Skip to content

France to speed up visas for PH, other Asian countries

An employee validates an extension visa on a foreign student’s passport at a foreign visas office in Paris November 18, 2011.
(REUTERS / MANILA BULLETIN)


After a drop in 2016 following a wave of attacks that hit Paris and Nice, tourist numbers are rebounding this year. France is eyeing a record of as many as 89 million foreign tourists, up from 83 million last year, and 100 million visitors in 2020.

Citizens of the Philippines, Russia, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Indonesia will from Nov. 1 see the time to get a visa – which now takes around 10 days or so, more in peak season – fall to 48 hours.

This measure, which is already in place for a few other countries, including Qatar, would be extended to Saudi Arabia and Vietnam next year if a change in EU visa procedures for those countries allow it.

The government also said it would assign more staff to airport passport checks to limit waiting time to 30 minutes for EU citizens and 45 minutes for non-EU citizens.

Tourism generates over 7 percent of France’s gross domestic product and employs 2 million people.

Shared from : mb.com.ph


Back To Top