I looked everywhere for advice on our situation, but I am having trouble finding out our rights! Guidance welcome!

In Oct. 2006 we moved to France (From US). I (US) came in on visa to work for 9 months. My husband (UK) started working for UK company in December.

In January I received my Carte de Sejour, but the dates were wrong (and more), so I went to the Mairie. They told me to come back and renew/modify my dossier in March, so I did.

I received a convocation (request) to come pick up my receipt April 27, 2007. When I did, there was no news and I was told to wait. In short I went back six times and each time I was told to wait. In June I pointed out that two additional months had passed and asked if there was anything we could do. The lady replied no, so I called the Prefecture myself and learned they had no record of my dossier. I was instructed to resubmit and did so within a day.

I then had an interview and job offer to start in September. I took the letter to the Mairie to include in my dossier. My dossier was rejected because I had a headband and they wanted an attestation from my husband that he lives in France and is employed by a UK company. We corrected these and resubmitted. It was rejected again because they wanted photocopies of ALL the pages of my husbands passport (why didn't the woman do this the first time!!!). We added the copies and resubmitted.

Finally on August 20th I received my Recepisse (evidence I have applied for the Carte de Sejour), but it specifically said I cannot work! However, the gracious prefecture sent my dossier to the DDTE (work authority dept). The school called the DDTE, who said that my dossier would be approved immediately and sent to the Prefecture. I was to call the Prefecture Monday to ensure they sent it to me (via the Mairie) right away.

Monday morning I called and they said they didn't have it, but don't call before Friday!

In the meantime, I called the DDTE to make sure the dossier was sent as they said, and I learned that they sent a letter to an address that I haven't lived at for 10 months requesting more info! They pointedly noted that the address was provided by the Prefecture. I called the prefecture and they said they sent the right address.

The school than wants to employ me is on a Military base. The headquarters in Paris require that I have a carte de sejour and work permit before I can have my contract. The DDTE insists that I have my contract before they approve my dossier!

The woman and the school and I both frustrated because I want to work and they want me too. She has requested and Attestation from the military headquarters in Paris. The letter from the Provisoire (Head of the School) was not enough.

Does anybody know what my rights are? Because my husband's salary comes from another country they aren't giving me the Carte Vie Prive et Familial (which another family I know in the exact situation has, but different Prefecture). They admitted they don't know how to handle the case and that is why they sent the dossier to the DDTE.

Maybe the job is not what I am supposed to be doing, and if it doesn't workout, I am actually OK with that, but I am totally frustrated with the ineptitude of the Mairie and the Prefecture! They won't even expedite my case given that I started in March and they lost the dossier.

I swear I am trying to do everything as correctly as possible!

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

family rights

Thank you so much for the reference!

By chance, a Mediateur just replied to one of my calls/emails, and I have the reference to give him I am not sure what will happen from here. He is following up with the Prefecture's and will get back to me.

I didn't hear from the school today, but I will call them tomorrow.

Cheers!