<p>Wonder if I can assume that Paris would be absolutely fine with the Card, being a major metro area. Have you ever done currency exchange state-side through AmEx? Perhaps better handled through our local bank. I’d like my d to go with a few Euros in her pocket.</p>
<p>people- this summer the daughter of a friend went to England, Holland and France. The preloaded debit card worked in England and Holland but when she tried to use it in Paris it didn’t work. Luckily her sister had a traditional debit card and the Mom was able to deposit funds in the bank here for withdrawal. She was assured that the card would work everywhere. Even over the phone they kept telling her it should work but it didn’t. She then had to fight with them to refund the unused portion on the card on return.
Point of the story is it is good to have more then one source of cash.</p>
<p>I have used AmEx for stateside currency exchange; there’s an office near us and it’s convenient since our bank doesn’t keep foreign currency around. There is, of course, a commission but we didn’t find it to be out of line. I think it’s a smart idea for her to have some Euros when she goes. And there are AmEx branches in most major European cities where she could transact business if needed.</p>
<p>My son has a Canadian student Visa-and yes, we did have to provide gtd of financial support and supporting documents for Canada-can’t imagine France would have ask for anything less.</p>
<p>I’m reviving this thread with another student visa question: Has anyone had experience purchasing student traveler’s medical insurance? I’ll need to purchase coverage for my d for the 5 weeks she’ll be in France, because our own medical insurance provider won’t supply a letter stating they’ll cover emergency medical evacuation. I see a bunch of policy providers online, but wonder if anyone has had good experience with any in particular.</p>
<p>D’s “abroad” insurance is through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). There was a flyer for them in the packet provided by the abroad program. <a href=“http://www.culturalinsurance.com%5B/url%5D”>www.culturalinsurance.com</a></p>
<p>We’ve never had to test it, so don’t know how well it actually works. Push come to shove, a lot of this stuff you take on faith and that the people running the programs have dealt with it before and that they kinda know what they’re doing.</p>
<p>My D’s school also recommended CISI for the 4 week Southeast Asia study tour that preceded her current semester in Australia. The Australian semester already included coverage, but the study tour did not.</p>
<p>I actually had to contact CISI about a wrinkle in things and they were very responsive. Luckily, D never had to use it–she’s safely in Australia now. So we don’t know any more than TheDad about the quality of any response to a medical emergency.</p>
<p>But that makes at least 2 study abroad programs who’ve recommended CISI, for what it’s worth…</p>
<p>Thanks, all ~ I think that was my last item on our “to do” list for the French Consulate. We’ll be flying down to Atlanta next week (visa interview and application) ~ I’m assuming all will go well. I do envy those in the DC and NY jurisdictions, as they can do this all by mail!</p>
<p>people,
I’m still confused about the need for a visa in France. I have two kids who are planning on going to France for an NYU summer study abroad program, and neither one of them has mentioned anything about needing a visa - I keep asking them, and so far, they haven’t been told that they need it. I was just wondering if this could have anything to do with the fact that they’re going through NYU and not a school in France- it’s NYU’s own program/classes. I’ll post if I hear anything.</p>
<p>The fact that they’re going to a NYU program has no bearing on visa requirements. The key criterion for many (all?) EU countries is length of stay. I’m no expert but something in the back of my mind says 90 days is the cut-off point…if the stay is less than 90 days, you don’t need a visa. Mastercard, perhaps.</p>
<p>TheDad,
I’m not referring to the visa credit card. I think that People said that her daughter needs a visa, and it’s for a 5 week summer study abroad program, so that would be less than 90 days according to my calculations. I guess NYU will inform the students if they need one, but so far, there hasn’t been any official word on it.</p>
<p>alwaysamom,
Thank you! I was trying to get to that link, because I thought that was going to be the case. Hopefully, NYU will inform the students in a timely manner, so they have time to get their visas - in our case, we need two of them - and I don’t know how it’s going to work with one of my kids who will be working at the program.</p>
<p>A visa doesn’t take that long to get, if required. Be paranoid and allow a month…in practice, a common turnaround is about two weeks. That’s from the time you submit the paperwork. I stayed out of D’s way and let her figure things out herself, including getting passport photos. (Actually, she probably asked people in the office where she was interning but that’s part of the gig, learning to develop your own resources.) That probably took 10 days up front, where someone knowledgeable and focused could whip through stuff in a couple of days. </p>
<p>At least the French visa application–assuming it’s printed only in French–is readable by more people than Hungarian. Fortunately, D’s program provided her with step by step instructions as to what to write in each blank.</p>
<p>The various programs aren’t going to let students fall through the cracks. It’s in their best interests to make sure they don’t have complaining students–or parents.</p>
<p>Yes, TheDad, I know you were making a joke.</p>
<p>nyumom, I honestly don’t know if they consider college students residents of that state or not. Might be worth a call to NYU’s study abroad office to inquire about the information you need.</p>
<p>NYUMom, when both my kids had to get visas, they were considered residents of our home state. My D who worked in France all last summer (approx. 8 weeks?) didn’t need a visa. When she studied in Italy this past fall (through an American university that was not her own), she needed a visa but she had to get it at the closest Italian Consulate to our state (VT) and so got it in Boston. For my D who recently went to Brazil (with NYU) but for a ten day trip, who needed a visa from the Brazilian Consulate, was able to go to the Brazilian Consulate in NYC. I would think the program at NYU would be informing the students of everything they need. I know for the Brazil trip, all the information was disseminated and the students had to obtain these visas on their own. So, I would start by asking the program as they should know, rather than asking the French Consulate.</p>
<p>I assume that study-abroad groups, like the NYU group going to France, are very good at stepping students through the requirements (visas). My d found the AUP program independently; no groups from her school are attending. So, she’s on her own, figuring out all the requirements. Good experience, though. Really, it was only the medical insurance that was throwing her - She/we knew nothing about the travel insurance (ala previous posts), which is tailor-made to satisfy visa requirements. Ordered it online, and within 10 minutes they faxed the policy statement that she needs for the Consulate. Easy and cheap. She was initially trying to get our family medical policy to comply, which ended up being impossible.</p>
<p>TheDad,
I also thought that you were making a joke! Thanks for all of your helpful info. I’m glad to know that it usually only takes about 2-3 weeks to obtain the visa, but we will plan on allowing a month, if need be - that is, if they, in fact, even need one to begin with.
Alwaysamom, people, and soozievt,
Thanks to all of you - having never been to Europe - I was completely clueless, but I’m sure the kids will find out what they need in terms of the visa, etc.</p>