French Visa
 

My friend just received her travel passport.
She is not a citizen of US, just green card holder. We used http://www.travelvisaexpress.com
to get her document. Using INS it would take her 400 days. $200.00 less but 350 days more.

So, now, please, help me on how to get a Visa to enter France. She is flying by LUFT to Frankfort and France Air to Paris.

What should we do to sail smoothly ? She is in Philadelphia.

Thanks as always

Rather than take advice from people who may not have up to date information she should contact the State Dept. and be sure she can re-enter the country. Then contact the French consulate--there must be one in Philadelphia.

State Dept. of what ?
Thanks

The U.S. Department of State.

Hi ziana,

Your friend should contact the United States Department of State or the USCIS
(http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm) to make sure that she can return to the US.

The nearest French consulate is in Washington, DC. See http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/U_S_...United_States/

StCirg,ira,
Thanks, I needed it.
When it comes to some stuff I am dumbfound (actually a lot of stuff:))

You are welcome, Ziana

The US Department of State has nothing to do with issuing visas to foreign nations.

Apparently your friend's passport is from some nation other than the USA. In that case your friend should probably obtain a Schengen visa. If you need help on that ask and I'll write back. Otherwise call the French or German consulates nearest you to request the Schengen visa. If your friend's travel agent had any brains (s)he would have given you this information.

BTW, going to Paris by way of Frankfurt? Seems like a waste of time and money.

Yeah, I don't know why they getting to Frankfourt. Actually money were $500.00 per week in Paris (hotel included)

Hopscotch,
she has re-entry permit, which looks like passport and called "white passport". Now she needs France to let her in. I just can't find right info, browsing and browsing...

Ziana:

Quit the browsing and call the French Embassy - that's the only reliable source of information for you.

The number is (202) 944-6000.

Ziana-

Here is a webpage that might help.

http://www.info-france-usa.org/visit...nonusvisas.asp

France does not require visit visas for citizens of certain countries, so your friend need to check whether she needs it or not.

With a Green Card, she can re-enter US (usu without any problem).

If she does need a visa from France, she needs to go the French Embasssy in DC. It is located in Georgetown and has limited service hrs (like 8:45a-12:30p). The website I gave you should have links to the DC embassy and should give instructions for what documents they need.
When I went to the DC French Embassy 3 yrs ago, I didn't realize they don't process the visa on the same day. So I ended up having to make a 2nd trip down there to pick my passport up. I don't know if they have changed this since then.

Hope this helps.

This is a nightmare !
Impossible to call, always busy.

Can someone, please, tell me why is that everyone recommends Washington if I live closer to NY ? Is NY consulat any bad or something ? :)

For most countries it is the CONSULATE that issues visas, not the embassy.

The last time I looked France has consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco.

You might also try the French government tourist office for information only. telephone 212-757-1125
444 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10020

Don't forget - you want to ask about a Schengen visa that will cover France and Germany, and a dozen or so other countries.

Ziana-
Try this other website:
http://www.info-france-usa.org/visit...visasintro.asp

The French Embassy SPECIFIES which embassy you have to go to, depending where you live. For people living in Philadelphia, they HAVE to go to the Embassy in Washington. I know that because I live in Philadelphia and that's why I did 3yrs ago.

I meant to type "that's what I did 3 yrs ago".

Yeah,
we are Washington juristdiction, I've called.

She gonna have to get so much:
2 pictures
Copy of green card
Visa applications
Copy of Airline tickets
Copy of Hotel reservation
Bank statement
Proof of Insurance

can you believe it ?

Yeah, it's a pain in the a**. But hey, she's going to Paris! It's worth it.

As long as your friend gets all the document, it's a relatively painless process. But make sure she brings a book along, she might have a long wait. And try to go there as early as it opens, might not have to wait as long.

Actually, she is sending all documents by mail. $50.00 instead of $26 minus hassle. Isn't it great ?

For those who need it ever
- 1-888-596-6028

Well, Ziana, welcome to the French bureaucracy!

When I told her all about what she needs - she was stunned like "how all those terrorists got there with restricted policy like that ?" I said who cares, get your arse up and collect papers...:)