French Consulate facilitates visa process in Kurdistan Region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The French Consul General in Erbil on Tuesday announced the consulate is now partnering with a company in Erbil to facilitate and optimize the process for issuing visas to the people of the Kurdistan Region.

In a statement to reporters in Erbil, French Consul General Dominique Mas said they have partnered with VFS Global, a company with which applicants can directly submit their requests instead for visas instead of visiting the consulate.

“Today, we’re very proud together with VFS and its local partners to launch new services. People will not have to go to the consulate. They just come here and give their full file,” French Consul General in Erbil Dominique Mas told reporters.

“Of course, we at the consulate will still be responsible for assessing the files and authorizing the visa or not. It is our responsibility, not the VFS,” he continued. “The VFS will only collect the information and photo of the applicant for the consulate, and then we will return the applications back to the company where customers will be able to take back their passports.”

Visas to France cost €60 (USD $70), and the service fees are €30 (USD $35), for a total of €90(USD $105) for the entire process.

The French official also mentioned visas would only be issued to those who want to visit France and stay within its borders, not for those looking for a means to visit other countries.

“If somebody wants to visit Germany for example, they have to apply for a visa at the German Consulate in Erbil,” Mas added.

There are over 30 foreign consulate and representative offices in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. France opened its consulate in June 2009.

There are strong ties between the Kurdistan Region and France. Bilateral relations have strengthened over the past few years following the emergence of the Islamic State (IS) in northern Iraq.

Former French President François Hollande visited Erbil twice in late 2014 and at the beginning of 2017 before his presidential term ended.

Editing by G.H. Renaud