I have just finished a Masters degree in Supply/Value Chain from a School of Commerce in Le Havre, France. The degree was taught in English. I need an internship in order to get the degree, and it is better for me to get one in France. I have had trouble finding an internship, because I am not fluent in French.

I am able to get an internship without the Carte, because it is required for the degree. The problem is I am running out of money. To go home without the French foreign experience does not necessarily make my degree worthless, but it's attractiveness is increased tenfold if I have an internship in France (besides, no internship, no degree, so I will still need to find one somewhere).

There are two ways I can get money in France without a Carte: an internship (which is what I want) and the CAF money I was told I would receive. The Sous-Prefecture has kindly relayed to me that French students do not receive aid from foreign governments, so I should not expect any from the French government. The difference is I was told by the school that I would receive it. U.S. schools do not tell French students they will receive money.

Besides all of this, with the way my luck has been, it is likely that the companies over here will tell me that they will only give internships to students with a Carte, despite what the government says.

Carte Problems:

I have been trying to obtain a medical visit for my Carte de Séjour since September 2005. Apparently my dossier is at OMI in Paris at this point, but I have heard nothing from them. The Sous-Prefecture in Le Havre says that no matter what I will not be able to get an appointment with a doctor until September.

I will recount the events:

Before 14 Sept. I went to the Sous-Prefecture in Le Havre to apply for my Carte de Séjour, as I arrived here on 1 Sept.

On the 25 of Oct. I had still had not received my first receipt for the Carte, so I went to the Sous-Prefecture. At that time they said they need my divorce papers, because my passport has been ammended due to my name change from my divorce. I had the papers faxed to the Sous-Prefecture on 26 October.

On the 28 of Feb. I went to the Sous-Prefecture, because I had heard nothing from them. I needed to make sure my receipt was updated, because I was returning to the US. I was told that they had not received my divorce papers. When I told them that they were sent (I have a receipt) they said they were lost, so I needed to send them again. They were faxed immediately & I saw the papers in the hands of an agent.

I have just received my third receipt for my Carte de Séjour & have heard absolutely nothing about a doctors appointment.

I have contacted the U.S. Embassy and have been told that they do not get involved in situations like mine. The Australian and Tanzanian Embassys got involved on behalf of two other students, so I am surprised that the U.S. Embassy is unable to do anything.

Does anyone have any advice about my situation?

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