Is Embassy Service Reflective of a Country's Immigration Process?

[JasonRox]

Ok, I've been reading up lots on moving to France. I'd like to try it, and I've been doing research on getting a "carte de sejour" (equivalent to Green Card).

One of the tips was to go to the French Embassy in the region and ask for a pamphlet/booklet that explains the process of going to France and such.

I went to the embassy, and they were bitches. Sorry for the language. Is this standard in an embassy? The American one was worse. They didn't even want me to bring my cellphone, and I had to make appointments. The French embassy is open and I didn't have to let go of my laptop or anything. The advice at the French embassy on the other hand was horrible. It was so bad that I'm waiting until I get back to Ontario for information.

On the other hand, all the french people I met, from France, have been very inviting. Same with the Americans. (Note: I usually tell most tourists to go down and visit New York. Weird thing is, no one wants to go. Australians, French, British, New Zealenders, Africans, basically all tourists want nothing to do with the US. I insist and say that the people there are nice too, and are similar to Canadians... atleast the ones I met.)

Is this normal attitude at embassies?

My roommate from Morroco said he was always just able to walk in the Canadian embassy without problems. The American one was the first I went to. I just went and the second I touched the door knob a security came up from behind me and asked me what I'm doing, what do I want, etc... Very strange.

Anyways, if anyone knows anything about moving to another country, let me know.

Note: I'm planning this for after my Master's which is in 24 months to be exact.

 

[WarPhalange]

American national security really sucks. I don't know how it is elsewhere, but are you allowed to bring a camera into a federal or state building? For example when I went to get my driver's license or update my social security info, there were signs on the door saying I can't have any cameras. The whole thing is really bizarre and paranoid.

We had a major terrorist attack, but now the entire nation is just clogged up with paranoia, making it even worse.

 

[JasonRox]

American national security really sucks. I don't know how it is elsewhere, but are you allowed to bring a camera into a federal or state building? For example when I went to get my driver's license or update my social security info, there were signs on the door saying I can't have any cameras. The whole thing is really bizarre and paranoid.

We had a major terrorist attack, but now the entire nation is just clogged up with paranoia, making it even worse.

So, this is standard attitude at embassies?

Another question...

Do I really have to return every couple of years? That would be darn annoying.

 

[mgb_phys]

Yes all embassies suck.
Canadian/Australian/Kiwi emabassies suck least, thrid world country ones are just choatic, British/USA embassies suck most.

The US embassy in london is the worst. They won't give you any information, they charge a fortune for you to call them and then will only read the text of the website to you and refuse to actually help.
But it doesn't matter since once you arrive in the immigration queue at the airport then you have to face the minimum wage 'expert' there - whatever the embassy gave you is irrelevant because it's upto him to decide to understand and accept it.

The only positive point - in most countries the embassy reflects the government not the people. France is a fantastic place to live and work - except for the goverment.

 

[JasonRox]

Yes all embassies suck.
Canadian/Australian/Kiwi emabassies suck least, thrid world country ones are just choatic, British/USA embassies suck most.

The US embassy in london is the worst. They won't give you any information, they charge a fortune for you to call them and then will only read the text of the website to you and refuse to actually help.
But it doesn't matter since once you arrive in the immigration queue at the airport then you have to face the minimum wage 'expert' there - whatever the embassy gave you is irrelevant because it's upto him to decide to understand and accept it.

The only positive point - in most countries the embassy reflects the government not the people. France is a fantastic place to live and work - except for the goverment.

Thanks for the reply!

Would there by any chance be any use for someone in France in Mathematics? I will be specializing in Number Theory and Cryptography.

 

[mgb_phys]

Would there by any chance be any use for someone in France in Mathematics? I will be specializing in Number Theory and Cryptography.

Probably - the entire population can't be devoted to wine and cheese making and existential philosphy!
France is pretty similair to any other western country, it's perhaps still a little more large state industry/goverment dominated and less small high tech startup than the UK. It also has much fewer international company offices than say UK or Holland.
If you work in banking sotware, you could live in France and work in switzerland or luxembourg of course.

 

[JasonRox]

Probably - the entire population can't be devoted to wine and cheese making and existential philosphy!
France is pretty similair to any other western country, it's perhaps still a little more large state industry/goverment dominated and less small high tech startup than the UK. It also has much fewer international company offices than say UK or Holland.
If you work in banking sotware, you could live in France and work in switzerland or luxembourg of course.

Switzerland and Luxembourg would have jobs for me?

Is it difficult to get a work permit there?

 

[mgb_phys]

Luxembourg is EU so basically the same rules as France. Best way is to discover a Brit or Irish grandparent and get a UK/Eire passport.
Switzerland is slightly odd, not hard to move there if you have a job offer. But you can be 'n'th generation born there and still not be a citizen! In some areas you have to be voted in by the local town council.

To the why do you want to live in switzerland question:
Bad answer = interest in bank robbery
Good answer = my grandfather was an SS general driving the last convoy of trucks from Berlin and he always wanted me to buy property by this particular lake, said it was a 'golden' opportunity!

 

[_Muddy_]

Anyways, if anyone knows anything about moving to another country, let me know.

Note: I'm planning this for after my Master's which is in 24 months to be exact.

ok, well seeming as I'm a child and you're not i don't know if it will still be relevant to you.

I have a south Afrcian family, was born in south africa and lived there for 7 years, I then moved to Switzerland for 3-4 years, and finally to england where I have lived for 4 years. I'm nearly 15

If you can speak French (I couldn't wheni moved to swiss) I would say it won't be too difficult. It can take a long while to get into the other countries culture especially if there is a language barrier, so making friends can be difficult. However as we're talking about France, most of them are very kind, hospitable and friendly. To sum it up I've loved moving around, learning of new cultures it gives me a different outlook on life than other children my age and has added to my knowledge of the world. Leaving behind friends and family can be upsetting but going somewhere new has always been exciting.

Also from my very limited experience of embassies i can tell you they are horrible places but i havn't had a lot of embassy experience.

_Muddy_

 

[oedipa maas]

Do I really have to return every couple of years? That would be darn annoying.

When you have a Canadian passport you can leave Canada for as long as you like. You might consider filing a tax return in Canada every year though.

Some countries have "workers from abroad" programs which allow you to get a visa for a short period of time without having found a job. But you aren't already a resident with the right visa or if you don't very valuable skills it is difficult to get a company to hire you.

 

[TeTeC]

Switzerland and Luxembourg would have jobs for me?

I don't know if you'd find a job in Luxembourg. However, this is not France, so if you want to go there you'll have to consider learning German although most people there speak German, French and English quite well, as well a their own "Luxembourg language" (I don't have a translation for that). Also, any job gets paid much better than in any surrounding country.

I don't know a lot about work permits. However, many people who live in the surrounding countries near the boundary (which is only virtual) work in Luxembourg. As long as the salaries stay high...

 

[mgb_phys]

In most tech jobs, especially software but also in most international companies the working language is largely english. Obviously if you live in France and don't speak French you are going to be a bit isolated but I know people that worked at the European Space Agency (ESA) in Holland for years without learning dutch.

If you are writing software all the code and documentation will be in English. Except in some government jobs - I know someone who was hired by the Norwegian DoD and all the code and comments had to be in Norwegian, although they were Norwegian themselves it drove them crazy trying to think of the Norge term for technical concepts they had only ever worked on in Engligh.

Living in one country and working over the border is common, especially around luxembourg where a number of countries meet. There are no border controls but work/residency permits might be a bit trickier for a non-EU citizen.

 

[JasonRox]

Is banking the only job?

I`m open to all kinds of jobs. I`d like to live in the south though, so I don`t think working in Switzerland or Luxembourg is practical. I will consider it though.

 

[Chi Meson]

Luxembourg is EU so basically the same rules as France. Best way is to discover a Brit or Irish grandparent and get a UK/Eire passport.

That works for Eire, not UK. I have a British mother yet cannot get a UK passport. My wife has four Irish grandparents and could easily get a dual citizenship.

 

[mgb_phys]

Is banking the only job?

Because you said you were into number theory and crypto, presumably you can still get a job in bar.

 

[JasonRox]

Because you said you were into number theory and crypto, presumably you can still get a job in bar.

Well, I have Accounting and Business studies, and teaching experience.

 

[JasonRox]

Anyways, I found a nice city with lots of jobs. A guy from France told me about it. Very helpful and it's in the location I want!

 

[mgb_phys]

Anyways, I found a nice city with lots of jobs. A guy from France told me about it. Very helpful and it's in the location I want!

Congratulations! Where?

I was going to answer you last post, teaching english as a foreign language isn't as big in France as say SE Asia since all the schools teach English form an early age.
Teaching jobs in schools/uni are very unionised and quite competative - like Canada it's a relatively good 'career' job, would probably be difficult to get tuoring work without knowledge/experience of the French system.

 

[JasonRox]

Congratulations! Where?

I was going to answer you last post, teaching english as a foreign language isn't as big in France as say SE Asia since all the schools teach English form an early age.
Teaching jobs in schools/uni are very unionised and quite competative - like Canada it's a relatively good 'career' job, would probably be difficult to get tuoring work without knowledge/experience of the French system.

Well, there is tutoring in mathematics you know, as well as teaching.