Consulate General of France in Los Angeles

Best administrative experience! First and foremost, the entire staff was incredibly kind and welcoming. The process from beginning to end took less than 30 minutes, which was impressive. It definitely helps to have all your documents prepared ahead of time, as it makes everything move even faster. They also have a photo booth on site, which was extremely convenient since my original photos were not the correct size. The representative who personally handled my file was very knowledgeable and absolutely amazing. I highly recommend getting services done here!

Earlier in September, I went down to the consulate to have my passport renewed. My appointment was at 0940hrs and delt with anorexic face covered witch an hour later. Never said hi or anything resembling any form of professionalism. She kept repeating over and over " I can't help you, use the Internet... the Internet". She was so disrespectful, I am still mad several weeks after the whole event. Then came my marching order. "I need your complete dossier" As I was looking for the documents in the middle of the waiting room she claimed loudly while hitting her finger against a hand writing list on the wall, "I want all of it, all the documents if you do not have it all I cannot help you." As I was doing my best to put everything together she exclaimed "hurry, WE are an hour late already." she took my documentation and went to her office. No thank you or anything else. Therefore I followed her into her office. Bad decision. Here she went again with her disrespectful manners, "Leave my office now, I ll tell you when to come in" later on she called me from inside her office, not even moving from her chair, to complete my finger printing verification. Soon after she stood up left and called the next person. I asked her if I could ask a few questions and she reminded me that "WE were more than an hour late" "what do you mean We? you are not me" And once again No thank you , or good bye or any other communication form of politeness. When I spoke to her superior (a well soft spoken Asian lady) about her attitude I got a 20 minutes explanation why her employee had such a incomprehensible attitude. All excuses, from heavy load of work, dealing with people all day, undisciplined french people.... In my mind I was thinking the whole time it is the French consulat, you supposed to provide services to customers while not even working 30hrs a week, and employees cannot perform tasks with a professional attitude. They all cover for each other and do nothing to improve their status. I will not received a letter of apology or a text. They did not even wanted to give me their name. So sad I am still pissed

Most of the staff are unhelpful, cold, rude, and condescending. Only one staff member I encountered was pleasant and willing to assist; the rest offered no help and showed no empathy. I am a French citizen and have been waiting four months for my passport and ID, despite being told they would arrive in two weeks. I was later informed they were lost in transit in France. The consulate does not answer the phone. I have exhausted my funds and have a plane ticket home due to a family emergency, yet I am stuck in Los Angeles with no passport or ID—and the consulate does not respond.

Showed up after a rainstorm to renew my son's passport. Power had been cut and everyone was gone for the day (how convenient on a Friday at noon). This place is supposed to provide essential services in a seismic area and they don't have back up batteries or a generator on site? Shameful degree of incompetence in contingency planning and infrastructure. It seems the only thing they know how to do is pushing paper... Oh I forgot: of course absolutely no notice, by email, SMS or phone call. Now back in Orange County having wasted half a day on the road.

I’ve been here a handful of times over the past 15 years. They’ve always been very friendly, efficient, and pleasant, which is impressive for a small office that serves ~90,000 people. Thank you for supporting us here in California 🙏

Personnel is professional and proficient. However, access is not convenient: need to drive (no public transport), parking is hit or miss, and targeting on-time is nearly impossible with LA traffic. This can result in inefficient commute and waiting outside if the consulate is running late.

I live in Phoenix so when my passport was about to expire I decided to fly to LA to the consulate to get it renewed. I was able to get an appointment easily (2 weeks in advance), I arrived 45 minutes before my appointment and was taken care of right away. The people here are very nice, knowledgeable and efficient. I was out within maybe 20 minutes (so before my original appointment!) I received my passport 2 weeks later without any issues, everything is really well organized. Side note: the only tricky part is the passport photo which follows french standards, you can get the photo taken at Walgreens but you'll have to cut it properly by yourself. Merci ! :-)

We applied for a French visa on June 25 as a family of three. We paid about $650 and spent half a day driving to Los Angeles and dealing with parking. Our plan was to visit France this summer and come back again for the winter holidays. But we were only issued a one-month visa, even though our last French visa (which expired in 2023) was for six months. That was very disappointing. Because of this, we’ve decided not to apply for French visas in the future. We’ll go on this trip since everything is already booked, but moving forward, we’ll apply to other Schengen countries that offer longer visa terms. Paying $650 for just one month doesn’t make sense. If tourists aren’t welcome there, we’ll spend our money somewhere that truly appreciates it. And thank you, Sophie Briand, for the one-month visa.

I was Absolutly puzzled how organized and how quickly the staff welcomed me in a timely manner. I had an appointment requested by the French Consulate General.appointments are easy to make on line .I waited 1,5 minute not 2! I was greeted with a smile and very courteous young man . Within minute the renewal of my french passport was in the French consulate computer and I will receive my new passport in 10 to 15 days. That same person who sat with me gave me all appropriate infos on how to register my children to become French citizens . And provided me with an email to contact if I was in need of clarification during process .That young man who was very professional and well informed told me exactly within minutes what to do and still with a smile . I was puzzled how fast and efficient was this interview and process of paperwork . Used to the American immigration , I guess I expected same bad attitude from staff, wrong informations and to wait for hours in a room full of people waiting . What a breath of oxygen it was !! I am not a friend nor a relative of anyone working at the French consulate .

This office along with the website are completely unhelpful. It is insane! After three months of getting all documentation together both in France and in the states, they don't help and just send all your documents back--unfinished.

Wow. They are so rude. I called to ask questions because I had 2 separate appointments scheduled for 2 different needs. I had to be there at 11am and then later on at 2pm, so I asked if there is a coffee shop in the building or a seating area where I can wait for a long period of time, and the person was very rude and told me I can figure this out on my own. Politeness / kindness is free. There is no need to be rude to people. Very disappointed.

If you need a passport or a renewal you better pray you don't get the woman but the young guy. Otherwise be ready to have typical french administrator with a special hautaine nasty attitude and will make you feel you are worthless. And if you have the courage to complain to her supervisor don't expect any support. Then when you receive an email about " please tell us how satisfy you are from our services, it's important to us...." the questions and proposed answer are so biased, no matter how you answer it make the look good. And then they can claim the positive stat. And of course there is no comment section in which you are allowed to elaborate.

They are not nice, no indication . If you arrive earlier you wait in the hall with the guy barely talking to you . Poor service . Also I called the emergency line twice, no one answers !!

Very bad experience, employees not very nice. I tried to call many times during business hours no one answered. Very poor service

My visit was just okay. I'd actually give more stars for the front desk man of the building. He was really nice and courteous. We were about 45 min earlier for our appointment, and he still let us go up to the consulate. However, the receptionist up there didn't let us wait in their lobby and sent us back down. So, the front desk man nicely pulled out some chairs and sanitized them for us as we waited until our appointment time. Up at the consulate, we sought notary services. We were done within 20 minutes. The legalization lady was friendly and spoke mostly in French. I'm glad it wasn't a long process in person.

Horrible service, which is worst than no service. They won't be bothered assisting with appointments and refer one to their Troov online appointment system, which is pathetic, saying appointments are released 40 days in advance. Unfortunately, the system can release ONE appointment only for the 40 days and one is left to check again the following day. Or, it will show an appointment the following day which makes it impossible to attend unless you live in LA and have nothing to do. It truly is a horrible representation of France and the service they should provide because one cannot renew passports elsewhere! 0 stars would be more appropriate.

impossible de contacter quelqu'un au telephone (temps attente de 43mn) puis enfin quelqu'un decroche et qui me dit que le consulat ne repond pas aux appels telephoniques et qu'il faut d'abord prendre RdV par le site web et uniquement lorsqu'on recoit une reponse se presenter sur place. J'ai depuis mai 2024 envoye 4 emails demandant le renouvellement de ma carte didentite. Sur 4 emails une seule reponse me disant que pour renouveler un passport il fallait prendre RdV !. Je ne damandais pas le renouvellement de mon passport mais de ma carte d'identite. ------------------------- conclusion : le redevable doit etre au service de l'administration du consulat et non pas le consulat au service du redevable!. ------------------------- curieuse facon de fonctionner : si vous n'avez besoin de rien vous pouvez prendre contact avec le consulat et vous serez satisfait, mais si vous avez besoin de quelque chose, redoublez et redoublez et redoublez de patience ... peut etre qu'un jour!...

If you want to experience every unpleasant stereotype of French culture, this is it. Arrogance, obstructionism, and disrespect. These people hate their jobs. It began with the security guard, who repeatedly refused to speak loudly enough to be heard through the faulty microphone in the plexiclass barrier. He became visibly impatient and even angry. The women who 'helped' us did not even bother to introduce herself. When asked for her name, she got visibly annoyed and said it so fast it was not understandablle. Throughout the visit she took pains to make it clear that it was beneath her to be working with us. When it became necessary to explain anything, she literally rolled her eyes, pursed her lips, and shook her head. She made everything so difficult, we were unable to complete a simple task.

I I have found French consulate over the years, usually from moderately to unhelpful. The LA consulate rarely answer my phon calls. very unpleasant. the LA consulate cannot be relied upon in the case of emergenc. reading the other reviews I realize I am not the only one expressing . a low opinion of this consulate. What are they for? I would have given zero star but I was offered the choice. Jean Caby.

MAL AIMABLE, ça fait bizarre quand on a l'habitude de la gentillesse des américains on redescend vite avec une bouffonne au téléphone qui a 0 customer service skills, sans parler des horaires d'ouverture, ridicule WORST, feels weird when u're so used to Americans friendliness to have such a rude person at the phone who has 0 customer service skills + their opening hours, ridiculous Good luck

Bonjour! This consulate though small I have to say is quite organized, the staff was very friendly and very accommodating. I went to the consulate to get my Schengen Visa for my upcoming euro trip, though It was not released as I am well ahead of schedule (90 days before the trip), I have to say that I was very impressed with the staff that assisted me, he checked all my docs to see if I am missing anything and confirmed that All my paperworks are set for my next appointment! I was impressed and thought that was very nice customer service for him to take the time to review all my paperworks even though I wasn't even supposed to get my visa yet. Anyway, they get high marks from me for that alone as in this and age, amazing customer service is quite hard to come by. PS: make sure to make an appointment online, it is very convenient. Merci!

I had a 5 star experience at the French Cosulate in Los Angeles. Natalie was punctual. attentive, courteous and effective. Merci Natalie! You're the best ! Monique B.

I'm not one to write negative reviews but but this was the worst experience I've ever had at a French consulate. The receptionist was friendly but the rest was awful. I had one of the first appointments of the day and they made me wait 45 minutes. Once they finally took me in, the blonde lady who looked over my paperwork was extremely rude and obnoxious for no reason. I had all of the papers I needed and despite that she was rude and condescending. If you can avoid her I highly recommend doing so.

This has been the worst experience I've ever had with the French consulate. The third party VFS appointment centers make receiving a VISA a major headache. They have moved from this location; I believe at least twice since May of this year. Which adds to the sketchiness of the third party VFS. When I applied for my student VISA four years ago, I had no problems. All my documents were collected at the appointment, they took a picture of me there (because the pictures I brought with me were not correct), and I believe I got my VISA back within a week's time. This time I was applying for a long-term student VISA. I had the worst time rummaging through the different websites and trying to understand the correct documents needed for the appointment. Unfortunately, the list of documents online were not the same as the ones my appointment consultant asked for, and though I brought my banking information with me, she did not collect those papers. This caused a ripple in my application process as a week later the Washington Consulate emailed me to gather the banking statement. I received an email stating I only had one chance to send in this paperwork. A week went by with no response. I wasn't even sure if anyone received my paperwork or if I had sent it in correctly. Two weeks after that, I received my passport back with a denial letter. This system needs to be looked at because it is wasting people's time and money. I have paid for my school in Paris, I have paid for my housing in Paris and quit my job to move to Paris. This VISA process is seriously messing with people's lives and it's not right. I had spoken to the VFS office about the lack of communication and the had admitted this happens all the time. If that is so, why has no one fixed it?

Merci Kenza pour votre aide. Efficace, rapide et super gentille. Elle a répondu à toutes mes questions en vérifiant mon dossier.

I had applied for Schengen visa on July 20th, 2018 in Los Angeles for my upcoming vacation which was due yesterday!!! It's been over 6 weeks and no passport! Nobody answers the phone or replies any emails. I missed my flight and all my connecting flights are non refundable. My vacation is ruined. I cannot make any further travel plans since the French Consulate is not returning my passport. The reference number says my visa is still under procedure in Washington DC! Why DC? I reside and apply in Los Angeles. Never ever experienced something like this in my life. Get your Schengen from another European country because France obviously doesn't give a damn about your travel plans and thousand dollars of losses.

Excellent service. It was fast. They were on time (both times : I went once for me and once for my son). The person who took care of my papers was very nice.

Super accueil en tant que nouvelle arrivante à Los Angeles, avec une aide claire, efficace, et bienveillante. Merci!

Went here for a visa and the people were pretty friendly. Overall, had such a pleasant experience. The entire process took 10-15 minutes. They called me back the next day with my visa approval news and that was pretty awesome! Remember that they let you make one appointment per person and not per family, so my hubby and I both had to make individual appointments. The guard can be a little iffy, so just ignore him. Don't worry about parking as there is 3 hours free parking in the Century city mall. The Consulate is just 2 blocks away from the mall.

I came prepared and organized all my documents including copies. The security guard was so nice and even said good luck to me. The process took around 10-15 mins because I had all the documents in order. I just waited 20 mins because there was this lady who asked a lot of questions and took her so long to finish. The guy who received my documents was so polite and asked me the dates I'll be traveling. I gave him a folder of documents with post it notes so that he can easily find the document he needed. Plus, I gave him a FEDEX EXPRESS envelope with a prepaid overnight shipping label address to yourself ( both sender and receiver ) This is my Timeline for Schengen Visa: March 6: Appointment at Embassy March 9: My visa has been shipped March 12: Received my visa So basically 4 business days. Overall, I'm satisfied with the whole process.

Looks like talking to a wall, There is no one who take phone calls. Sending emails, and all the responses are the same thing and not helpful at all. The problème, we are 6 hours drive each way and we can not afford to go there and find out that we are missing this or that! I spoke to a lady in a different service and she told me that they are 3 people handling 25 states, so they don't have time to answer phone calls, she was rude and make me feel it was my fault. Somebody should do something, Macron Or the guy representing the North America french community. It's wrong, and very bed service. Shame on you.

I almost couldn't believe it yesterday when I went to the French Consulate in Los Angeles and I had a great experience. More than that, I had a wonderful time! Thanks to Marie-Jo Halty (Notaire consulaire.) It was a premiere for me because when I lived in New York, I always had a very stressful time dealing with the French consulate and its employees. But, not here! I had a meeting with Marie-Jo Halty because I had some legal paperwork to sign. When I arrived on the 4th floor, in front of the Consulate entrance, I had to ring the bell 3 times before someone opened. I thought: "OMG, here we go again." After, I passed security, I wrote down my name on the registry and sat down. I had taken a book with me so I was prepared to spend a lot of time waiting. But, it didn't happen. After a few minutes, Mrs. Halty arrived and, with a genuine smile, kindly introduced herself. We shook hands and went to the very large conference room. We sat next to each other and she began explaining every line of the contract I had to sign. I was astounded. I didn't expect that she would do this so thoroughly as she did, and with such benevolence. She even gave my tips about inheritance taxes. I was with her for two hours. She really went above and beyond. I loved it and I thank her for it! Merci.

My overall experience was pretty good, I'm giving the 4 star because of the LONG wait time for scheduled appointment. My appointment was on Wednesday for schengen visa at 11:15am so I was there by 10:45. Security let us inside by 11:10 and just checked passports and said just wait until they call you, waiting took forever finally they see us around 12:50 Interview process was pretty smooth. French officer asked couple questions for general information about trip, I provided all the documents they need, they took fingerprints, picture etc. all this process was about 15 minutes. Appointment was on Wednesday and received my passport with visa on following Monday.

9:40 am visa appointment can be very busy. Make sure you give yourself enough time for 405 traffic. The visa section is outside to the left of the main building. Parking is available in the structure or a few spaces of metered parking. Better to park in the structure. Expect to spend about an hour for your appointment. Staff is courteous and friendly. Got mine mailed in a week.

The French Consulate was extremely helpful in getting my son his passport to return to France for school. Though the process is rather involved, their instructions were clear and we received the document in plenty of time. Credit where credit is due - Chapeau!

Boy I hate going to the French Consulate of Los Angeles. Don't mind that it's small but the atmosphere is cold, snobbish and feels unwelcome. Except for administrative paperwork for Native or Foreigners (expects delays even with an appointment, wouldn't say that it was aleatory but reception and ease of your matters depend a bit of personal affinity), there is not much to inquire like you might see it in other foreign consulates (Do not read too much on the info and help that may lie on their inaccurate website). Shame really. That's why there are no real French community, just the same elitism system present in the metropolitan France.

I booked an appointment here right when I got my Philippine passport at the Philippine Consulate. I put myself in a difficult situation by getting my passport renewed and getting my visa at the last minute. I got all my papers ready in such a short amount of time but made sure I had everything correct. My appointment was at 10:40 AM. I took a risk coming from San Diego and working graveyard the morning before. I had to run errands before I head to the Consulate and I barely made it. I came inside, the security was actually nice and funny. Made a joke here and there with me. When it was my turn to turn in my application, the lady had me redo my application. I thought she was gonna make me come back because of it but she had me sit down and do it again. They also needed a current balance statement on my bank account and needed another form from FedEx and she was kind enough to let me know I can just email it to them instead. They're cut off time is at 4:30. The bad reviews I've read on here is what got stuck onto my head but they were actually really helpful and nice. Hopefully my visa gets approve right away although I've been told by the lady who interviewed me said I'll be able to get my visa after 2 weeks. Crossing my finger. *Update: Got my visa after two days!

Ours was a very smooth experience. My wife and I went for our Schengen visa for France/Germany . We were out in 15 mins without any problem. The consul officer was really sweet and helpful and even explained a bunch of things to us that we need to take care of when we actually travel. I am on H1B with and expired stamp and my wife has a valid F1 but has since switched to H4. Both of us have valid i797 for extensions. I was concerned about this but the officer was very knowledgeable and understood this situation without us having to even explain anything. We had all our documents in order including the copies so everything else was pretty smooth. We also were entering through Germany but spending more days in France, so she explained what we might need to tell the German officers regarding the French issued Schengen visa. All in all as smooth as one can expect. One caveat: A lot of people have had mixed experiences with the security guard. Luckily for us we had an 845 am appointment and he wasn't even in by then so we escaped that and the consul officers handled our entry :) But while we were there we noticed him treating everyone fine and no issues as such. Also, the couple in the window next to us got sent back but that was becuase they didnt have proper travel insurance. It seemed like they just got some letter from their current insurance provider stating that they would provide coverage in France. But the consulate needs this proof in a certain format which they have mentioned clearly on their website and its really very simple to get this online specific to conforming with Schengen Visa requirements. So i cant really blame the officer for asking them to come back with the proof the same day or schedule another appointment.

It might just be me not paying attention, but please note that the visa section of the consulate general of France has relocated to: 8530 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 450 Beverly Hills I am a college student about to study abroad in France this coming Fall. This was my first time handling any visa process at all on my own. Naturally, I was very anxious & had a lot of fears about what might go wrong. However! My experience was so good that here I am, fresh out of the consulate, writing my first yelp review. I encountered so many great people during my visit. I unfortunately did not get the security guard's name, but he was very friendly & gracious in welcoming me. It was Bruce who helped me with my paperwork. He was so warm & funny & kind & went to great lengths to ease all of my concerns. By the time we had sorted everything out & I was getting up to go, I felt like I was saying goodbye to a friend. Roman helped me with the brief biometrics process, and was efficient as well as sincere. On my way out, Bruce & I said goodbye again & I also got to say goodbye to the security guard. When I got into the hallway I jumped around a little, super relieved & so thankful to everyone who made it so easy. I know this may all sound very corny & dramatic, but I left genuinely wishing I could give everyone there something in return for the goodness they shared with me.

Before it was great, not it's a little ridiculous here. At least talk to people face to face. LOL, you talk to them through the wall. My husband went here to get his passport renewal. The process was painless. We made the appointment and it was about a 2 month wait. He received his passport within 10 days of his appointment. You have to schedule a time for pick up after that. We recently moved to Las Vegas and the closes Embassy is here. We called a few times and no one ever picks up the phone. There wasn't an email address for getting notary. We decided to drive in here to have it taken care of. We were wrong. The whole process was terrible. We came about 20 minutes before opening, there were already people waiting ahead of us about 4 groups. They told the security guard downstairs not to let anyone up until they were open. We came up when they were open. You can't go into the place. Now, you have to press the mic button and wait for someone to answer you. It took about 10-15 until someone responded. It's super weird now, you can't see the person and talking through a wall, they're literally on the other side of the wall. Well finally when it was our turn the girl asked us if we had an appointment and we said no, that we drove here from Las Vegas to get notary done. We called several times...no one picked up and there isn't any detail information online about the notary. She instead us to go online and write an email to the notary person, we should look again. We told her there isn't a place to write or make an appointment online. We went online again there wasn't an much again. My husband decided to just email a few people since there were some email addresses on the site. We got a response after 20 minutes, saying the notary guy is in France!!!! He won't be back until next week and if we want to schedule an appointment. I don't understand why this lady couldn't have told us that in person. Then they told us they charge $600-700 per page. Our document was 6 pages, she told out document and made it 8 pages. This is super ridiculous! We instead purchased 2 plane tickets to Paris. I don't know how people deal with them if they're on vacation. This place opens late and closes early! Won't be dealing with them until the passport renewal in 2025! LOL

There are so many mixed reviews on here. The horrible ones stuck in my mind and definitely made me nervous for my upcoming appointment. However, I'll keep this short & sweet: I went in on a Tuesday morning, came 30 minutes early (Be aware of / prepare for LA traffic!) The evaluation process took about 25 mins. Now let's get some things straight: -The security officer I came across was so nice & friendly AND -The workers are calm and not rude, though they do occasionally mumble some French to one another Please prepare, prepare, prepare. The application process canNOT be done last minute. Be courteous, professional, & organized and bring ALL necessary docs + back ups + copies. If you do all of this, you'll be fine.

I called the consulate a few weeks ago! It was extremely frustrating getting some answers ! The customer service was terrible !

We had a perfectly pleasant experience here. Parking on premises available if expensive. Took an hour to complete Visa application. Just be sure to have everything in order. No complaints!

Edit: They were unable to return my passport in time and I had to cancel my trip. Currently trying to recover as much of the the $3,500 in pre-paid accommodations as possible. (travel insurance does not cover loss due to no visa) My first appointment with the consulate was May 30 (For an Aug 17 trip, plenty far in advance). I didn't think I needed pre-paid hotel accommodations this early because my husband is an American citizen and the hotels will all be under his name. So they rejected me telling me as long as I bring that, I'll get approved (all my other documents were good) - so far, I'm okay, I should have been more careful, but what they did next is unforgivable. The next available appointment was July 5, now it's with a document preparation company called VFS. When I arrived I had to wait for 1.5 hours after my scheduled appt time, and when I got in, I was told the requirements had now changed, and they wanted more documents: now they wanted a letter from my employer (till this day there is nothing on the website, VFS or Consulate, about this letter, and they do not pick up the phone). I showed them the very handwriting of the officer from the first appointment, where he said all I needed was receipt of pre-paid accommodations, but they didn't care. So I was rejected a second time. My third and final interview was Aug 1. This time I got a very sweet girl who approved my application (I had a stack now, an inch thick of documents, I wasn't taking any chances, I had everything, and doubled it for my husband), but I was anxious about getting my passport back in my hands prior to my Aug 17 flight. She said it should be fine, and on the website (a final piece of evidence that there is no single word on the website that you can trust) it says to apply at least 2 weeks before your flight - so I thought maybe I'm still okay since I'm in before that. Aug 12: I began pursuing expedition of my case as I kept checking the UPS tracking number for my passport and saw it had not beed picked up yet. The Washington DC consulate where they process visas does not take phone calls for visa applicants, they communicate exclusively through email. My first and only response from this email address was this: "Your application is still under review. We are currently waiting from the accord from our international network and cannot expedite this stage of the process. Thank you for you understanding." I made follow up requests but got no response I called VFS, but they said it was out of their control as their just the 3rd party that prepares the documents and sends them to DC Aug 20: I finally received my passport, too late to save the trip my family and I have been planning for 5 months. I hope other people have better experience, but my recommendation for others needing a Schengen Visa: enter through another country...

I was afraid after reading all the reviews but it went great. Everyone who worked there were so nice and helpful! Especially security guy really made my day! I forgot to bring my application (lol) but was able to print it out fast and didn't loose my spot in line, so gonna get my visa in two weeks:) P.S. I parked atsome residential street for free. About 8 min walk from the building.

OMFG!! where do I even start?! I had to go to the French Consulate last year for a Schengen visa. Because of traffic in LA, I arrived an hour late for my appointment. I had to the bribe the doorman just to let me go inside. He literally told me, "$10 is fine." After I got inside, a French man took my itinerary and began to count my days of duration with his fingers. I had to wonder, "if I stay more than 10 days, will he take off his shoes and count his toes as well?!" Later, he asked for my health insurance. I gave him a copy of my insurance policy (Aetna PPO), which clearly stated "in case of an emergency, you are covered anywhere in the world." The man looked at it and told me "this does not say France on it." OMG! Is France on the effin moon?! In the end, the French still weren't pleased with my application (which had everything their website asked for). They even asked me for my ferry ticket from Dover to Calais. How could I possibly get that ticket before hand!? I ended up having to go back to the consulate again.

Trying to help my mother get a tourist (Schengen) visa for France has been an utter NIGHTMARE! They are unhelpful, rude, we have reached nothing but recordings. It has been impossible to make on online appointment because (despite having all of the hardware/software requirements) I only get a blank screen. I have been using and programming computers for 20 years and I can't figure this out. The people who answer the phone have no heart and it seems to me they could care less if anyone other than a person with a US passport wants to travel to their country. They should take a tip from the UK Visa Bureau. It was easy, quick and they actually have Visa Centers all over Southern California, not just at their consulate in LA. I don't hate very much in my life, but I can add the French Consulate in LA to the list. They take arrogance to a higher level!

I had such a wonderful experience at the French consulate in Los Angeles! Both the interviewer and the security personnel were professional and friendly. I had all my documents in order, and supplementary ones just incase :(productive paranoia :) ) . The entire process was under 20mins. Although some people ahead of me did not have everything intact (especially the Fedex envelope and shipping label), the interviewer was very accommodating by offering options.

My experience with Schengen visa was smooth. At this moment all the process is done by VFS at Beverly Hills location. The only reason I gave 4 stars is that there was a wait even though I had an appointment. The wait was around 45minutes. I had all the required documents with me, so actual appointment time took like 10mins. The officer reviewed all my documents according to the checklist and then I also had biometrics in the same office. I paid extra $35 for overnight shipping from Washington to my address. They will give you receipt with tracking number where you can track the status. My appointment was on March 25th and I got my passport back with visa on March 29th. It was super fast basically 5 business days.

No one answers the phone, I just had simple questions about traveling to France for work and they couldn't even help me with that, now my entire morning is based around waiting on the phone for them. Ridiculous....

The appointment was on a Monday morning. I booked this appointment over a month ago and started gathering all the requirements as what it's on the website, make sure you have copies and originals with you and the key word in here "Be organized" arrange all the requirements according to the numbering on the web, as they will be asking for. Do call the consulate if you have questions, email them which I had done for couple of questions, they respond quickly. The Guard and Lady at the counter very courteous and very professional ( not Snobbish ) Make sure do your appointment separate, it was 10:15 for my husband and 10:45 for me. The guard will only let you in one person at a time. So my husband went in before 10:15 and I went in just before 10:30, the guard told me that I could have joined my husband when he came in, so the guard told me to catch up with my husband at the window and they will process it at the same time. Again, the key in here, bring all documents what is required mentioned at the website and BE ORGANIZED. The whole process for me and my husband is only about less than 20 mins. We found ourselves driving home at 1050 which I was my appointment. Monday morning was our appointment, FEDEX came on Thursdays morning. The whole process PAINLESS

As long as you have your paperwork and copies, I see no problem. Yes, they aren't the nicest people, but I don't think that's a necessity for what you're trying to get done. Make sure not to smile in any picture, Europeans don't like it. Really, they told me. They told me it would take 7-10 days processing. My appt was on the 24th, I received my visa the 30th (it was an au pair/long stay visa). Bonne Chance!

APPALLED!!!! CHOCKED, DISMAYED, FLEECED OF MY IDENTITY. ROBBED OF MY HUMAN RIGHTS. THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE FRENCH CONSULATE!!! I paid $100.00 to renew my French passport; and it came back not even bearing my name!!! I AM OUTRAGED, I CAN'T EVEN TRAVEL WITH THIS ABOMINATION! And I'll never get back all the WASTED time & energy spent at this pursuit! AT THE VERY LEAST I WANT FINANCIAL RESTITUTION! THE FRENCH CONSULATE DOES NOT TAKE PHONE CALLS. WHEN YOU CALL THEM; YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO A LIVE AGENT; ALL YOU'LL GET IS A VERY CURT, DRY & SHORT ROBOTIC RECORDED MESSAGE, CUTTING YOU DOWN AS A HUMAN UNDER THE CONDESCENDING ATTITUDE OF NATIONAL PERSNICKIDINESS THAT IS THE PRIDE & JOY OF FRENCH BURREAUCRAPPY!!!! I spent several hours across several weeks attempting to get through their barriers, to no avail!!!!!! I finally realized that it was futile to keep trying so I gave up. The problem is their lack of sense of duty toward their own; their plain separatist attitude; their "je m'en foutism" they just don't care! I paid them for a service; I didn't get any value for my money! Instead; they caused a terrible problem in my life!!! I asked for a solution, they offered nothing but a stiff upper lip attitude & NO HELP WHATSOEVER. That makes them part of the problem not the solution. That is how I see it now, after this experience. AND YESSSSSS!!!! I AM MAD AS HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M OUT 100 BUX PLUS 26 BUX FOR PARKING! THEY DON'T EVEN VALIDATE! Because, they make it impossible to communicate with them in the way that works best for you, they force you to email them, then will throw at you canned email responses that will just make things worse. I responded to the canned response, with a request for assistance through a phone conversation about this delicate issue, but all I got, was a very irritatingly standoffish email devoid of human understanding or compassion. She started addressing me with the most uptight language patterns IN FRENCH!!! Making me hate my own language. Her reply was like gasoline to my fire! She was categorically dismissive, uncaring, offering nothing in terms of solutions. I'm thinking, maybe it's time I become an American citizen! Yeah, that would be easier than deal with this farce!!! And as far as customer service; Mme Beatrice Biger!!! YOU'RE A JOKE!!!!!! You know what you can do with your haughty tone! It would do you good to educate yourself on proper human communication, learn to solve your paying customer's problems without sending them into a tailspin; causing horrendous stress in their lives. The consulate's job is to be of service and help their countrymen to preserve their rights while living abroad. Sending me a passport that doesn't identify me by my legal name in my country of residence is a fiasco!!! I CANNOT TRAVEL HOME TO SEE MY FOLKS, OR GO ON A BUSINESS TRIP OUTSIDE THE US!!! I don't care what your stupid old book of rules says... you have completely mishandled this case and miserably dropped the cannon ball!!! I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE MAD! AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THAT!!!

The process is quick and painless, just make sure to follow the instruction and have all the required documents ready. The staff are friendly and informative. The only sore is the security guard. It is a hit or miss with him, depending on if you catch him on a good day. I think the power trip is over his head since he is at the front door. He can be very rude and disrespectful. I did find him to be so rude it is funny. Very odd person. Well, I will send in a comment to the visa section.

They are efficient, which at the end of the day is all that matters. I like the British Embassy better, because you can process it all over mail! However, it's not as bad as the Portuguese Consulate, where you actually have to go in person. Do: 1.Bring ALL required documents and extra copies (trust me on the extra copies!) I recommend you have everything ready EXACTLY as the website says and hope she doesn't find something wrong with your documents, because she's looking, trust me. 2. Keep checking their appointment website as people cancel all the time. 3. Get a FedEx account. They have FedEX envelopes in the waiting room that you can fill out and pre-pay using a registered FedEx account. Don't: 1. Expect hospitality or cheerfulness. You have to realized that being fake nice is an American thing, and people in other countries are more...efficient. If you have everything ready to go and are on time they are nice, including the guard. 2. Forget anything! If you're missing anything the lady is very rude and will treat you like an idiot (even though their website is ambiguous (don't buy plane tickets yet/bring all copies of plane tickets?!). I printed my flight reservation and she said it "did not show everything," she asked where my name was, the plane number, the destination...but it did! it was all there!!!! She was just being fussy. I had to go back a second time and it was super fast and processed quickly.

My appointment was on Thursday morning. One of the ladies at the front desk was immediately processing my application for Schengen short visit visa. She asked COPIES of everything that they asked on their website to bring. The process was less than 20 min or so. On Friday, I tracked my fedex and the passport already on its way back to my address :)

I went to renew my passport and I had question about the retirement plan for french people who live in the USA, the lady that received me was : 1 - RUDE 2 - NOT INFORMED 3 - NOT HELPFUL