The U.S. Embassy in Paris will transition to a new visa appointment system on July 31, impacting visa applicants. As with any significant change to a bureaucratic system, Embassy France cautions that, “The transition to the new visa appointment system may cause some temporary delays. The U.S. Embassy strongly encourages all visa applicants who intend to travel to the United States during the summer to schedule a visa appointment or request online preclearance to travel via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) as soon as possible.”
They also caution that visa applicants who need to travel before July 31 should not risk waiting to request an appointment. Applicants who do not have to travel before mid-August may wish to wait until after July 31 to make their appointment via the new system. This could apply especially to foreign students who will need visas to travel to the U.S. for the start of the fall semester.
The Visa Services Department at Berardi Immigration Law is already very familiar with the new scheduling system as it is used by many other embassies worldwide. You can learn more about our Visa Services Department at https://berardiimmigrationlaw.com/visa-appointments.
One positive effect of the change is that visa applicants will no longer need to obtain the Poste Mandat Compte. Rather, the visa fees can be paid in advance through the online system. It also appears that the Chronopost envelopes will no longer be needed and passports will be returned via courier service at no cost to the applicant. Full details on that part of the process have not yet been released.
Visa Processing Services Available
The Visa Services Department at Berardi Immigration Law focuses exclusively on assisting foreign nationals navigate through the extremely complicated process of obtaining a nonimmigrant visa. Our visa specialists can assist foreign nationals with:
• Determining whether or not a visa is required to enter the United States.
• Verifying availability of appointments at embassies and consulates worldwide.
• Scheduling nonimmigrant visa appointments.
• Preparing and submitting the required Department of State electronic form DS-160 prior to the interview.
• Advising on specific documentation required to be brought to the interview, based on the applicant’s nonimmigrant visa status.
• Tracking the return of the applicant’s passport to the foreign national after the interview.
If you are seeking a nonimmigrant visa or a visa processing appointment, contact our office and let our experienced staff handle your case. Berardi Immigration Law is a global leader in U.S. visa services and our highly experienced staff, including immigration law attorneys, is available to assist you.