For the past few days, the U.S. Consulate in Paris has not allowed you to book appointments. The situation should hopefully improve in the coming days, but for some immigration authorities (Consulates, Prefectures,….), booking an appointment to file or withdraw your application can seem like a real obstacle course, and can create really difficult situations for the applicant and his employer. Here are some tips from Oui Immigration to help you.
Do’s:
- Increasingly, Consulates are outsourcing the scheduling of appointments and the submission of applications to external service providers. It is important to identify the right entity from the beginning, you will otherwise waste time and energy requesting an appointment in the wrong place.
- Check that your Internet browser is not blocking you (forbidden pop-ups, cookies blocking some functions of the website,….)
- Keep the page open: authorities sometimes open slots arbitrarily, and withdrawals can happen. Keeping an eye on the relevant page and updating it very regularly allows you to book an appointment immediately
- Have next to you the information you need to make an appointment: passport, visa application form number, credit card to make the payment,… in order to be able to complete the application quickly and not pass on your turn
- Log in at times when the flow of visitors is less intense
- You can also try calling the authority – depending on the agent you’re talking to, they may (or may not) be able to help you book an appointment
- You can contact the authority by email if you are still unable to book an appointment, and by justifying your numerous attempts. Keep in mind, however, that the more emails the authorities receive, the less time they have to respond
- In France, sending a registered letter to the relevant authority showing the steps taken over several weeks with a letter from your employer can have positive effects
- In France, only go to the Prefecture if you have an appointment – chances are you won’t even be received if you don’t have an email or SMS indicating that you’ve managed to get an appointment.
- Think of other applicants: if you can’t make it to your appointment, cancel it so other people can book it!
Don’t:
- Accept offers from people offering to get you an appointment without any problem for a fairly large sum of money: in most cases, you will not see the person again, your money or your date.
- Lose patience!
And as usual in immigration: anticipate! It is recommended to allow at least 3 months of immigration latency to complete the procedures. Make sure to submit a complete application to avoid refusal or procrastination. The majority of authorities are overburdened, understaffed and the delays, depending on the country concerned, can be very long.
Oui Immigration’s team is here to manage your France / Global immigration files. Don’t hesitate to contact us!
