letters

I had to go on a six-hour Uber ride to collect my 10-year renewal card 

Online renewal wasn’t an option for one reader who doesn’t drive

A worried woman sits at a wooden desk with a laptop, papers and a mug in a home office.
The prefecture did not respond to the reader's messages
Published

To the Editor,

I believe that prefectures were told to make our 10 year card renewals simpler.

I applied for my original card by sending the documents by post and picking it up from Douai (Nord) within a few weeks.

I replaced the card when it was stolen last year, this time placing all documents online and again picking it up from Douai.

I expected this latest renewal to be a doddle. However, you could not put anything online – it had to be taken to Lille. This is an almost impossible journey from where I live as I do not drive.

I tried to get in touch with the prefecture – another impossible task. I wrote them an email – nothing. In the end, I took an Uber there and back.

Then I realised I had to go back to collect the card, which took nearly six hours.

I can't think of anything that they have done to make the process simpler.

L.B., by email

Have you had a similar experience? Write to us at letters@connexionfrance.com