Pre-departure recap: Document Checklist

List of documents:

• Birth certificate, the long one*, NOT the card (original + some photocopies).
  
• Passport (original)
• + photocopies of the page with your photo, particulars and expiration date
• +photocopies of the page with your visa

• All the documents that you presented at the consulate
  
• A stack of ID photos (at least 12)

*My mother told me that she never received this long birth certificate (the only information found on it that the French government considers pertinent are the names of your parents). My mom said that after I was born, my dad filled out some information on a form and a few weeks later my little laminated card (I'm old) and a paper copy arrived in the mail.
Last week, my mom ordered this for me online [just google: birth certificate+(your birth province)]. It cost $35 and while she was told that it would arrive in 15 days (or your money-back!), it came in 2.