Opening a bank account

Opening a bank account shouldn't be difficult...right?

Wrong...

It is in France. This was to be a joint account. I had to be the main owner, because I'm the Argeles person which I had to prove. Chloë was ready to serve us. She was an attractive young woman and efficient.

How one may ask?

Have a utility or phone bill.

I did.

Several but all of them were 2012.

Part I of the problem. I didn't have the latest bill.

I went on line and got a PDF version of the latest bill but it said on the bill that a new one was to be issued on a date that just might have made it to my post box before I went to the bank.

Part II of the problem...the PDF file would not print out, so I put it on my USB key. The lovely customer service rep did look twice when I took out a pig, but my USB key is a pig that can be pulled apart with the head inserted into the port. I think it is cute.

I promised Chloë I'd look for the newer bill but often I think the postal service considers the addresses a suggestion of where to leave a letter, not necessarily a directive to be taken seriously.

Then there was the problem of my birthplace. On my Swiss Identity card (which is official enough to get me into an country in the EU) there is no birthplace listed. If I had born in Switerzerland the Canton and village would be considered my birthplace. There is no alternative line.

At the moment this bank is not refusing Americans and there was only room to indicate I was Swiss. But the birthplace presented a problem. Chloe agreed that I would bring in my birth certificate and my emancipation certificate from American nationality when I return in March. "Please," she said, her dark eyes shining. "I'll get in trouble if I don't."

The next step was to deposit US dollars. Oooopppppsss.  No bank will take US $ in the village. It is necessary to go to Perpignan to do it at the main branch.

Chloe called to make sure of their hours, which was only afternoons and she gave us directions.

We signed at least 20 documents with lu et apprové above our signatures along with other pertinent words so not only they could open the account but would send us a check book and 2 debit cards.

We left with a ton of paper to file. All those trees dead... sighhhhhh