When I arrived to live here permanently in 2005 my wife and I got CV's quite easily. I was still a salaried worker for a firm in London but living in France and weekly commuting, and under retiring age. My late wife was of retirement age and had cancer. It was remarkable and very fine that I contacted a French GP from the UK for an appointment before we left (armed with doctor's letters in English only) and got into treatment in a French hospital within 5 days of arrival. An incredible story. If you left France now and went to the UK could you imagine that happening in a month of Sundays?
no it's not just foreigners, Vic, who sometimes have it easier! it's just as bad for the French, my OH and kids have just the same problems if not more at times! And for the record, Vic, the carte vitale is a piece of cake compared to running a business here...! :-O
Oh yes, I am becoming almost a connoisseur of collecting amazing accounts about bureaucraps. It is such a shame my pal and I are both interdit on the wee bevies. He has so many tales to tell having been a business owner. Because he used to import his farm machines from Claas in Germany and Massey Ferguson direct from Canada and later the USA because they were better than the ones built here in Europe, he had to jump through an enormous number of hoops that were different each time. One favourite story that comes up time and time again is the account about once when he had bought 12 of the old style maize munchers from Claas but the civil servant dealing with the import duties demanded tax for 13. He stormed off to Perigueux to sort it out but the man was not having it that it was 12. He demanded to see a senior member of the office but was refused. Off he stormed to the nearest phone box, called his lawyer and explained. Lawyer phoned tax office and made a fuss but the person he spoke to said that my friend must have put in a copy of his invoice that was wrong. How about when he went to complain a while ago this morning?, he asked. Oh well, he must have unintentionally said 13. The lawyer told the man to sort it out immediately or he would make an official complaint. My chum went back to the tax office. He received a lecture on checking invoices in future and speaking clearly and precisely in future dealings with them.
Over 20 years on he is still fuming every time recalls that episode!
So it's not just us expats the bas*ard (un)civil servants make jump through flaming hoops of fire! Actually our CV was relatively easy to obtain but the other stuff! don't ask. we've only just stopped being furiously impotent after 8 years. Deep breaths Vic, come on, it's all over now. Isn't it? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?