It has been a worrying few weeks since our appointment at the French Consulate in Sydney on the 9th November.

We were able to get all the required paperwork ready and posted on Tuesday morning 13th November in Ballina at 10.30am. I tracked the envelope to Sydney the following morning (2.00am) and was hopeful it would be delivered on either the 14th or 15th. When it wasn’t, I tried contacting Australia Post by phone and by email – to no avail. I then had a bright idea to use Twitter and eventually was told it would be delivered on the 19th. So much for the Express Post guarantee of 2-3 business days. The reason I was given for the delay was because Market Street in Sydney’s CBD, next door to the iconic Queen Victoria Building (QVB), was outside the Express Post zone.

Ridiculous.

I phoned the French Consulate on Monday 26th November thinking this would be ample time for them to consider our extra documentation, and I was anxious our passports would not arrive in time for our departure. We were down to 9 business days before D Day (departure).

I was told everything looked okay but the person who authorises the application was not in until the 21st (7 business days until D Day).

Because our Express Post took 6 business days to arrive, I decided to phone again.

Now, normally the French Consulate will not take calls about visa applications and its recorded message strictly advises callers of this. But, I hung on until I got back to the nice girl I spoke to two days earlier. I said we’d fly down to pick them up if they could not be posted by the following day as I’d lost confidence in Australia Post.

I received a call from the French Consulate early on Thursday 29th November advising me the passports would be posted during the day.

Meanwhile, Sydney experienced a month’s rain in one day and chaos reigned. Australia Post website indicated mail deliveries were badly affected.

But, by the middle of the next day, Friday 30th, I could see the parcel was on its way north.

And, today (3rd December) it was delivered.

It took 3 business days and now we have permission to reside in France for 12 months.

Yeah!!

But, there could be a catch.

Additional paperwork we were provided with when we were in Sydney suggests we have to attend further meetings once we’re in France. Luckily our first stop is Lyon and there happens to be an office there where we can go for this meeting. This may also involve a medical.

Interesting times, but so relieved we’ve passed this first test.

And with 4 business days to spare.