Students, teachers and researchers invited by a France academic establishment or laboratory, along with holders of Talent passport, can now apply for a visa. The French embassy, on August 22, 2020, said that seven visa facilitation services (VFS) centres have become operational in India from August 17, 2020.
These VFS centres have been opened in the Indian cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi and Bengaluru. According to the embassy, they have been opened to make the application process easier amid the pandemic.
Adding to that, it also informed that around 118 Indian students, involved as English language assistants, wish to travel to France by the end of September. The programme aims to offer Indians who can speak French an opportunity to work and live in France and gain professional exposure.
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In order to ensure the safety of such students, the involved French universities have taken all necessary steps to welcome international students to campus. The applications will be processed in phases every week and all social distancing and other public health guidelines have been put in place at the centres. Courier services along with the collection of biometric data through mobile are also being arranged to limit in-person contacts.
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The facility shall be limited to researchers or professors invited or employed by an academic institution in France or a research laboratory; Indian students going to France in Autumn 2020 for higher students for more than three months, internships or short-term studies; and those who have a valid Talent passport or a long-term visa.
Referring to the same, French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain stated that France is returning to normalcy and international students should be able to benefit from the same.
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