I didn’t notice that, Jane. I shall try to take notes for reporting back purposes in case. Between us we should get most of it 
I booked a place, and I think Tory might have as well… Any others?
Have drafted my questions,…not that any of them got answered last time!
I have but then I suppose my last post might have been taken to imply that 
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Jane
Have booked a place.
How do you draft your questions ?
Sorry new kid on the block
Andy
Once the ”event” starts and you click in to join it there will be a bit of your screen that allows you to write and send questions.
It is a one-way event, so you can see them but they can’t see you. And they select the questions to answer. I don’ think I was able to see other people’s questions either.
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I don’t think I can access any of their microsoft teams thing for getting on so haven’t done, and I’m exhausted after back to back teaching this morning then working, then picking up the small!
Looking forward to what you guys get from it though!
I do wish they would publish a Q and A from it. I’m butting heads with someone over the health care thing (else where) who is insisting health care must have been in place before 31/12 (which the last outreach confirmed this is not the case, which I’ve known through embassy / MOI for months) and telling people they are illegal and can’t apply. So hard when there is no wirtten ‘proof’!
I can’t access it tonight! My iPad is just showing a whirling circle although I have linked to it so get welcome message.
Hope someone else has managed.
Edit…managed to access it just as woman was talking about healthcare…I tried to record it and if so will transcribe later.
That was the most useful of their events that I’ve had access to for years! 5 A4 pages of notes and DEFINITE confirmation that all they are interested in re healthcare is that you have it now and NOT before 31/12/2021. Worry not Tory
They are sending an email - I’ll share the links if that helps!
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Yes it is good that that they set these up and make the effort to bring in people from different departments. I just caught the tail end of something generic about the préfecture’s attitude being that they are trying to approve applications, not reject them. The woman called Ellen talking on health care specifically said that “what the préfectures are interested in is your situation NOW”.
However, this same woman did give out some slightly misleading info as she did imply that you would get health care costs reimbursed even if the date was before you had received your S1. As far as I know this is not correct! And she did say you can visit any doctor you like without making clear it would cost more if not part of a proper MT directed parcours. Plus most specialists will insist on a referral.
Also think they were wrong in saying you must carry ID. I don’t believe that is the case any more. But of course you will need to be able to provide it later.
The interesting bit for me was explaining exactly why the UK can’t just unilaterally extend all expiring licences. Their answer being that the French won’t accept this. And I didn’t know that the French hadn’t actually accepted the Covid extension either…
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Fabulous Angela! I would love to see the email! I know that is the case with the health care, unfortunately there are FB groups that have ‘experts’ telling everyone the opposite and that they are illegal and shouldn’t even put their CDS application in when it is WRONG. I don’t use FB so can’t wade in but on another forum there is someone who is also refusing to accept the reality. I’ve had a good few call me in tears at work, literally ready to pack their house up and return to the UK as a result, thank god the ones I’ve caught have called me and had the right info and have carried on to successful applications. I’m devastated to think of the potentially hundreds or thousands who have not and just given up and left 
all down to social media misinformation 
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Yes it was very interesting. Of course it makes sense that just because the UK accepts expired licences is no reason for anyone else to.
I agree about Ellen being very specific on the healthcare cover situation only mattering as of now, as far as the prefectures are concerned. Her comments on acceptance of S1s etc within the health care system itself was a bit vague but she also said, more than once, that Carte Vitales can take many months to come through but the healthcare provision is fine with the temporary number just different (I’m thinking about @captainendeavour 's comcerns here particularly)
What do you think would be helpful to post, Jane @JaneJones ? Would it be best to wait for the summary email and post that?
It is so very distressing @toryroo but so many people much prefer to believe what they are told on FB and what on earth can we do about that?
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What a horrifying thing to tell someone even if it was completely correct, which seemingly it isn’t. Given how flexible they’re being, even if it was the case surely anybody reasonable would say “put it in, give it a go and hopefully they will be sympathetic and it will be ok” not to not even bother. That’s shocking.
I don’ know if you noticed, but they answered some questions in the sidebar? I had asked about a video-link to be able to replay the event/transcript which I though they promised last time. The answer was that this was a misunderstanding and they would just post links later.
So don’t hold your breath! I think we will just get links to Living in France! But let’s see what we get and maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.
I recorded a few bits on my phone, but didn’t take notes so if there are other useful items Angela could perhaps add them?
I will indeed but after 5 pages of notes and a late dinner, I think I’ll attack that tomorrow, especiallyif the promised email is informative (although like most of us I am not holding my breath there )
I was pleased that all the people speaking were embassy-type staff and only one of them was completely useless - a very good score based on previous events. A lot of the problem is that, basically, nothing much had changed since the last session they did but there were some quite clear answers to some situations (like Tory’s about healthcare prior to 31/12/2020 - that one couldn’t have been more emphatic). Also the one about the driving licences where there is no change but the girl concerned, who was clearly trying to be as honest as she could, said that she expected the negotiations to conclude in days/weeks not weeks/months which, although not what we want, is more hopeful than it might have been.
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I missed the first 10 mi utes of so, so if any general intro information I’d be interested when you have time.
I’m not sure when you came in, @JaneJones but you probably didn’t miss much as they started a bit late and the first bit was introductions of the various embassy staff who would be answering questions (or not answering them in the case of one chap)
The general introduction was to say that this event was focussed on people who were covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and the convenor said the most important general points were -.
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Apply for the Permit before 30/6/21
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Make sure you have health cover
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Make sure your passport isn’t going to expire soon - renew it
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Have a copy of the Attestation issued by email when you apply for the Permit and show that at border control (or Permit once it arrrives) to ensure your passport isn’t stamped.
Then there there was a bit on permit issuing delays, in which it was emphasised that the Prefectures were working very hard and some had very restricted resources so turnround varied hugely. Also some non-EU CdS applications were very urgent and had to be processed first.
CdS issue on the basis of being married/PACSed/cohabitation(?) with a French person was then talked about. Automatic 10 year permit for marrieds and 5yrs for PACSed. Talked about proof of cohabitation being anything with both names on.
The emphasis was on not delaying applying because you may not have enough documentation - apply anyway and the Prefecture will ask for anything else, (That was reiterated later)
Then they moved to health but I imagine you were there by then Jane?
This is a very interesting thread and I had not previously known or followed it. The driving licence issue changed that, and I can now see a lot of useful stuff comes out. So is there a transcript, a video or sound replay, or is some good soul on the SF going to post a summary. Sorry if this has been answered earlier but could not see it.
I see the next one is 13 April and have booked a ticket via Eventbrite …is it then just a matter of clicking on the link sent out ticket holders the previous day?
They do not provide any transcript of recording. It is a live event with lots of people. I can understand that as if they provided a recording then every word would have to be checked and signed off.
Angela said she took notes, I didn’t but just recorded a few key phrases. It was an hour and a half so quite a lot to summarise. I will just feed in stuff I picked up in response to relevant questions - as things that were of little interest to me I switched off.
And yes, you just click on the link. Although depending on your set up you may have to download the microsoft teams app first.
I can try doing a summary of sorts but it will take a while - 5 pages of A4 scribble while drinking a glass of wine…
You can always get to the event via your browser if you don’t want to download the app. As I don’t have a smartphone, I couldn’t do the download anyway!