From: 

Robert F. Hannan, Jr.,
Consul
Chief, Nonimmigrant Visa Section
Embassy of the United States, Paris, France

Re:  NIV Visa Processing in Paris

As of 01 January 2001, the Consular exchange rate will rise to 8 FF/$1.  This rate will be used to calculate all Consular fees including visa application fees and reciprocal visa fees.  For all applicants, the nonimmigrant application fee will be 360 FF.

- We accept applications by mail and we have a drop box in the Visa section.

- We do not have an appointment system.  We take all comers who are inside our doors before 11:00 AM any working day.  Our address is: 2, rue St. Florentin 75001 (Metro stop: CONCORDE).  We are at the corner of rue de Rivoli and rue St. Florentin.  We are across rue de Rivoli from the Musee de la Jeu du Paume.  We are located in an annex of the main embassy and applicants should not waste time going to the main building at 2, ave Gabriel (two blocks away) only to be directed to us.

- We do not give appointments.  An applicant who comes in person is interviewed by the next available Consular officer on a first-come first-served basis.

- The Embassy is, as expected, a secure building and anyone entering is subject to search.  No electronic items or weapons including pocket knives are allowed.  Applicants applying in person can speed their entry by leaving their cell phones, palm pilots, calculators, cameras, personal stereos, laptops, jack knives, switchblades, etc. at home.

- Beneficiaries of approved petitions must show evidence that the petition has been approved.  We accept faxes or cable notification from the INS Service centers or the original I-797.  We return the original I-797 to the applicant.

- Refused applicants may reapply at any time and any number of times.

- The nonimmigrant visa application fee must be paid at any French post office. Applicants deposit the money in the Mandat Compte account 5013E. They receive a receipt that they must present in order to enter the Visa Section.

- Any reciprocal visa fees can be paid at the Visa Section.  We accept dollars, French francs, French postal money orders (mandats cash) or credit cards.

- Per the law, we accept applications from anyone who is physically present in our Consular district (which is now all of France since Marseilles ceased visa operations in Oct 1999).  Of course, application does not equate to an issuance.

- We have a 100% mail back policy.  Applicants cannot pick up their visa'd passports at the Embassy.

- Processing time is 36 hours.  We guarantee that an application made and favorably adjudicated on Monday will go in the mail by Tuesday evening at 6:00 PM.

- Applicants may wish to use the Chronopost Express service offered by the French post office.  They guarantee next day delivery anywhere in France by noon.  So, for an application made on Monday, the visa'd passport should arrive at the applicant's address by noon Wednesday.  A Chronopost envelope can be purchased from a vending machine in our waiting room (110 francs or about $16) or at any French post office (a cheaper option).

- Children born in the United States to B, C, D, E, F, H, I, J, L, M, N, O, P, Q or R visa holders or Legal permanent Residents (green card holders) are American citizens.  Therefore, if the family goes for a vacation to France, the U.S. -born child needs an AMERICAN passport to return to the United States.  Citizenship is a matter of law (actually the Constitution - 14th amendment) and does not depend on the wishes of the parents.  Parents may not renounce the American citizenship of their children.  Some children born to A and G visa holders may qualify for American citizenship.  These parents should check with the Department of State.

- Information about our services can be found on the embassy website at www.amb-usa.fr or, in France,  at the user-pays telephone number: 08 36 70 14 88

- The Public Inquiry Unit fax number is [33](1)42 86 82 91.