Update on the Mauritanian visa escapade.........rode back to Brussels on Monday (in the snow) having submitted paperwork, ten more passports and many euros for ten visas the previous Monday. Everything was accepted and approved, money paid ( cash -they won't take cheques/cards/ bottle tops or football cards and WON'T issue a receipt however much you plead) and was told to return for collection this Monday at 1130am. HOWEVER, when I appeared as directed, the bloke was nowhere to be found and when eventually they phoned him, he denied ever having had the passports or the money. Crap. What now? I had to really make a fuss, bang the table and yell loudly in French - not my preferred approach at all but necessary in the circumstances. This attracted the attention of the only woman who works there and whom I'd seen on my previous visits - nice lady, only speaks French (or Arabic, which I don't) and seems to be in charge. Explained what had happened and she made him come back then gave him a right bollocking in Arabic before making him get the passports and issue the visas. There was no mistake here - he'd clearly nicked the money and he was very embarrassed at being caught. Not quite sure how this could have been avoided but the day was saved by the lady who had seen me on my previous two visits, and fortunatley, I checked everything while she was still there - he flung the passports at me ( got told off again for that) and had also missed a visa out of one passport, ( she really laid into him for that). So I guess the moral is make sure somebody else sees you at the Embassy and realises why you're there, and call on them if you need to, be prepared to stand your ground, and DO NOT LEAVE THE BUILDING UNTIL YOU HAVE CHECKED EVERYTHING and got all of your property back.
BUT despite the stress and the fag of going there, for multiple applications, it was relatively civilised and ended well - but not for that thieving git.