A former French Polynesian president, Gaston Flosse, who is a member of the French Senate, has been forced to delay his trip to Paris reportedly after the United States refused him a visa.
The newspaper Nouvelles de Tahiti reports that the US authorities want clarifications about his convictions and involvement with the courts.
Last week, the appeal court in Tahiti heard his bid to have a four-year jail sentence for corruption overturned, with a ruling due in February.
A month ago, Gaston Flosse was in the criminal court in Papeete for his role in alleged massive corruption at French Polynesia's OPT telecommunications company.
The prosecution wants him jailed for five years.
A ruling in that case is due in January.
He has already said the court rulings won't affect his election plans for next year as he will take any adverse rulings to France's highest court.
