Hello, once again! I wanted to check in and talk about my experience getting my work visa this last week. If anyone reading is considering TAPIF or has been accepted already, my #1 tip is to BE PREPARED for your appointment. If you have everything in order and ready to go, the appointment itself is a piece of cake--easier than going to the dentist.
I actually booked my appointment before I got my work contract. Like I explained in my last post, I knew from my académie’s Facebook page that people were getting their contracts already, so I assumed mine was on its way and made an appointment for the end of July. Since I live in Nebraska, my consulate is in Chicago. It’s only an 8 hour drive, so travel expenses for the appointment really weren’t horrible for me. There’s a picture below of how the consulate regions are mapped out so you can have an idea of where you would/will have to go for this essential step.
Every consulate has slightly different requirements for which documents assistants have to bring for their visa appointment, so make sure to research for your particular consulate’s essentials. Don’t be like me and put off filling out/printing off all of the paperwork until the night before. DON’T. I was busy trying to get ready to move and was working all week, and I naively thought that I could just swing by my parents’ house the night before to use their printer and be on my way to pack for the trip. Long story short, their printer has a vendetta against me and it was a two hour process trying to print off everything I needed and then fill it out en français. In the chaos of packing to move, I had also misplaced my passport-sized photo that I needed to bring. By the time I got home to pack for the consulate trip, I was mad at technology and French bureaucracy and myself.
My mom and I left town around 7 am, and arrived in Chicago around 5 pm. We barely missed a sudden, violent rainstorm walking to Walgreens to get my passport-sized photo taken. It was eerie to see the sky change and feel the hot and cold air swirling between the tall buildings. After the storm, we called a car to take us to dinner and then went to bed before 10 pm (you know I was exhausted if I passed out that early!).
The next morning, we headed to the consulate and got there around 8:40 am. It’s in a huge office building, and visitors have to check in to get a pass for access to the elevators. After waiting in line for about five minutes and reaching the front of the line, I confidently said, “Visiting the French consulate,” and handed the man my ID. He stood there awkwardly and said, “You can’t check in until 9….” and, confused, I replied, “But my appointment is…at…9.” I had seen many warnings and heard a few horror stories about how being late resulted in having to reschedule, which would make this whole trip pointless. Apparently the office wasn’t open until 9 am, so I wasn’t even allowed to check in and receive my visitor pass until then. I finally got checked in 15 mins later and received my visitor badge. There were about four other girls there headed to the French visa office, and we all headed to the elevators. To access them, you have to scan your visitor badge, and the gates open to the elevators. I was first in line, and couldn’t figure it out but was trying to hurry because it was 9 am and I was notttt going to compromise this important appointment. A security guard approached and pointed at the gate, so I thought I was supposed to walk through. At this point, he FREAKED out and yelled, “WHOA!! You NEVER push against the gate, don’t EVER push against the gate! If this was the airport, I woulda been takin you in back!” Thoroughly chastised, I scurried to the elevator and tried not to make eye contact with anyone.
Once I made it up to the office, I slid the receipt from my badge under the glass partition at the desk to check in, and sat in the waiting room with about six other people. It was really quiet except for the TV playing French news in the background (they were talking about a current strike, of course). I was the first one called up, and because of the glass partition, you really had to be paying attention to hear your name when it was called. I went up to the desk, and one of the women asked me if I was getting a student visa. I said no, and she told me to sit back down. A few more people were called up, then I was called again. They asked if I was getting a visa for study abroad, and I said no, I was getting a long stay work visa to be an assistante. They said okay and told me to sit down again. More people were called up and finished their business, then I was called up a third time. The woman asked me if I was getting a visa to be an assistante, and I said yes. She asked for my passport and paperwork, which I had to slide under the partition. After that, they scanned my fingerprints and took my photo (no smiling allowed!). She handed me my tracking number and said I’ll get my passport in about two weeks. Voilà, c’est fini!
So, as long as you have copies of everything you might possibly need for your appointment and arrive a little early to find your way to the right place, the appointment itself really isn’t that big of a deal. After I was done, my mom and I wanted to get breakfast at Wildberry (I had been there once before with my friends, and shedding tears over tiramisu pancakes may or may not have actually happened), but there was an hour and a half wait. A quick Google Maps search later, we were walking to Pittsfield Café, and promptly got lost. Lo and behold, an adorable patisserie appeared on the corner of a side street—it was TOO perfect! We sat outside, surrounded by flower boxes, people-watching, eating our crêpes, and sipping coffee.
We decided to go to The Bean and Millennium Park for a bit, which ended up being a pretty sweaty experience. My mom had never been to Chicago before, and really wanted to take a boat or bus tour to see more of the city in an organized fashion. An hour later, we were sipping gin and tonics aboard Chicago’s First Lady for an architecture tour on the Chicago River, sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. I think this type of tour is an absolute must if you’re visiting Chicago, it was a lot of fun and I feel like I learned a lot about the city’s history that I wouldn’t have otherwise known from just walking around looking up at the tall buildings. Afterward, we grabbed a quick late lunch at the restaurant attached to our hotel, then sadly headed back home.
After this step, I’m basically done in my prep for France! I purchased my luggage two weeks ago and am now moved out of my house. All that’s left is to keep working and saving money for my trip until it gets a bit closer, and enjoy the time I have left here with friends and family. May the rest of this summer SLOW DOWN so I can stop panicking with every day that passes about how quickly this is all approaching.
