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Drama... Drama... for Obtaining Visa to Europe One of my dreams is finally coming true - I will celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday by taking him a 12-days trip to Europe, including Britain, France, Switzerland and Italy. A month ago, I booked the tour and paid the deposit. Next, I need deal with getting visas for my dad, since he is a citizen of PR China with the permanent residence-ship in the USA. Because our trip to Europe is on a tour, I thought it should be very easy. Since my dad doesn’t speak or write English, I need to prepare all the documentations and help him with getting visas to above counties. Switzerland doesn't require scheduling an appointment in advance. I took a half day off to help my dad for getting his visa to Switzerland. After going through security check ups at Switzerland consulate, we went up to 30th floor. A nice old lady at the reception desk checked my dad's green and told us no visa required for green card holder. Hooray, it was piece of sweet cake. We had to wait to July 10 for our online scheduled visa interview for entering London. Although with a lot of paper work, we got my dad's British visa in about two hours. I went back to work in the afternoon. July 13, 9:00am, we had an appointment with French consulate for a Schengen Visa to France and Italy We arrived on time, passed security check ups, and paid a non-refundable application fee before interviewing. A middle-aged man called me up. While I was standing in front of his window, he worked around in the office without asking me any questions. I had a deep inhale, and listened to my iPod (thank god, I have an iPod). I told myself to stay cool because this fellow wanted talk to me before I was called by someone else - kinda of flattering. After about 20 minutes, he finished his errands for other things in the office, and started to check up my dad's document. "Oh, we need a copy of the picture page of your dad's passport." "Could you make one in your office?" "No, you have to go to Kinko's to make one". Kinko's is a popular office help store. Alright, I ran from 74th at Fifth Avenue to 78th at Lexington, which is about 15 minutes to make the copy. After 30 minutes round-trip (my morning exercise, I considered), I went back to the same man's window. Checking my dad's documents again, "Oh, since you only stay 2 days in France and 4 days in Italy, you need to go to Italy to get the visa, and they don't need appointments". I dragged my dad out the French consulate and hopped in a taxi, it was 11:00am ready, plus I had to attend an extremely important staff meeting at 12:00 noon time in the office. Getting to the Italy Consulate was easy. After obtaining a number for interview, we were told to come back to the consulate at 12:00 noon. "Sir, I have to go back to work." of course, they don't care; I called my assistant to cancel my attending for the meeting. At 12:00 noon, we were back. The call number was still 20 ahead of our number. Wait... Wait... the clock was so slow... Finally, 2:00 noon, it was our turn, and I couldn't wait to give the lady in red who took my case the document showing that the purpose of our trip; of course, financially no problem for me to support my dad's trip or anything else happened to him. The woman I spoke to was very rude and unpleasant. She questioned how my dad supports himself in the USA, asked so many unreasonable questions which I was amazed to feel we were like criminals to smuggling to Italy. "You dad might have to go back China to get his visa to Italy" "What? He lives here in the USA with me, and I am 100% capable to support him" while showing her my payroll stubs. “If he can’t speak English, how can he live in the USA?” That’s the beauty living in New York, lady; many older generation Chinese-Americans who live in Chinatown don’t speak English at all. What should I tell the narrow-minded woman? Please, in fact, it doesn’t matter where my dad resides, he only needs a visa so that his can show her appreciation for being a parent ‒ that’s simple. He won’t become an illegal immigrant in any of countries. I was very upset. "He also needs international medical coverage, plus hotel reservation vouchers. Do you understand "vouchers"?” the lady in red kept adding on more requirements. What an insult to me, I almost told her I have an MBA degree with a solid educational background. I stayed calm and asked "Could I have my travel agency fax those documents to you in about half an hour?" "No, we will close in about 5 minutes, without above documents, your dad's visa is denied". The woman in read at Italy Consulate has many reasons to deny issuing the visa for my dad, but I don't deserve her insult and arrogance, rudeness. I inhaled and exhaled many times, and went back to my office. Should people with nationalities be treated the same way? I felt those people work who interviewed us at French consulate and Italy consulate had treated applicants like "crap" I'm very disappointment with the working attitude of the Consulates. I even more greatly appreciate my American citizenship On my way back home, and passing through Bryant Park. All my anger were completely gone, I consider those people working in French and Italy consulate are not happy people themselves, they just simply let their anger towards applicants. Smile and world will smile with us. I am pity those people who don’t have a happy life themselves. 
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Caragh, Sometimes they have to play their part at the consulate so as to sized up anyone who tries to come in to their country, for security reasons and the burden of responsibilities if things go out of hand. At times, the desk officers are more arrogant than the Consul General himself, maybe because they are ones who will have the blame for backfiring results of an undesirable aliens...Try to plea for your father's side and reconsider another interview...Right mood at the right time sometimes plays a lot to such situations, I guess...If Italy is not available then there's Spain to consider... Happy trip in advance...And take care!
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7/13/2006 11:21 pm |
enjoy the adventure
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Amazing that you have to go through such an ordeal to be a tourist in another country. After this, it will be worth it. I hope that you have a wonderful trip. Russell
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Caragh, What I feel is that they show traditionally unfriendliness to Chinese citizens, on top of their personal wrong attitude. I had very painful experience applying for visa to the US for business and I believe American is the worst discriminating Chinese citizens if they apply for US visa. I vowed I would never visit US. Schengen visa is better provided that Chinese applicants supply them lots of proof documents and travel insurance policy. I did get it after interviews. Switzerland tourist visa is slightly different but more demanding, they require hotel payment. But without my visa guaranteed, how could I pay hotel in advance? Strange Swiss mentality. Only wish one day, the global village ideal would be realized and we can get travel freedom. Wish you a good time w/ your dad in Europe, caragh. Forget abt France and Italy if they keep that crap.
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7/20/2006 8:05 am |
Dear Caragh, We cannot always stay in happiness, for life is not happiness only. When I read I pity those who don’t have a happy life themselves, I was rather unhappy, for I had to struggle with unnamed low fever almost every night. I should have your pity then. Hehe... Bonne Chance!
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