This is a "to be continued" story. We just got back from Los Angeles and the AZ consulate. On Monday (only open M, W, F from 10 am to 1 pm), we got all our paperwork together and laid it out for the only person who does visas, Nahid. He said it was all fine. Took only one of our photos, accepted our printed e-visa application from their website and did not have us sign it. We offered to fill out the manual form but no. When we left, he led us to believe that we might be able to pick it up Wednesday. We called Tuesday but no one answered. We decided to stay over an extra day on the chance that the visas would be there Wednesday. We called again Wed am but again no one answered. We even called a little after 10. No answer, no answering machine. We considered ourselves lucky at the building because Nahid actually answered for them (caller id???). However, the guards said that often people show up DURING office hours and no one picks up the phone. The guards will not allow you into the elevator for any floor unless someone in the business or consulate (lots in that bldg) gives the OK. So, you could drive to Wilshire and Centinela and end up not being able to see anyone.

At any rate, the visas were not ready. Nahid submits all the info by email to the Minister of Immigration and waits for a reply. Nahib was pretty sure that he would have a response by Thursday or Friday and would send the passports and visas by overnight in our prepaid envelope. Hope so...

We met a nice young man from AZ while we were there who said that he was working with the consulate for his own AZ passport and found the process challenging also.

We also saw Endeavour at the California Science Center and Calder's mobiles set up by Frank Gehrey at the LA County Museum of Art so our time was otherwise well spent!

to be continued...