re: French bureaucracy … to make you shake your head

26 May 2010
Michael Bell is astounded at the stunning laziness of the French government. On May 13, he sent payment by certified mail for a portion of his visa application. After waiting the obligatory two weeks for a response, he called today. He was informed that no one had yet opened the mail from May 13, but they would do that this afternoon and call him back. Oh là là … good thing he already rescheduled the visa interview appointment.

9 June 2010
Michael Bell wonders why French bureaucrats don’t need the things they ask you for and need the things they don’t ask you for. Oh là là.

13 September 2010
Michael Bell repeats: he wants BNP Paribas to kiss his overly-efficient American ass, and he’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Why is everyone so f&*king lazy here? It’s enough to make him support the UMP.

24 September 2010
Michael Bell is scheduled for his medical exam and interview with the OFII (Office française de l’immigration et de l’intégration) on October 13. He hopes this goes well. He really wants to get his premier titre de séjour without an administrative hassle or deportation … to the US or to Romania.

6 December 2010
Michael Bell has socialist French health insurance. Take that, Sarah Palin! No, on second thought, don’t take it. He needs it.

25 January 2011
Michael Bell is married to his husband in Washington, but neither the US federal government nor the French government recognizes it as a valid marriage, and apparently the infamous “l’administration française” isn’t sure if they can get PACSed in France because … wait for it … they’re already married, in a marriage that no one recognizes. That’s choice, huh?

17 February 2011
Alors, Sécurité Sociale a perdu mon acte de naissance et la Sorbonne a perdu ma note pour une de mes conférences. L’administration française n’inspire pas beaucoup de confiance aujourd’hui. • So, [French] Social Security has lost my birth certificate and the Sorbonne has lost my grade for one of my seminars. French bureaucracy isn’t inspiring a lot of confidence today.

19 April 2011
Michael Bell thinks that the French government is actively trying to give him an ulcer.

16 May 2011
Michael Bell just spent six and a half hours at the Préfecture in Bobigny … to get a piece of paper telling him to come back on July 12 at 10 am. This country’s bureaucracy is off the rails.