Prefecture 101

This post is about the administrative side to moving abroad, the fun part about getting your papers all in order.

The prefecture is similar to city hall, but has more higher power, this is the place where one goes to renew visas, work permits, residency cards, etc.

For those who have the chance to live in Paris, the city, you are the lucky ones and will not have to fight the battles that those of the surrounding suburbs have too.

I live in Drancy, in the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb, 93 is it's department number, and its known has having the worst reputation, I will post later about this. I will just say that I live in a nice place and do not have to worry about some of the things that neighboring cities do. Therefore, I go to the Bobigny Prefecture.

Last Friday, I needed to go and renew my visa and get my carte de sejour for next year. I had found a link on the website that said students could get a meeting which would allow me not to stand in the line (story to follow) for hours. But apparently this is not "true". The prefecture's site also mentions that the prefet is open for foriegners from 8:30 to 4 p.m. and again it's a "lie".

Basic Guide to prefecture:
1. Be prepared to wake up really early in the morning -  I got there at 4 am and I was the 60th person in the line.
2. Be prepared to have people cut in front of you. because a. they pay the Indians 20-100 euros or b. their "friend" is saving their spot in line. also, people get angry when people cut the line, therefore keep looking straightahead and don't get involved.
3. Be prepared to get touched on every spot of your body - though this last time it was not true, the line went smoothly.
4. Talk firm with them and when you don't get your way, try to talk forcefully, its the opposite in France, use anger to get your way.

I was ticket number 1610 and there were apparently 10 people in front of me, but there was only one office open. When I arrived in the office, she gave me a meeting for August! I told her I had all the photocopies and orginals with me, all of the information right in front of her. and still she couldn't help me out. So I told her about how they couldn't give me a meeting earlier and she basically told me I was lying. So now I have to wait until August.

Basically, just be prepared to wait a long time, and sometimes it will feel like a waste of time going there and be there only for an hour when you have already waited 5 hours in the freezing cold.

Also, keep deadlines in mind when it comes to renewing papers etc. and never give away and original.