Consular officials say that the new policy of ?no appointments? is more
practical for them and for those who seek visas. According to the Diario Libre,
dozens of people seeking visas at the Consulate Low Countries located on the Max
Henr?quez Ure?a Street are converting the Piantini residential area into an
improvised area of business to facilitate the paperwork of the visa-seeker.
Photographs, form-filling, photocopies, and soft drinks are available. Taxis
take over the sidewalks and roadway as they wait for clients. And this action
begins daily at 4am, ever since the consulate decided to do away with
appointments. The line, which tends to surpass the grounds of the consulate has
brought protests from visa-seekers and area residents alike. One neighborhood
resident told Diario Libre reporter Diana de Miguel that so many people hanging
around all day were ?cheapening? the neighborhood. The scene is replicated on
Independence Avenue in front of the Spanish Embassy, however, not being a
residential area, there are no residents to oppose it. The situation does
provide juicy benefits for the people providing ?office? services. In this area,
the watch begins at 3am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Francisco Lozano, the man in
charge of the visa section of the Spanish Embassy, said that the system of
appointments did not work for them, either. Apparently it only works for the US
Embassy, which charges US$100 for each slot given. Lozano said that many people
would not keep the appointments they made and that by February they were giving
out appointments for July. Requests for Schengen visas, which allow a person to
travel throughout the European Union for 90 days, has increased by 20% since
last year at the same time.