vi•sa /’vēzə/
Noun An endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to enter, leave or stay for a specified period of time in a country.
When I started researching how to go to France I found that it was not possible for me to stay there for over 3 months UNLESS I possessed a Schengen visa. After countless hours of investigating the who’s, what’s, where’s, when’s and how’s I came to the realisation that I had three options;
1. Get a 12 month working visa, requirements are I would have to organise a job in France while still living in Australia, and rely on the goodness of my employers’ heart to organise and sponsor my trip
2. Become a tourist for a year where I would have to have enough financial support to get me through a year without an income PLUS sign a contract stating that I will not obtain work in France,
Or
3. Apply for a Schengen working holiday visa, which is pretty much a mix of the top 2 and hope my application is better than the other couple of hundred Aussie hopefuls trying to experience la vie en rose!
Obviously neither of the first two visas work for me because a) I don’t possess any special qualifications at the moment and b) I don’t have $15 000+ in my bank account killing time. Upon further research and plenty of whinging I found that I could qualify for the working holiday visa. Everything seems easily enough for me to get except; the complex insurances and the proof of $5000 in my bank account. So, for the last 2 months I have been saving every penny to come up with the required money.
The documents I will be presenting for my Visa are:
Passport*
Passport photos - at least 2 and an extra one for the application form, 350mm x 450mm
An Attestation d’accueil from the host family
Proof of funds - $5000
-Letter from the bank*
-Bank statement & payslips of the last 3 months*
Insurance -Letter from medical insurance*
-Receipt of medical insurance*
-Photocopy of insurance card
-The policy brochure
X2 Platinum Express post envelopes, filled out and ready for my passport and visa (fingers crossed)
Travel Itinerary*
National Police check*
Application Form (in black ink and block letters)
Checklist
Cover letter in English with French translation
Resume (in French)
Photocopy of birth certificate
Photocopy of Australian Citizenship.
*requires a photocopy of original document
The rest is manageable and all will be presented in a pretty display folder with numbered pages....that’s just how I roll. This week I’m holding myself responsible for researching possible insurance companies, finding out how to get personal liability insurance, writing my cover letter and translating my resume and said cover letter into French - not an easy feat for someone if they don’t have a handy French boyfriend and great French teacher.
I am currently a waitress and barista at a busy gourmet bakery/café in a sleepy suburb of Tasmania and have been raving on about my decision for my new adventure to everyone within eyesight. Luckily for me I’ve received tonnes of enthusiasm from everybody and the gift of personal knowledge from experience; the good, the bad and the ugly. It made me realise, not only do I have a limitless amount of “firsts” to appreciate but I also have a whole WORLD just waiting to be discovered! It’s the first initial step that’s the hardest to get the ball rolling but once it’s started, you’re halfway there.
Abientot mon amis
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