In order to live in France long term and, as a part of the resident visa process, it is required to have a chest film to rule out tuberculosis, and to be tested for HIV and Hepatitis B & C. The visit comes with an interview with a physician who additionally checks your medical history and vaccination records. My appointment came today.
This is all coordinated via the Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration (OFFI France). When you get your visa prior to arrival in France, they make it very clear that you need to schedule this appointment within three months or else your visa becomes invalid. There is also one location per department. The OFII office assigned to my department is in Montpellier, nearly two hours away.
I submitted my paperwork as required but never heard from them regarding an appointment. Finally in May, I asked Chantal to phone them on my behalf. They said they had mailed me the documents with an appointment for May 25. But I never received it. Fortunately they didn’t take any umbrage with this and rescheduled me for the following week.
The chest film was scheduled for 11:30 AM and the medical testing and interview at 1:30 PM each at different locations. I was in the car by 8 AM and I am glad I was because of construction delays on the autoroute.
I had a little time between appointments so was able to see a bit with photos attached below. They include the Place Comedie, the historic center of Montpellier with its narrow, medieval streets and architecture; and St Pierre Cathedral.
The appointment went well. One thing I didn’t learn until afterwards is that the OFII staff also evaluate for language skills. If they are lacking, mandatory French classes are ordered. That is the “integration” part of their responsibility. Fortunately, my own capability exceeds the minimum requirement, so it wasn’t an issue.
With the heat wave we are having and traffic, it has been a long day. I am also happy to report all tests were negative. One more hurdle completed.
