Visas

Visas

I have had two experience's with obtaining a visa's for my college students.  The first speaks volumes of this generation of kids - instant.  Snap chat, google maps, texting, etc., so much in a instant.  Picking out a suitcase in the basement for my oldest to take for her semester abroad in London, I brought up the fact that she needs to get a purse that can hold her passport and visa securly but with easy access when entering the country.  "I should really get on that visa now, shouldn't I ?"  She was leaving in two weeks.  Her school advisor didn't advise her to get on that sooner than later over summer break.   Scramble, scramble, expedite, got it done.  

Now on the second try for my youngest to go to school in Paris.  We were advised over the summer while visiting Parson's Paris that we should start to work on the visa as soon as possible as they can take a long time.  I needed to wait to see if she gained admittance into any of the London and Paris schools she was apply too first - that makes sense doesn't it?  Well, she got into the Paris College of Art and this is where she'd like to study.  

The French Consulate grants visa appointments but once a month.  We went today - jsut to come home without filing the visa request!  We have to wait until 90 days prior to her travel.  Oh, now that they've said it, it makes sense.   they are not going to post date a visa.  So she'd have a visa that would expire in April - we can't have that!  The bad news is that 90 days before she should ship out in August (no worries, I am going too!) she will be in the middle of exams.

My first "emergency" visa experience isn't the way I like to get things done.  I like to get the important, the you're not going until it's done important things done and done.  At least the paper work is done!

15 minutes of two steps forward, one step back