Newsletter from your consular officer in the consular district of Venezuela – Trinidad & Tobago – Saint Lucia Number 12
Brigitte Saiz
Guarantee of payment of retirement: conditions specified by CNAV The payment of the French pension to future pensioners within one month of their retirement is guaranteed by a Decree published on 19 August 2015 (provided that they submit their application for pension liquidation at least four months before their departure date). The National Pension Fund (CNAV) published changes to this issue in a circular published on 17 January 2017. This circular modifies the list of supporting documents to be provided to request the retirement payment, and provides further details about On Online Retirement Application. Source : service-public.fr
National Identity Card: modernizing the approach abroad As from 15 September 2017, the procedure for obtaining the French national identity card (CNIS) will be computerized from end to end and similar to that of the passport. The request must be made directly to an embassy or consulate equipped with the device, or during consular tours. It will also be deterritorialized, so it will be possible to apply for a CNIS from any French town hall or any French embassy or consulate (equipped with the device), whatever your country of residence. The CNIS remains free of charge, except in case of renewal for loss or theft, its validity period is 15 years for adults and 10 years for minors. As a reminder: anyone can apply for a CNIS for a child on whom he/she exercises parental authority.
Identity checks in France: what are the practices and what is right? The French Human Rights Defender published in January 2017 the results of a survey conducted in 2016 on police-population relations in the context of identity checks. This is the first phase of an "Access to rights" survey launched in 2016. While the vast majority of the population trusts the police (82%), this proportion falls to 50% among those who were identity checked more than five times in the last five years. The survey highlights a concentration of identity checks in certain areas and on certain profiles of persons ("facial controls"). Individuals corresponding to the profile of "young man perceived as black or Arab" are twenty times more likely to be controlled. In 76.6% of the cases, no explanation of the reason for control was provided. The Defender of Rights renews its request, issued since 2012, to ensure the traceability of identity checks. He wishes to be associated with the experimentation, provided for in the Equality and Citizenship Bill, of the systematic audio-visual recording of every identity check.
Erasmus+: how to study in Europe? As a French student, you can do part of your studies in another European country through the Erasmus+ program. This program makes it possible to study between 3 and 12 months in any other country of the European Economic Area but also in Macedonia and Turkey. However, departure is only possible from the second year of university studies. The interested party must contact the international office of his / her institution of higher education which is responsible for organizing the exchange. At the financial level, the applicant may also benefit from assistance for international mobility or an Erasmus + scholarship. In parallel, the student may continue to receive his / her French scholarship. Finally, European mobility is then integrated into the university curriculum and recognized for the award of the diploma in France.
What is the French banking mobility service? Moving to a new home, renegotiating a loan, "foreclosure" from your current bank institution... You change (or have to change) of bank? Do you know that your new bank can, if you wish, carry out all the necessary formalities for you in the context of the "mobility assistance service"? This service is provided by your new bank free of charge. The new bank agrees to advise all organizations that make direct debits or transfers to your current account (deposit account held with a French institution) from your change of bank address. Please note that savings accounts are not affected. If you wish to benefit from this service, you must sign a mobility mandate with your new bank and provide the bank details of the account of your bank of origin.
Carpooling, renting a flat or a car between individuals in France...: know your tax obligations The Directorate-General for Public Finance details everything you need to know about certain activities carried out on the internet, such as renting a flat or a car, carpooling, selling goods or performing services for a fee. For more information, visit the service-public.fr website.
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Newsletter from your consular officer in the consular district of Venezuela – Trinidad & Tobago – Saint Lucia Number 12
Brigitte Saiz
News briefing
Paula Forteza was elected MP for the second constituency of French living abroad that covers 33 countries in Latin America. Expatriates: What if I want to come back to live in France? Service-public.fr provides an update on the various steps to be taken both abroad and in France as part of your resettlement in France after an expatriation period. A new 50 euro note was issued on 4 April. General practitioner (France): the consultation increased to 25 euros on 1 May. The sites of the Caisse des Allocations Familiales and the Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie) have made a rejuvenation. An unlimited "TGVmax" travel card is now available for youth aged 16 to 27. It covers all the TGV and Intercity destinations 24/7, with the exception of the trains of high affluence prized by the professionals (service-public.fr). The number of French registers held by consulates on December 31, 2016 is 1,782,188, an increase of 4.16% compared to 2015. The growth rate was 1.8% between 2014 And 2015. You can now get an answer on your money questions (accounts, bank choices, payment incidents, etc.) by consulting the national economic education portal mesquestionsdargent.fr. Individuals with multiple pension schemes: Individuals who have contributed to several so-called "aligned" pension plans in France (general scheme, agricultural employees, RSI), can benefit from a unique retirement pensions request procedure as of 1 July (service-public.fr). Welfare and Social benefits in France: A new on-line simulator allows you to assess your rights. Since 16 May this year, Service-public.fr has been offering a simulator to make an indicative estimate of inheritance expenses which a user may be personally liable for following the death of a relative. State financial assistance can be obtained (under certain conditions and until 31 January 2018) for the purchase of an electric bicycle in France (servicepublic.fr). As of 15 March this year, it is possible to use a Personal Training Account (CPF) to finance the driving license class B (preparations for the theoretical test of the Highway Code and the practical driving license test).
COUNSEL section – links for better information (all in French)
Preparing your return to France MonConsulat.fr (my French consulate website) French taxes for French citizens abroad Ministry of Foreign affairs agencies Traveling advices Pôle emploi international How to request an acte d’etat civil French Embassy in Venezuela
Legal guide for French citizen living abroad Your rights and proceedings (French ministry of justice) Custom clearing formalities in France The Government's report on the situation of the French citizen living abroad (2015) French schooling abroad: CNED and AEFE web sites French Embassy in Saint-Lucia
Email: BsaizConseillereC@gmail.com CONTACT ME On call through Skype: prior appointment through email (above). My user name in Skype is Brsaiz You are receiving this message because your email address is mentioned in the consular electoral register. As per recommendations from the CNIL (French Data Protection Authority) when it comes to usage of electoral registers, you can easily stop further messages from your consular officer on demand, by clicking on the link that you will find at the bottom of the email you have received.
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