Attempt #2 at getting a social security number: FAILURE.
Exactly one week ago, I thought I had sufficient paperwork in order to begin a folder for me in the Social Security/Medical Insurance office. Since I am being employed by the government, I'm allowed to claim FREE health insurance. And it'd be silly to buy my own insurance at this rate, a.) since hardly anyone in France has private insurance and b.) they're not paying me enough for that.
Thus, January marks month #4 without any kind of insurance whatsoever.
So today, I went back with copies of the documents I needed, and I even went to a doctor's office this morning. He's French and was born here, but grew up in Georgia, thus he's the only French man I've ever met with a Southern accent. And his French sounds American, so that makes me feel better about myself. Either way, he speaks English, doesn't require appointments and signed off to be my doctor for insurance purposes, so that's a step in the right (medical) direction.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I don't even have insurance!! Part of my folder is the American equivalent of the acte de naissance, which I naturally assumed was an official birth certificate.
WRONG. Supposedly they have problems with Americans registering for social security because the birth certificate is not official enough.
I cannot continue the process of getting a social security number until I bring in something he called an "extrait de naissance," which supposedly is a registry or official paper signed by my mayor or something at the time of my birth.
WTF?!?!? I have no idea what that is, nor have I ever heard of anything remotely close like that given out in the U.S. This man would not budge and said that other Americans have brought him the correct paperwork, so in theory, I should be able too, and I'll just have to halt my request until I can procure said document.
Both my parents are telling me the only document from my birth is the certificate -- duh, since that's THE ONLY THING they give us to prove American birth -- and that I'll have to try back again. But I'm stuck and backed against a wall. I really don't know what I'm going to do if they don't accept my birth certificate a second time.
If any other assistants are reading this, and have any idea at what kind of paperwork they're looking for, please please PLEASE let me know, I'll love you forever.
Whenever I finally do finish my folder, it should only take about a week to actually get my number. But here's the rub: In order to get medical insurance, and thus be reimbursed for any dental/doctor visits I've had, I need a carte vitale which I can get when I prove I have a SS#.
However, the carte vitale takes MONTHS to process and be sent out. I imagine that would take us to about June, when I'm leaving. Then I'll finally have all the papers I need and will be able to collect all the money the government owes me. How convenient that I'll be out of the country by then....
I'M SO OVER ALL OF THIS BUREAUCRATIC B.S.!!!!! And I want to go back home.
...18 days until California!!
Exactly one week ago, I thought I had sufficient paperwork in order to begin a folder for me in the Social Security/Medical Insurance office. Since I am being employed by the government, I'm allowed to claim FREE health insurance. And it'd be silly to buy my own insurance at this rate, a.) since hardly anyone in France has private insurance and b.) they're not paying me enough for that.
Thus, January marks month #4 without any kind of insurance whatsoever.
So today, I went back with copies of the documents I needed, and I even went to a doctor's office this morning. He's French and was born here, but grew up in Georgia, thus he's the only French man I've ever met with a Southern accent. And his French sounds American, so that makes me feel better about myself. Either way, he speaks English, doesn't require appointments and signed off to be my doctor for insurance purposes, so that's a step in the right (medical) direction.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I don't even have insurance!! Part of my folder is the American equivalent of the acte de naissance, which I naturally assumed was an official birth certificate.
WRONG. Supposedly they have problems with Americans registering for social security because the birth certificate is not official enough.
I cannot continue the process of getting a social security number until I bring in something he called an "extrait de naissance," which supposedly is a registry or official paper signed by my mayor or something at the time of my birth.
WTF?!?!? I have no idea what that is, nor have I ever heard of anything remotely close like that given out in the U.S. This man would not budge and said that other Americans have brought him the correct paperwork, so in theory, I should be able too, and I'll just have to halt my request until I can procure said document.
Both my parents are telling me the only document from my birth is the certificate -- duh, since that's THE ONLY THING they give us to prove American birth -- and that I'll have to try back again. But I'm stuck and backed against a wall. I really don't know what I'm going to do if they don't accept my birth certificate a second time.
If any other assistants are reading this, and have any idea at what kind of paperwork they're looking for, please please PLEASE let me know, I'll love you forever.
Whenever I finally do finish my folder, it should only take about a week to actually get my number. But here's the rub: In order to get medical insurance, and thus be reimbursed for any dental/doctor visits I've had, I need a carte vitale which I can get when I prove I have a SS#.
However, the carte vitale takes MONTHS to process and be sent out. I imagine that would take us to about June, when I'm leaving. Then I'll finally have all the papers I need and will be able to collect all the money the government owes me. How convenient that I'll be out of the country by then....
I'M SO OVER ALL OF THIS BUREAUCRATIC B.S.!!!!! And I want to go back home.
...18 days until California!!
4 comments:
Maybe you can explain that each state has a different birth certificate? Most French people just don't understand that nothing is "centralisé" in the US like it is in France. I don't really know what they want either. Your birth certificate should be good enough as long as it has an official signature/seal/whatever on it to prove that it's an official copy and not a photocopy.
As for the Carte Vitale, you don't need it to get reimbursed. You just need to know your SS#, and then you can get reimbursed with those feuille de soins papers. At this point, you won't receive the Carte before you leave anyway.
Is there anyone at your school who can help with the SS situation? You are definitely entitled to it since you are working legally in France.
I'm so sorry hunny! I hope you can get that taken care of soon.
The good news, though, is that you get to see me next month! I'm so excited!
Are you sure you don't already have a SSN? Because the Rectorat is required by law to sign you up for one the first time they pay you. Have you gotten any of your pay stubs yet? They are always listed on there....just ask one of your teachers to show it to you, and that's all you need to get reimbursed. Like Jennie said, you don't necessarily need the carte vitale- a lot of departments don't even give them out to people who are going to be here for under a year.
Also, technically it's not FREE insurance, since they are taking almost 200€ out of your paycheck every month to pay for it. And the majority of French people actually do have private supplementary insurance because la sécu doesn't remiburse you 100% and the French are obsessed with having full coverage.
But don't worry, the important thing is you have insurance, it started as soon as you started working.
hmmm all good pieces of information to know!! thanks guys :)
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