France has been gradually moving its visa application process online – starting in 2017 with certain visa types and slowly expanding.
The France-Visas digital portal is now fully deployed, the government announced this week, celebrating the completion of a process that started in October 2017.
Applying for a visa is a two-stage process – first applicants research their visa type and make the initial application online via the France-Visas website. The processing of the visa is then taken up by the French consulate in the country that you are applying from – or, more commonly, a subsidiary company acting on the consulate’s behalf.
The second part of the process still requires an in-person appointment for many types of visa.
Visas and how to get them
Visas and the whole process of applying for visas are hot topics for many people planning to visit or live in France. If you are a citizen of a non-EU country (including the UK) you will need a visa if you want to spent more than three months at a time in France.
Meanwhile citizens of some non-EU countries (including India) need a visa even for a short trip to France.
The Local has an extensive and regularly updated section devoted to the topic of French visas and visa applications, covering everything from what type of visa you need depending on your plans during your stay in France, to whether you actually need one, whether your family can move with you, how much they will cost, and the ever-changing laws surrounding them.
READ ALSO EXPLAINED: Can I bring my family to join me in France on my visa?
French visa portal
As of now, anyone who needs a visa to enter France can access all the information they need to guide them through the application process using the France-Visas portal.
Anyone who wants to visit France can :
- apply for a visa for France, whatever its type (short or long stay, work visa, tourist visa, student visa, etc);
- follow the progress of their visa application;
- find general information about visas for coming to France.
READ ALSO France and the US announce new visa deal
The government has said that additional functions will be added in future. In particular, the system should enable authorised companies and institutions to issue invitations to their foreign partners subject to visa requirements.
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