Why getting a French visa is so irritating
And other questions you might ask when planning a year abroad
An uncomfortable chair in an unfamiliar room. Glaring lights beat down on anxious people of all nationalities. Some are crying; others are arguing with the staff. Most of us are just shuffling mountains of papers, staring longingly at screens up above. For when that dizzyingly long application number reaches the top of the queue, it is time to face a right of passage for any year abroad student: the visa appointment.
Of course, some of you may have the luxury of a European passport or be visiting a country that does not require a visa. Hopefully, soon no one will face this ordeal, if plans for a youth mobility agreement go ahead. However, for now, I have received several questions about visas and aim to answer them here.
A quick disclaimer: what follows is only my experience and not intended as advice. Please do your own research before applying for a French visa, as the rules change frequently.
Big Decisions
This article is also about preparations for the year abroad more generally. My plan was always to study and then work. I wanted to experience both sides of the year abroad, building my CV while also getting a glimpse into another country’s university system. Starting the year in an environment I was more familiar with would ease me into life abroad. Or so the thinking went. By the time I began work, I would be more settled and confident in my language skills. With any luck, I would have a group of friends.
Having perused endless reports submitted by former Cambridge students and watched hours of French YouTube, I decided I wanted to attend a grand école rather than a université. They seemed more international, more renowned and a lot more organised!
I hesitated between ENS Lyon and ENS Paris but eventually chose the capital as there would be more job opportunities. The courses looked varied and interesting (I could continue both the history and languages sides of my degree) and the building resembled a tiny Cambridge college tucked away in central Paris. I also knew I would fall in love with the city, having visited twice before.
Applying for university was relatively easy. We had to provide three choices (my second two were Panthéon-Sorbonne and Sorbonne Nouvelle), which were allocated based on grades. A form needed to be filled in, a CV and cover letter provided, but essentially we were guaranteed a place.
Finding work was a different matter. Initially, I made spontaneous applications to various journalism jobs. However, I soon discovered that most of these internships were reserved for French (and usually master’s) students. I trawled LinkedIn and Indeed, spoke to former students—including someone who worked for Le Soleil in Senegal(!)—but eventually chose to focus on adverts distributed by the faculty.
Shout-out to my supervisor who kindly agreed to check my MANY cover letters. The conventions are quite different in France so be sure to look them up. For instance, it is customary here to add photos to CVs (we love unconscious bias!). Something for HMLers1 to consider is that many companies look for interns with multiple languages.
The whole process is great practice for later life. I got used to reaching out to people on LinkedIn and doing interviews in both English and French. The one that finally clinched me a job was conducted via an extremely temperamental internet connection in remote Wales and accompanied by the ruckus of a youth hostel. So, you never know how interviews really went! This was in late August so don't fret if plans take time to come together.
Privatised Pain
The key thing to know about the French visa system is that it has been outsourced to a company called TLScontact. Like all privatised services, their goal is to make profits rather than design a streamlined system. Hence the convoluted mess we’re about to get into…
To obtain a student visa, I first had to complete a form on Études en France (an online platform run by the French foreign ministry). Having written a short paragraph about why I wanted to study in France, attached a document from the ENS, paid £100 and waited a week, I finally received an attestation allowing me to start the main process on France-Visas.
Another form. Quelle surprise! Then, it was off to my appointment in Manchester. The same building also houses the Hungarian and Portuguese consulates. Thankfully, I avoided having to spend my year abroad in Budapest…
“Thankfully, I avoided having to spend my year abroad in Budapest”
After passing airport-style security and surrendering the use of my phone, I waited for hours amid the stifling aura of bureaucracy. Eventually, a representative verified each of my documents one by one: proof of accommodation; proof of funds; GHIC card. Occasionally, they would leave to check something with a superior, sending my anxiety through the roof. However, soon I had scanned my fingerprints and won my freedom. My passport arrived a week later, a relief after paying extra for delivery.
My first visa only covered my studies. I believe, if you already have your internship confirmed, you can attach proof to your Études en France form and get a year-long visa. You may also be able to extend your stay at a French prefecture. I know people who have managed to lengthen their visas to continue studying. However, this may be more difficult when changing activities. Something to look into!
I ended up subjecting myself to the pain (and cost) of applying in the UK once more. I also got confused between a “professional internship” and a “student internship”—the latter only appears on the website if you first click “student”. Consequently, I had to haul myself back to Manchester for a second appointment (and pay another £50). A Convention de stage signed by the Paris prefecture was needed to justify my application. Now that my first visa is marked with an enormous red cross and the word “abrogé”, I always feel slightly criminal when crossing the border.
As for accommodation, I found my first apartment through an advert shared by the faculty. I am constantly uncovering the extensive legacy of that flat, from my boss during her year abroad to another intern at work who moved in when I left! My current studio is an Airbnb. The only other major aspect of preparation was a risk assessment, in which I railed about my certain death by tick-borne encephalitis.
Looking Back
Everyone has different aims when it comes to the year abroad but I am extremely happy with my decision to study and then work. Having more free time at the start of the year helped me get settled, make friends, explore and—most importantly—have fun. I have loved getting to know one city really well, cycling around each arrondissement and learning how everything connects. I may not have left my comfort zone as much as some other students but I still feel like I have had an adventure.
There is so much to tell you—about my job, my new place and (of course) the many strange shows I have attended. However, now that I am working full-time while also writing an 8,000-word dissertation, I may have to keep you in suspense for a little longer… In the meantime, if you are currently planning your year abroad, best of luck! Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
Useful links
History and Modern Languages students