How to get a visa
Apparently NOT at the French Consulates located in California. I have no idea if it's any easier elsewhere, but we are feeling FRUSTRATED!
I guess we've gotten used to just going to the administrative office we need for anything here and seeing a person. We knew it would be more complicated trying to deal with an office 6000 miles away, but certainly not THIS complicated!
It all started off so well. In July, JM sent a letter to the Consulate in L.A. to get the ball rolling; Bob was still alive at that point and we thought we had a fair amount of time, so were relaxed. A week later, there was an email reply telling us all the details. "Cool," we thought, they respond to correspondence.
That was the last communication we had from the Consulate. We've sent around 6 or 7 emails with no response. We tried calling; bizarrely, the telephone number was constantly busy, no matter when we called.
Last week we decided we needed to do something; after all we want to have the interview with Mom the week that we are in L.A. She doesn't drive and lives over 100 miles from the Consulate's location, so she needs someone to take her. JM sent a telegram. It cost $128, but at least we knew it would be delivered.
What we didn't realize was that there was a fatal flaw in the plan.
Unbeknown to us, the Consulate in L.A. is moving! Now, in July, surely they must have known they were moving, no? Did it not occur to anyone during the entire month of August to let people know? Perhaps putting it on their website would have been a good idea? They did that, the day AFTER they closed the office for their move!
The fun part is that the Visa section isn't going to open along with the rest of the Consulate because it's waiting for some mysterious equipment. So, we have no idea whether they'll be open when we're in L.A. or not.
The now updated website says "emergency" long term visa applications can go through San Francisco. Okay, less convenient but possible. The joke, of course, is that San Francisco ALSO doesn't answer their email, and although you can get through on the phone after pressing various buttons on the phone, you finally get to a mailbox that is FULL and won't take any messages!
Oh yes, we're having fun.
Ciao for now.
Randy
I guess we've gotten used to just going to the administrative office we need for anything here and seeing a person. We knew it would be more complicated trying to deal with an office 6000 miles away, but certainly not THIS complicated!
It all started off so well. In July, JM sent a letter to the Consulate in L.A. to get the ball rolling; Bob was still alive at that point and we thought we had a fair amount of time, so were relaxed. A week later, there was an email reply telling us all the details. "Cool," we thought, they respond to correspondence.
That was the last communication we had from the Consulate. We've sent around 6 or 7 emails with no response. We tried calling; bizarrely, the telephone number was constantly busy, no matter when we called.
Last week we decided we needed to do something; after all we want to have the interview with Mom the week that we are in L.A. She doesn't drive and lives over 100 miles from the Consulate's location, so she needs someone to take her. JM sent a telegram. It cost $128, but at least we knew it would be delivered.
What we didn't realize was that there was a fatal flaw in the plan.
Unbeknown to us, the Consulate in L.A. is moving! Now, in July, surely they must have known they were moving, no? Did it not occur to anyone during the entire month of August to let people know? Perhaps putting it on their website would have been a good idea? They did that, the day AFTER they closed the office for their move!
The fun part is that the Visa section isn't going to open along with the rest of the Consulate because it's waiting for some mysterious equipment. So, we have no idea whether they'll be open when we're in L.A. or not.
The now updated website says "emergency" long term visa applications can go through San Francisco. Okay, less convenient but possible. The joke, of course, is that San Francisco ALSO doesn't answer their email, and although you can get through on the phone after pressing various buttons on the phone, you finally get to a mailbox that is FULL and won't take any messages!
Oh yes, we're having fun.
Ciao for now.
Randy
2 Comments:
Nice to know it's not just our home-grown U.S. gov offices that are sometimes inept and don't think things through.
Do you have someone on the ground in LA who could go into the consulate there on your behalf, ask questions of people there face to face?
By Mnemosyne, At 12:39 AM
I'm sorry you are having all these troubles Randy. It reminds me of when I applied for my VISA - same consulate - way back 7 and a half years ago. They never answered the phone then either. I remember driving all the way to the Consulate - from San Diego to show up for an interview appt. that I was informed of via snail mail. I was never able to reach them via telephone to confirm the appt or confirm exactly where I was to go upon arrival. They just never answered the phone.
I really don't know how Consulates get away with this type of crap. If you take a job, you should actually make an attempt to do it.
The Saudi Consulate in Paris is not much better.....
Ugh... best of luck. I hope they are up and receiving when you arrive there.
Lori (yes its me)
By Anonymous, At 11:44 AM
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