Round one
“No. 5”
“Hello,” I gave the lady who sat behind the glass window a big smile, “I’d like to apply for a visa to France for a short holiday.”
“Can I have your passport, please?”
“Sure, here you go…”
She flipped through the pages on my passport briefly…
“So, you are from China.”
“Yes.”
“And you are studying here?”
“Yes.”
“Is this your first time going to France?”
“Well, not exactly, I was in Italy and Germany last year, and I did get across the border to Nice for a day trip.”
She looked me with some sort of measuring look, and asks me in a suspicious way, “Who is paying for your trip?”
“Myself” I said it rather proudly.
“Where is your income coming from?”
“I am working while doing my MBA.”
She didn’t seem impressed in any way and continued. “Where are your parents?”
“In China”
“What do parents do?”
“They have their own business” I feel the air is getting a little tense. Is this some sorta investigation? I wondered.
“It is quite difficult for a student to apply for a visa, but you can give it a try. I need few things from you.”
I was about to pass her the documents I thought she is going to inquire, because I did research before I got in here, plus previous experience with German Embassy, I thought I was well prepared…Without even look at what I’ve prepared, she continued.
“I need your birth certificate, and it needs to be certified. A copy of father’s passport. A letter from your father …..” The list went on and on …
“Is she trying to scare me away so she can less job,” I am guessing. This time I felt a little annoyed. I looked through each item, some were kinda ridicules. What the hell did they need my birth certificate for??
Anyway, I walked off without making any fuss and started to prepare whatever she asked for. It was going to take me a while to get all those things done. I thought Germans were tough.
Round two
I walked in with all the documents she required, but couldn’t quite explain why I found myself less confident than the first time. There she was, behind that glass, deciding my ‘destiny’. How can I make her loosen up? While I was figuring that out, my number was called, again.
I gave her an even bigger smile, “Hello, it’s me again!” She smile back, “Oh, that’s a good sign” I told myself.
“Here are the documents you wanted.” I pushed them through the glass window, feeling a little relieved.
She looked carefully through all of them, asked me few questions. I paid the application fee. This round was rather smooth, I thought to myself. Now, I just have to wait.
Round three
No answer after 5 days and I am going to Bali for a company trip tomorrow, so I decided to pay the French another uninvited visit.
There she was. I was the only one in the room, and I gave her an ever brighter smile. “How was it?” I asked.
“Wait minute, let me check.”
I waited, a little nervous but excited.
“Sorry, your visa application is rejected..”
“What? Why??” I feel very intense.
“I am afraid I can’t give you any reason.”
“What? Why??”
She gave me a very French gesture, showing me that there is nothing she can do about it.
“Is anyway I can appeal?”
“Well, you can write us a letter. But it is not guaranteed”
“Could you give me a reason so I can work on it?”
“Sorry, I can’t.”
“So, what should I put in the letter then?”
“It’s up to you.”
“What the hell? You are not answering my question” I thought. I used my last bit of self control, and asked, “Please tell me what I can do from here. You know, I’ve already bought the air ticket…”
“Well, that’s not our problem.” She interpreted me.
I stopped asking, this was going nowhere. “Ok, I will write the letter. When do you think I will get an answer?” My thoughts raced at that moment, thinking about the little time I’ve left, thinking about the ticket, thinking about what I should do…
I am going to write the letter. Yes. I need to find out why.
Round 4
Here is the reply from French Embassy:
Dear Ms ZHANG,
You applied on the 24th of August 2007 for s short stay visa to France. I have taken good note of your appeal letter. It does not however provide significant new information that would reverse the decision taken.
I regret to inform you that, in this type of case, French legislation provides that we do not have to give you the reasons of this refusal..
Yours sincerely,
Julie Argouarc’H-Tacon
(And the letterhead stated “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” I wonder how true is that!)
You see, I thought about this whole thing when I was in Bali. I am not upset or angry. In fact, I want to do something good in return, like a volunteer job. I believe things happen with a reason. Perhaps the timing wasn’t right. I don’t want to use this incident to against myself in anyway. A lot of other important things awaited me. Besides, I can go somewhere else, the world is too big to discover.
Only one thing annoyed me, that they didn’t give me a reason for rejecting my visa application. Could it be my nationality? Could it be that my student visa only had a few months left on it? Could it be that they believed I didn’t have sufficient money to support the trip? Or was it that the Ambassador was having a bad day and I was just unlucky? What was it?
The answer will forever remain unknown. I don’t even know where to improve. That’s unfair. Yes, I lost my battle with the French, this time.
Now that I’ve got my work permit, I will apply again with a whole new status. It is not about whether I can visit France or not. It is about my pride.
As Al said to me, traveling is food for my soul.
Guess the battle is still on.
I’d like to say thank you for those who helped me for this matter – Claudi, it was very sweet of you to apply the invitation certificate in France and post it all the way from France to me. Al’s French friends who try to appeal the case for me. May who helped me with all the documents. Fabio who postponed his business trip because of my visit in Spain. And a few other friends in Spain and France who were expecting my visit, I know you guys have planned a lot of stuff for me… last but not least, Al, thank you for giving me hope and letting me see that it is not an embarrassment I should bear with.
Timing
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