Yesterday we had the appointment with the French consul (i was safely hidden in my usual bag but i heard every word). He was really nice. For one thing, he met us to explain why the visa was denied, something that he isn't obliged to do. But it would help us in a future application. He explained about the Schengen rules. And unfortunately one of them is that the applicant needs to give proof of income. This doesn't necessarily mean that he has to have a fixed job. Things like having an apartment or 2 that are rented out count as well. What does not help is having a big bank account. Or even coming into the office with a case full of money. And since Kyaw Kyaw has always been working free lance and without official guide license, he can not give this prove of income. The consul said that even though he wished he could help us, he could not. If he would give the visa and customs at the Paris airport would stop Kyaw Kyaw and call the embassy for the visa file, they would find that it wasn't within regulations. And the consul would be fined. End of story for this time.
We just find it strange since we're quite sure that on a few occasions visas have been handed out to women even though for them it is almost always impossible to show this proof of income. But then again, maybe men and women are treated differently.
Anyways, it'll be just Sandra & me for Europe this time. Looking on the bright side of this otherwise quite dark cloud, i will now have a seat completely for me alone. And since it is a rather long flight (with 2 stop overs apart from Bangkok), i'm quite sure i'll be enjoying the stretching of my legs. I know i'm not that big but even i do get cramps sometimes when i've been stuck in the bag for a long while.
Sandra & Kyaw Kyaw will be busy this week thinking about possibilities after we come back from France. Kyaw Kyaw will need to find something that'll give him the opportunity to give the required proof next time. And that means that Sandra & I need to find a way to stay here for a while longer as well. So Sandra will try to find a job here. Me, i don't know yet what i might be doing. Studying Burmese sounds like an interesting option though.
1 comment:
We were also very disappointed. Because we've payed the two tickets for Sandra and her boyfriend to meet him for the first time. And also to introduce him to our other children which all also come to France around Christmas ( of course at our expenses).
Very very pity. Sandra's parents
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