France’s new Schengen visa procedure is set to improve the treatment of applications in Morocco and elsewhere, said the Consulate General of France in Rabat.
Rabat – The consulate added that the procedure is part of an “inevitable dynamic of modernization” in order to streamline public demand and improve the treatment of applicants, in Morocco and elsewhere.
The new changes to the Schengen Visa application procedure will be implemented on December 1.
Read Also: France to Begin New Schengen Visa Application Procedure
Applicants, including Moroccans, will no longer use the TLS Call Center during their visa application process. Instead, applicants will have to create an account on the France-Visas website to complete an online visa application through the TLS contact form.
Explaining the new procedure, the consulate reassured applicants the appointment dates of people who sent their applications before December 1 will not be affected by the change.
Another change that France introduced with this new procedure is the prepayment of TLScontact services which applicants can pay to any Wafacash agency provided they have the visa file number within t 72 hours of obtaining an appointment.
The new payment service will allow managers to maintain control over the flow of requests and limit the “no-show” in reference to individuals who make appointment without showing up.
The General Consulate added in a statement quoted by Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) that a tutorial with more information will be posted in French and Arabic.
together with China Morocco, along with China and Algeria is one of the three countries to which France grants the most visas. In 2017 alone, Moroccan applicants secured including 320,000 French, 85 percent of which were for short stays.
The new procedure is part of France’s broader plan to attract international students to French schools and universities. According to French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, the goal is to attract 500.000 students by 2027.
In October, the French Agency for the Promotion of Higher Education, Hospitality and International Mobility, Campus France, ranked Moroccans as the largest foreign student community in France for the 2017/2018 academic year.
The number of Moroccan students enrolled in French higher education institutions was estimated at 39,855 students during that period.
This week, however, France announced that it will increase studies cost for international students. It remained to be seen whether the new studies expenses will affect the number of Moroccan students in France.
France remains a popular travel destination for Moroccans, according to Jevoyage.ma. France’ popularity among Moroccans is due to “the advantage of accessibility, with frequent flights, in both regular and low-cost flights, which explain their success,”the website explained.
