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It’s THAT time of year …
The weather is warming up, the flowers in Paris are in bloom, and that can only mean one thing … It’s time to head back to the Préfecture to start the visa renewal process. Ah, springtime in Paris! ©...
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Small Victories
A few days ago, I wrote about how, for me, springtime in Paris will forever be associated with renewing my residency permit. Because my permit expires each year on August 15, I have to start the...
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The Paper Chase
Why is it that, just when you think you know the system, they throw something new at you? Yesterday, I trudged back to the prefecture at Bobigny to submit an application to renew my residency permit....
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I ♥ the Prefecture!
Photo: My Carte de Séjour … valid through August 15, 2012 © 2012 Samuel Michael Bell, all rights reserved Actually, that’s a bald-faced lie. But I figure, if I repeat it enough, I might eventually...
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It’s not me … it’s YOU.
Today, we have two French expressions du jour: bouche bée : agape, open-mouthed (like when your jaw drops from hearing something unbelievable) vous vous foutez de ma gueule : “you’re kidding me” or...
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The Anatomy of a Visa Renewal
I took some of my Facebook friends by surprise yesterday morning when I posted that I was back at the prefecture. “Why are you there AGAIN?!“ was one very legitimate reaction. After all, wasn’t I just...
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Happy Birthday! Love, the Prefecture
Before we get started, here are a few things to know by way of background: Today’s my birthday. Yesterday, I was at the prefecture (the government office where they manage immigration). My “visa year”...
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A Watched Pot Never Boils
Believe it or not, it’s back to the prefecture tomorrow. If it seems to you like I’m there four or five times a year, it’s because I am! That said, I can’t complain too much this year considering the...
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Fifteenth time’s the charm!
Tomorrow, I’m heading back to the Prefecture. I’ll be submitting an application to renew my residency permit — this time with a change in status from “student” to “private and family life.” Thanks to...
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Dénoue-ment
You’ve probably seen yesterday’s post about my fifteenth visit to the prefecture. It was one of my most widely read posts in a while. If you’re not friends with me on Facebook, though, you’re probably...
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If you can’t say anything nice …
Hey everybody! Guess what? I have my new family visa residency permit! I picked it up this morning at the sub-prefecture in Saint-Denis — the little satellite office of the main prefecture in Bobigny....
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Closing the Loop
I did it again. I let weeks and weeks go by without writing anything for the blog. I’m sorry about that. I’ve had some news to share with you, but I’ve been (1) busy with the new job, (2) chronically...
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Afterword
Just before the end of last year, I wrote what was supposed to be “the last chapter” of je parle américain as you know it, because I planned to transform the blog into something entirely new. As it...
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