3 Months process to go on Holiday to France (ridiculous)

[kco]

I have lived in the UK under a Highly Skilled Migrant program visa for 3 years now and have been in full employment and pay my taxes. After a very long period of hard work I decided to treat my girlfriend and myself for a weekend break in Paris. Here is how it went:

• At the end of April 2008, I booked an embassy appointment by phone (premium number that cost about £15).
  
• I was sent a letter confirming an appointment at the the French embassy on the 5th of June
  
• I went to the French Embassy expecting to get a Visa but was told it would take another 4-6 weeks to process as this was a 'preliminary interview'
  
• I got a letter inviting me to the embassy again on the 15th of July!!!!???!!!

This is where is have a serious problem:

• I am forced to take 2 days off work for visit to the consulate to obtain a Visa
• The process to obtain a visa has taken almost 3 months
• The Visa might be limited to a 4-week single entry (as was my Visa from Italy last year) because it is left to their discretion to give a 12 month visa despite paying £43 visa fees
• Why should there be this much red tape to visit an EU country as a legal resident of the UK?
• Its really sad as I feel sub-human here. It is really not fair and something must be done about this

I am starting this thread to see if anyone else has experienced something similar

Being resident in the UK with work permits, the process of travelling to the EU as a tourist should be treated specially.

[Bevdeforges]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

One of the very first things I learned about living in the EU is that all the nice language in the various EU treaties banning discrimination against people based on their nationality refers only to EU nationals. For anyone from outside the EU, none of those things apply.

And just last night, President Sarko was on the tube here (on almost every channel, or so it seemed) proclaiming that immigration matters must continue to be the remit of the individual countries - except of course for the members who are not properly defending the borders and who are talking openly about mass amnesties for illegals.

It also depends quite a bit on what country you are from (both nationality and residence). If you were living and working within a Schengen country, you'd have no problem hopping across the border for a weekend of sightseeing.
Cheers,
Bev

[attuk]

“The process to obtain a visa has taken almost 3 months “
Unfortunately this is the case for all ! , web appointments are free, but only published on every Thursday afternoons.Worth a look.

The Visa might be limited to a 4-week single entry (as was my Visa from Italy last year)
Depends on various factors, usually the french embassy will give you a 1 year multiple entry

Why should there be this much red tape to visit an EU country as a legal resident of the UK?
Because UK is not a Schengen country, apparently they need to get clearance for you from all other schengen states
Its really sad as I feel sub-human here. It is really not fair and something must be done about this
I've complained many times to the ambassador. You could try as well.

[Pasanada]

France is a Schengen country - what is your nationality?

I sent a Colombian national from Afghanistan via Dubai and via France to Colombia recently, he didn't have all the correct paperwork to enter the UK so I had to fly him via Paris.

[jlms]

Originally Posted by kco

I have lived in the UK under a Highly Skilled Migrant program visa for 3 years now and have been in full employment and pay my taxes. After a very long period of hard work I decided to treat my girlfriend and myself for a weekend break in Paris. Here is how it went:

• At the end of April 2008, I booked an embassy appointment by phone (premium number that cost about £15).
  
• I was sent a letter confirming an appointment at the the French embassy on the 5th of June
  
• I went to the French Embassy expecting to get a Visa but was told it would take another 4-6 weeks to process as this was a 'preliminary interview'
  
• I got a letter inviting me to the embassy again on the 15th of July!!!!???!!!

This is where is have a serious problem:

• I am forced to take 2 days off work for visit to the consulate to obtain a Visa
• The process to obtain a visa has taken almost 3 months
• The Visa might be limited to a 4-week single entry (as was my Visa from Italy last year) because it is left to their discretion to give a 12 month visa despite paying £43 visa fees
• Why should there be this much red tape to visit an EU country as a legal resident of the UK?
• Its really sad as I feel sub-human here. It is really not fair and something must be done about this

I am starting this thread to see if anyone else has experienced something similar

Being resident in the UK with work permits, the process of travelling to the EU as a tourist should be treated specially.

This is mostly the uk's fault. If you where going from another Schengen country you would have no trouble at all.

Second is your nationality, I am Mexican and get visa on arrival to all EU countries. Where are you from ?

Something you may want to explore is to go to a third EU country and then go to Paris from there, it used to be possible....

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by jlms

Something you may want to explore is to go to a third EU country and then go to Paris from there, it used to be possible....

Just be sure it's another Schengen country. But when coming from outside Schengen, it's your nationality that determines the visa requirements, not your residence.
Cheers,
Bev