# Carte de sejour through European husband: Montpellier/Nimes



## fredes

My Norwegian husband and I are planning on relocating to Montpellier or Nimes but I'd need to request a carte de sejour (I'm non-European). It's almost impossible to find information online and I just want to know if someone here had recently gone to the Prefecture in one of these places and if you could share your experience or some tips.

My situation is the following: "Carte de séjour en tant que membre de famille d'un Européen - Vous êtes d'une autre nationalité"

This will be the first time that I'll be requesting a carte de sejour and since I only have 90 days in the Schengen, I want to know how long it takes to get an appointment to drop off the documents or to get the "récépissé" in any of these places and what's your experience, should I go to Montpellier or Nimes, where do you think might be faster or less complicated?  

Thank you in advance for your comments and suggestions!


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## Bevdeforges

Where you go to request your carte de séjour as a "close family member" of someone exercising their Freedom of Movement rights depends on where you are living. And it will depend on the status of the EU/EEA member of the family. (Generally speaking, it's the EU/EEA member of the family who needs to be able to show their "reason" for having moved to wherever and they generally have to be the breadwinner in the family - by reason of a job or pension.) You also need all the documents (usually birth certificates, with translations, evidence of residence, your marriage documents and evidence of health insurance cover) including documents for your spouse confirming his reason for being in France and his means of financial support. 

Many prefectures these days are taking appointments only via their online systems, and I notice that the Montpelier prefecture advises that their appointment system will only work from a computer and browser, not from a smartphone. (Some prefectures do things differently.) I also note that many prefectures don't include information on their websites about applying for a carte de séjour as the spouse of an EU/EEA national, so you may well need to pay a visit to the prefecture in person or at least to contact the mairie where you are living to inquire about how to contact the prefecture in your case.


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## ARPC

This is the document I used as guidance for my cds, ignore my personal highlights, the first section is what everybody needs to present in your dossier at the prefect. Additionally, I _think_ you’re dealing with Specific Circumstance 2.2. and the supplementary documents listed there. Sometimes copy-searching the specific language they use can guide you to the right place online, too.

courage!


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## Bevdeforges

Just a note - the carte de séjour for the non-EU family member of an EU/EEA national is not the same as the "vie privée et famiale." This is the page from Service Public: Carte de séjour en tant que membre de famille d'un Européen | service-public.fr

But I think the OP is asking about the specifics of timing at the various prefectures - something that is difficult to offer guidance on as the situations tend to change pretty frequently and most prefectures don't offer much (if anything) on this situation on their websites.


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## davegreen

Live in Montpellier and the application, once I got an appointment, was straight forward. The trick is to make sure the online application is completed correctly, and look out for the response email. I work in the gard, and I get the impression that things are a bit slower in the gard. I would try Montpellier. Prendre un rendez-vous / Accueil - Les services de l'État dans l'Hérault


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## Nunthewiser

I haven't done this yet but will be in similar circumstance in a few months in a different area in France. There actually IS a fair amount of info out there about what we will be facing. I would suggest you join Facebook and check out this group : "Applying for a French CdS (Carte de Séjour) and/or visa" and this group: France Immigration Answers (Visa / CDS / Nationality). I am finding the biggest info black hole is what will pass for Private Health Insurance at a Prefecture.

I don't think you have a choice of where you apply for a CdS, unless you want to actually pick up sticks and move to a more sympa area.


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## guardship_147

Nunthewiser said:


> I haven't done this yet but will be in similar circumstance in a few months in a different area in France. There actually IS a fair amount of info out there about what we will be facing. I would suggest you join Facebook and check out this group : "Applying for a French CdS (Carte de Séjour) and/or visa" and this group: France Immigration Answers (Visa / CDS / Nationality). I am finding the biggest info black hole is what will pass for Private Health Insurance at a Prefecture.
> 
> I don't think you have a choice of where you apply for a CdS, unless you want to actually pick up sticks and move to a more sympa area.


We feel your pain about any info on private health insurance. We are moving to the Haute Garonne and you'd think we were looking for the Holy Grail.


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## Bevdeforges

For Americans looking for health cover for that first year in France, I can strongly recommend the AARO health policy. Plan Summary
It isn't the cheapest one, but it is tailored to meet visa requirements for expats. There is also plenty of useful information on the AARO website.

But this thread is about someone looking for their carte de séjour as the non-EU spouse of an EU national settling in France. Much of this depends on the status of the EU national spouse in France.


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