What is wrong with the French consulate in NEw York?

[CTyankee]

My friend's daughter is a 20 year old college student who was set to spend a semester abroad, studying in France. The consulate is giving her and her mom grief about giving her a visa. They are refusing to do so and are also refusing some of her friends' requests. They keep asking for more paperwork, then change the requirements and tell them to go back and get more paperwork and stand in line for hours. They are also snotty. They say they want to make sure that this girl is a "real" student, despite the fact that she has the validation of her college to back her up. She may miss a few crucial weeks of her semester due to their nitpicking.

I have never heard of a college kid being given a hard time to get a visa to France in order to study abroad. Sure, they have to be careful about whom they allow in the country but this seems excessive. My only guess was that the French are somehow retaliating against Americans for the shabby attitude the Bush administration has had toward the French for 8 years. Still, you'd think that with Obama coming in they would be less retaliatory. I advised my friend to tell them that she and her daughter voted for Obama (which they did)...

[babylonsister]

1. I think you'd have to find out how we are treating French students

wanting to come over here. Sounds like it could be a tit-for-tat situation. :shrug:

[hlthe2b]

2. Ding ding ding...

I think we have a winner, here....;)

[CTyankee]

4. My friend acknowledged that this could be the reason.

Maybe there were some French citizens that got hassled trying to get a U.S. visa because they had funny sounding names or dark skin. I could see how that would piss of the French!

[closeupready]

3. Gee I don't know. I had few problems getting a visa back in the 90's.

I had applied, but it was subsequently voided for some paperwork reason, and I can't recall exactly what that reason was. But I simply fixed that issue, went back to the consulate (this was the one in Chicago), and the lady issued the visa no problem.

They may have tightened up protocol for visas, but as you say, it could also be some nutty personalities there at the New York consulate. They sometimes run things like a personal fiefdom.

[Hutchewon]

5. Make sure they return the passport via traceable mail.

My daughter just returned from her study abroad. We had similar problems, the biggest of which is her passport got lost in the process. What ever you do, do not let them return your passport with the visa stamp via US mail. It will get lost. Her's was lost and we went to incredible expense to get another. Also, she was late getting to France. She is 21 and speaks french.

When she went to the consulate to get the second passport stamped, they wanted a police report showing where the first was stolen. She asked them to call the Atlanta police so that they could come out and investigate since the consolate was the last place she say it.. Suddenly, they got more co-operative.

[CTyankee]

6. My passport was stolen in Turin last May and luckily my tour guide knew about the police report

requirement before I went to the U.S. consulate in Milan to get an emergency passport. Even with his help and speaking Italian it was a pretty upsetting experience. When I got back I hurredly applied for another regular passport and had a number of hoops to jump through (not this bad, tho). Luckily I had trip insurance which included a cash advance brought by courier in the middle of the night. And Visa issued me another credit card ASAP and it was waiting for me when I arrived at the hotel in Bologna...

DO NOT carry your passport around when sightseeing or shopping. Leave it in the safe in your room. I learned my lesson...