Need help with visa to meet in Paris.

[Chris M 1]

I have a question for you all..... My girlfriend and I are trying to meet in Paris this March. she is Russian and I am here in the US. A friend of hers took her documents to the French embassy today in Moscow. Her friend was in Moscow on business and took her documents to give to the French embassy, but they said she needed to be there. We both did not know this, but the embassy told her friend that she may be able to contact a third party agency who could take care of getting the visa, for a fee of course, but they would help her get the visa. I am still trying to learn more about this, and what exactly happened, but my girlfriend's friend is not returning to her city until today.

also they wanted to know how I got the apartment I put a deposit on. I imagine I can give the French embassy the email of the property owner and all the email correspondence between me and the owner. I gave my girlfriend some of the emails, but maybe I should send more.

I guess my question is there another way to get a visa from the French embassy, or should she try to make the trip to Moscow and avoid this agency???? I do not want to see us get scammed for trying to get a visa through this "agency." we are trying to go to Paris in March. they also told her she needs to wait until Jan 20 to give the embassy her documents.

any ideas would be helpful. thank you.

[Chris_Жанна 11]

I have a question for you all..... My girlfriend and I are trying to meet in Paris this March. she is Russian and I am here in the US. A friend of hers took her documents to the French embassy today in Moscow. Her friend was in Moscow on business and took her documents to give to the French embassy, but they said she needed to be there. We both did not know this, but the embassy told her friend that she may be able to contact a third party agency who could take care of getting the visa, for a fee of course, but they would help her get the visa. I am still trying to learn more about this, and what exactly happened, but my girlfriend's friend is not returning to her city until today.

also they wanted to know how I got the apartment I put a deposit on. I imagine I can give the French embassy the email of the property owner and all the email correspondence between me and the owner. I gave my girlfriend some of the emails, but maybe I should send more.

I guess my question is there another way to get a visa from the French embassy, or should she try to make the trip to Moscow and avoid this agency???? I do not want to see us get scammed for trying to get a visa through this "agency." we are trying to go to Paris in March. they also told her she needs to wait until Jan 20 to give the embassy her documents.

any ideas would be helpful. thank you.

I can't help you. But maybe if you ask your question in the French regional forum, someone from France might see it and can help you with the French embassy questions.

[Neonred 3,537]

She needs a Shengen visa which she can get from the French embassy, or with the help of a travel agency in Russia. We traveled to Paris last year and got our visa at the French consulate in Miami. They did require a personal appearance and a number of other items and documents confirming income, "invitation" to stay at a hotel or other lodging, medical insurance, etc, etc. You can look at the French embassy page to see what they require.

Our step-daughter that lives in Russia also traveled to Paris to meet us and she had to get her visa in Russia. She used a travel agency to help her with the visa. We also had her book her flight and our lodging through this agency so it became just part of the whole package (a better deal than we could get in the US).

Let me know if you need more info and I will ask my step-daughter for specifics.

Just wanted to add that she will need EVERYTHING that the embassy wants to see when she goes for the visa or they will turn her away. I saw this in Miami with others that were missing items.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Neonred

[Waitinggent 2]

I am far from knowledgeable on this, but I know that travel agencies in Russia can get visas. But some will require that you go on one of their excursions for them to do the visa work for you - possibly joining one of their group tours.