Visa Issues

This is the procedure for obtaining a work visa for France:

1) Apply for work permit
2) Work permit is approved
3) Labor Department sends work permit to ANAEM (have no idea what/who ANAEM is)
4) ANAEM approves and sends permit to French Consulate in US
5) French Consulate notifies individual and invites to book visa appointment online
6) Individual logs onto consulate webpage and makes appointment
7) Individual travels to consulate for 10 minute appointment and visa

But don't forget we're dealing with French bureaucracy here.
And the following problems ensued:

a) I got a new passport after changing my name. I gave a copy to the relocation company's contractor I met with in September, who promptly lost it. Hence, my work permit application was delayed until I found the issue and faxed a new copy.

b) The fax was not legible. I sent a scanned file the next day.

c) The one girl handling my work permit at ANAEM was out sick for a week (made arrangements to delay flight)

d) The French consulate was closed in observance of President Ford's death.

Which leads us up to the consulate finally acknowledging that they received my work permit on Wednesday, January 3. Our flight is Saturday, January 6. I got online to book the appointment, and found that the earliest available appointment is Tuesday, January 16.

Made arrangements to delay flight.

That's right, we're stuck here for another week and a half. I think we're going to drive Dave's parents crazy.