the recepisse), and that he can collect his CDS, with EURO 368 timbres* from the prefecture at Palaisseau any date in the morning. Bravo! This is so efficient...1.5 mths...wee!!! But this means that the medical certificate is not crucial to him getting the 1st CDS, probably for subsequent renewal only.

The medical appointment was smooth and easy, he just answered some questions on vaccinations and illnesses by the doctor. Took his eyesight test, weight and height. Proceed for chest X-ray, final review by doctor, and all done within 2 hours.

The Wife:

Received an SMS to meet at OFII, and prepare EURO 368 worth of timbres* (4 mths after the recepisse). The process for me is so very different...but why? I'm the Student's wife, shouldn't the treatment be the same?

[*Timbres = stamps purchased from either the treasury or the prefecture. I got mine from Tressorerie de Palaiseau. These are NOT postage stamps.]

I went for the appointment at 1pm as stated, and did not leave until 5pm. I was 1st asked to wait in a waiting room with many others. After 45 mins of waiting, a stylish dude ushered us to a TV room to watch a 15 mins film of Life in France. Then, he came in and blabber in French a lot of words that I cannot catch. Some contract....blah blah...EURO 368....blah blah...whether we need to attend French lessons...blah again...and he left with some people he called out. After 5 mins, a very friendly lady came to get me into her room, and I finally have a clear picture of what was expected of me. Not that she can speak English, but as least there is Google translator to bridge my minimal French, and her minimal English.

1) I am supposed to go for "Formation Civique", it is a 1 day event at Evry to talk about integration into the French culture. She arranged for a day whereby the event is held in English...sweet!

2) She gave me a date to go to a place (slightly further than Palaisseau) to evaluate my level of French, and to allocate me into the right class near to where I stay thereafter. At the same time, I did a mini test in front of her. The French class is free!!!

3) She asked me to sign a contract, which I still do not know the content. But what are my odds? If I don't sign, I have no CDS. Therefore, it is no longer important whether I understand the content.

After this "interview", she ushered me to the 1st doctor. Here, I took my height, weight and eyesight test (short and long sight). Then I take my slips and go downstairs, the multi-function security guard took my slips  and asked me to wait aside for a chest X-ray.

Before this, I already have a preview of the X-ray room during the Student's medical examination. And so, I came prepared with a front clip bra and buttoned shirt. Attention ladies! There are no robes for you to change into...With what I was wearing, I can just flash my body in front of the radio panel, without the nurse (male or female) seeing anything.

There are 2 doors in each changing room, 1 door leads you to the radiography room, and the other enables you to enter the changing room from the common corridor.

Go into the changing room, lock the door you entered by. When the spotlight shines onto your door leading to the radio room: Put your hands on your waist, walk out half naked, look confident, chin up, chest up and shashay your way to the radio panel. Press your chest against the panel, deep breathe in. When you are done, turn around, strike a pose and strut your thing back to the changing room. Voila! That's it...

Then I waited for a while to collect my print, and go up to wait for another doctor to evaluate the print and answer questions on the vaccinations (specifically BCG, Hepatities and Tetanus) that I've done. No proof required, just a Q&A. 

After all's well, I waited again for the 1st friendly lady to get me back into her room, whereby I give her my timbres and received my laminated piece of Card! On general, this is a pleasant experience, the staff in OFII are very professional and nice too. I guess the only fault of this is the 4 months' wait...

Carte De Séjour - CHECKED!

This is our 3rd week in GIF, glad that both the Student and the Wife have got their CDS settled.
Next on the checklist: Exchange our driver's licence, and hit the road with that car!

After reading all the horror stories about people trying to get their CDS from the prefecture in Paris, I think we should really count our blessings for what we went through. We were scheduled to go to the sous-prefecture at Palaiseau on 2 separate appointments (should be on the same day since we are married, but somehow the appointments were really packed). On both occasions, we have met really kind counter personnels. I think this is definitely not by chance, my 2 cents worth on why we were so blessed:

1) Since we live in Supélec, and the assigned prefecture is according to where you stay, we were assigned to go to Palaiseau instead of Paris. This means that it is not as crowded = less frustrations for the personnels handling the applications.

2) Supélec was really professional to have arranged a meeting with HR to prepare the paperwork with us. Which I supposed, they could have just let us fumble on our own.

3) For Scientific visas, there are 3 dedicated counters with pre-arranged appointments made. We did not even need to send in our OF-II form for the appointment, as Supélec have already made the appointments for us. (We were confused on the need to submit the OF-II at first, but seems like it is required to set up an appointment with the prefecture, otherwise, it is not needed.)

Conclusion, its a thumbs up if you are coming to France on a Scientific visa, especially if your organisation is linked to the prefecture somehow.

Although there are lots of sites on the application for the CDS, information on Scientific visas was rather vague for us. Now that we went through it, below are the essential documents to include if you are in a similar situation:

For main applicant:
1) Birthcert & translated copy in French
2) Passport
3) Status letter to indicate financial standing & translated to French. Indicated amount to be in EURO
4) Proof of accommodation (Testimonial from the landlord that you are staying with them is best )
5) Scientist Convention Letter
6) 2 self-addressed envelopes with stamp
7) 3 coloured photos (3.5 x 4.5 cm)

For Spouse:
1) Birthcert & translated copy in French
2) Passport
3) Marriage cert & translated copy in French
4) Proof of accommodation (Main applicant will have to prepare a testimony in French to declare that you are staying together, which is actually obvious since you are married)
5) Status letter, convention letter of main application as above

6) 2 self-addressed envelopes with stamp
7) 3 coloured photos (3.5 x 4.5 cm)
8) If main applicant has already received the temporary CDS (Récépissé de Demande De Carte De Séjour),  prepare a photocopy

* The photos needed for the long stay visa (3 months) which is applied from your home country is 2.5 x 3.5cm. For CDS, the measurements are different! We ended up with photo booth photos for our CDS, which had our ugliness amplified by at least 10 times!

After the interview, which is about 30 mins. You'll receive the Récépissé de Demande De Carte De Séjour. The prefecture will send a letter to you to indicate when you'll have to go for the medical appointment, and another letter to tell you when the CDS is ready for collection. This explains why you'll need 2 envelopes.

If everything goes really smoothly, you can receive your CDS by the medical appointment, if not, it is usually within 3 months for the CDS to be ready.

I'm not sure if this is the same in other prefectures, but it seems that besides for our passports, they are not interested in our original certs (BC & marriage). Instead, the translated copy is VERY IMPORTANT! Sworn translators by the way...