Visa & Travelling to France
Visa Application – General information
The following information is provided by the Official France-Visas Website Governement. We recommend that all overseas participants read this carefully.
All foreign nationals require a visa to enter the Schengen area unless exempt.
This exemption depends on:• The nationality of the applicant;• The type of passport;• Whether the traveller has a residence permit or a long-stay visa valid in France or a State that applies the Schengen accords;• The duration of stay;• The part of the French Republic the traveller plans to visit (France’s European or non-European territories).
How long does it take to get a visa?
Visa processing times vary depending on the nationality of the applicant, the purpose of the stay and the local visa issuing conditions. To apply for a short-stay visa, the application must be submitted at least two weeks prior to your planned visit; however, it can not be submitted more than three months prior to your planned visit. It is the responsibility of the applicant to take the necessary precautions in terms of respecting deadlines when an appointment system is in place.
Certain types of visa require special checks (e.g. civil status, etc.) or consulting different French authorities, which may extend the processing time.
To get more information about the Visa application
Visa Letter
A VISA letter is available to download from your online profile. Once you have no outstanding fees associated with your registration, log into your profile with your email and password, go through the purple dashboard on the right side. You will be prompted to enter your passport details. Once completed the VISA letter will then be available to download.
*If your VISA application has been rejected, the registration payment will be refunded, pending evidence of the rejection letter. Please contact registration@ipac20.org if you require assistance. If you require your VISA letter to include details of your program contribution, please include your contribution title and ID number when requesting these letters.
Time Zones
France has only one time zone : UTC+1, Central European Time. Our web site is on UTC.
Electrical Plugs
You may need an adapter in order to plug your appliances into the power sockets: the adapter required for France are Type C or Type E. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
Currency
The currency in France is EUROS (€) which comes in denominations of 5€, 10€, 20€, 50€, 100€, 200€ and 500€ notes. Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent and one and two euros denominations. Only Euros are accepted.
Credit card such as Visa, Master card and American Express are accepted.
Weather
Weather in May is normally very pleasant but an umbrella may be useful. Day-time average temperature is around 16°C, evening temperature around 8°C.
Tips
Tips is always included in the prices given in taxis and restaurants in FranceTipping is not expected but appreciated.
International dialing code
The french dialing code is +33.
Smoking ban
Smoking is banned in all indoor public places and restaurants in Caen. The Event Center is a non-smoking place and smoking is not permitted inside the venue.