Atlanta Adventure

After accumulating and organizing mounds of paperwork required to apply for a French long-stay student visa, the next step was to drive to the French Consulate in Atlanta, GA.  My dad and I were able to drive down the day before to get settled into a hotel literally across the street from the building where the Consulate is, so we had that going for us.  

After a painfully busy morning and a dreary drive, we arrived in Atlanta.  The Consulate was located in the Buckhead area of the city, so in the drive from the highway to the hotel, I saw some of the most beautiful and expensive homes and condos available (gated, of course).   We relaxed and had dinner before turning in early to prepare for our checkout and appointment at 10:45 in the morning.  

The binder of paperwork I brought into the Consulate.  No bags allowed, so my wallet was jammed in as well.  

In the morning, we took the hotel shuttle and I was at the consulate 30 minutes ahead of time.  I was allowed into the office space, but my dad had to wait in the lobby downstairs.  I was ushered into a space reminiscent of a bank, with a counter that had two windows, with men behind the glass.  A fun surprise- my friend Brett from UNCW was also applying for her visa!  It was a treat to see her before she ships off to Paris (best of luck, girl!).  

The room was quiet and, after Brett and another man, I was beckoned to the counter.  I removed the required documents from my binder and handed them to the man at the desk.  After all of my careful preparation, I still lacked a proper photo.  I was directed down the street to CVS to have an official passport-style photo taken before the Consulate closed for business.  After rushing there in a taxi and back, I submitted the photos and I was free!!!

 

L: Photo I brought to the consulate   R: Photo from CVS, that looks like a mugshot, but is on the required photo paper.  

Overall, the whole experience with the Consulate was so-so.  Weeks ahead when we emailed about appointment times, our email was never returned.  When we called, the operator was impatient and seemed unwilling to help.  The website was poorly organized and the list of required paperwork was very difficult to find.  However, my experience with the office workers there was pleasant and the man I spoke with was kind and clear in his directions.  I'm not looking forward to anything having to do with visas in the future, though I have more work to do on my immigration form (part of the long-stay visa) once I arrive in France.