Embassy changes contact method for carte issues
People who are experiencing problems at prefectures with carte de séjour applications should now send emails to the British Embassy in Paris via an online form instead of the email address previously given.
The embassy says the new method of contacting them “offers a smoother process, helping us to manage demand and ensure a faster response”.
This clarification comes after Connexion queried the process because some readers have recently reported receiving confusing automatic replies after using the previous ‘enquiries’ email address.
The correct contact form can be found at this link.
An embassy spokeswoman said: “We do care and are still interested in hearing concerns, but we have changed our internal system on how we receive this kind of query.”
Any carte de séjour application involves a certain amount of time and inconvenience – and there is plenty of information on the process in our helpguide to Brexit and Britons in France and in the Brexit section of our website (such as this article on documents that are required). Campaign groups like those in the British in Europe coalition can also help and, as we report in our October edition of the newspaper, a Dordogne resident is organising carte de séjour coffee mornings to help others out.
At some prefectures it involves queueing for several hours and at others you may have to wait months for an appointment to submit your dossier. You should also expect to have to take a large number of documents, including originals and photocopies.
However if you experience particular problems – demands for incorrect documents, refusal to process your application, excessively long waits for an appointment, being issued a one or five-year card when you are entitled to a séjour permanent one because you have lived in France for more than five years… the embassy is keen to know. Please also send details to Connexion at news@connexionfrance.com
We have replied to severeal carte de séjour queries in the October issue of our newspaper (just out, see page 16) and will do so again in the November one (click here if you want to subscribe to receive it at home).
