Why do I need to have my birth certificate translated in French? Is it so hard to understand the English version?
These were the questions running in my mind when the securitie sociale won’t accept my very own BC.
Found one translator over the internet after the Philippine Embassy denied my request. Cost 40 euros for normal translation but 50 euros if it’s a Philippine BC – too long to translate. It will take 3 days at least. Fine – better than the 80 euros I saw on my previous googling.
Went to the translator’s office somewhere in Mirabeau – the building was pleasant, but the translator wouldn’t even sit us in her office. Not even an offer to give us a glass of water? I was dying of thirst. We discussed the entire time behind the entrance door – standing. I see there was a pram beside the plant in the corner of the big apartment, office (?) – honestly don’t know where I was. At least the plant was real, or wasn’t it?
Anyway, she told me that my BC is fake. Seriously? I spent an hour falling in line in the Makati NSO to get that authenticated BC. She insisted that she knows how a Philippine BC looks like. That’s weird – coz she’s French. Again, I was firm and told her to just translate it – my authenticated BC. She read it and told me the writings were not clear. I gave her my mobile just in case she really needed my help. She asked us to pay the 50 euros then and there – in cash – coz she doesn’t have a card reader. Fine. Ran across the street to get some cash.
Two days after, she called me and told me to write all the questions (or type it in Word) written in my BC and send her via email. So I did. She gave me her wrong email address even after I confirmed and repeated and spelled her address to her. The mail kept bouncing back and I gave up and looked for her website. It was completely faux – the one she gave me. I emailed it to her. The day after, I got my BC but she was in a rush again so she handed me the BC in the entrance this time. She didn’t even let us in.
I saw the stamp that ok, she was a trusted translator blah blah. When I read it, some of the details were all wrong and she used my template! She didn’t even translate Manila to Manille. And one question remained in English – If twin or triplet, was child: First, Second, Last?
Crap! I was robbed. But at least, the Securitie Sociale accepted it – didn’t even read it. Just asked if it was in French.
On Submitting my Documents to the Social Security:
Everything was complete – BC, check; last payslip, check; photocopy of passport and recepisse, check; proof of address, check; bank details, check; the paperwork – filled it up, check; that was it.
I will receive my social security number after one month of processing – by mail. According to the pretty rude guy who processed my papers, Santa Claus does not exist and it’s not so easy anymore to get a number in one day. Hated him so much – as if I ain’t working my ass off here. I forgot to give him the URSSAF – returned the next day and according to another kinda rude girl there, is a completely useless paper – but which according to our accountant, is important. She’s pressuring me for the number already!
Still, I have to wait a month. I won’t count the days.
