Bureaucracy

New hand holding service for those wanting to move to France whether for love, work or study. 

Email me at:

 Libby.crozier@gmail.com

This will include pointing people to where they can find FREE information to complete tasks themselves. 

If further assistance is required such as applications for universities or employment (CVs, cover letters, etc) in French, go-to steps for opening various accounts, I will offer assistance. 

However, this would be a fee -for -service arrangement.

French bureaucracy is known the world over. 

It is notorious. Infamous. 

For very good reason.

Thankfully, I have an EU passport and therefore I do miss out on some of the dreaded paperwork and visa nightmares.

The funny thing is that even the French complain about their country's administration and red tape! I still want to frequently bang my head against the wall (figuratively of course- or is it?) out of utter frustration of the nonsensical and very complicated way of doing things.

Here, I will discuss in further detail about French bureaucracy and also provide information with assistance from my expatriate friends about coming to live and work in France without EU citizenship.

An example of nonsensical nonsense is that is often cited as a common complaint amongst those coming to live in France is the issue of accommodation and opening a bank account...

So, let me share this with you...

In order to open a bank account, you need an address.

To be approved for an apartment, you need a bank account.

And then when you are applying for jobs, you need both!

Oh and I almost forgot, even if you have an address you need to prove it is your address. Somehow. And you might be rejected from what proof you give.

Does this make ANY SENSE to you?

Oh, France

You so silly

I like to use this analogy... So apparently we are going to the Calanques de Marseille (google it... very pretty):

Photo credit: someone

Oh, the struggles!

Your partner has previously lived in Marseille and knows cool places so he decides Libby would love to go hiking... this 1.5 hour trek uphill then downhill and LITERALLY had to climb down rocks and cliffs to get there. Also, I was not told to wear appropriate footwear so was wearing thongs (flip-flops). What a poo-head!

Photo credit: someone

You pose for a photo when you are almost there. "Posing" is the word I used. I did not want to smile at this moment.

Photo credit: someone

Then miraculously by some grace of divinity, you are still alive. You have climbed down cliff-faces and had a swim in the Calanques. And somehow climbed back up without falling with the falling rocks and pebbles. 

You are pretty happy your partner took you here despite all your complaining, 

"I will kill you if I fall down some crevice!" 

So, this is representative of French administration.

They make it really difficult, REALLY difficult to live in this country 

(they do have  fine wine and cheese, I'll give 

them that)

But at the end of the day, you make it through the obstacles

And suddenly....

YOU ARE A LIKE A BUREAUCRACY NINJA!

I love Paul Taylor. I saw him with a friend at Le Grand Rex in October, 2021