Foreign Language Assistant / Reader

Read General Information prior to applying.

The applicant must apply for the visa and get it in his/her country of residence before traveling.

STEP 1

You must first be selected to take up a position as an «assistant» in a French high school or a «lecteur» in a French university.

STEP 2

Once you have received the original of your arrêté de nomination or work contract, please schedule an appointment with the French consulate

You have to apply with the French Consulate in Washington DC if you reside in one of the following states: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia.

If you do not reside in one of those states, you have to apply with another French Consulate, depending on where you live in the United states. To know where to apply, click here.

The processing time is 2-3 weeks.

 Passport valid for a period of three months beyond the applicant’s last day of stay in the Schengen states (+ 1 copy of the identification page). Please make sure your passport has a blank page to affix the visa.

 1 long stay application form completely and clearly filled out in French. Please print in black. Indicate your phone numbers and e-mail address.

  Translation in English of the long stay visa application form.

 1 photograph (more information about the photograph). All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph.

 A proof of your address (in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia). If you are neither living nor studying in one of the 6 above mentioned states, you have to apply with another French consulate : click here:

• copy of your driver’s license or state ID

OR

• original and copy of a utility bill no old than 3 months OR lease agreement OR deed of house/apartment (For bills, are accepted ONLY : water, electricity, resident phone, cable or rent slip. Other bills, for example cellphone, or insurance bills will be declined), showing the name and proving the address of the applicant. Any other situation is subject to review by the immigration officer of the visa section and may not make you illegible for a visa application until met.

 For non American citizens, a proof of resident status in the US (Green card, valid US visa along with a copy of valid I-20 or valid I-AP66, visas…).

 For language assistants, the nomination order "arrêté de nomination" from the Education authority stamped by the Labor Department (DIRECCTE) having jurisdiction over the employer in France (original and 1 copy) and/or the Cerfa work contract approved by the DIRECCTE (original and 1 copy).

 For readers, the Cerfa work contract approved by the DIRECCTE (original and 1 copy).

 The visa is free of charge.

 You can choose whether to :

• leave your passport at the visa office and get it back with when your visa is granted. Please prepare a prepaid self-addressed registered express mail envelope (UPS or USPS, no FedEx), to get your passport back with the visa stamped in, if granted. (we recommend this option)
• keep your passport during the process of your visa. You will then get a pre-approval letter when your visa has been granted. With this letter, you will be allowed to come back to the embassy with your passport any morning we are open before 10 a.m, without making an appointment. You cannot decide to send your passport to the visa section afterwards to get the visa stamped if you initially choose this option.

You cannot leave the USA before your visa is granted.

 For future paperwork in France to allow the language assistant or reader to get his/her registration to the French "Sécurité Sociale" : the birth certificate and its translation into French from an accredited translator. The birth certificate can be translated once in France by an authorized translator. See US embassy’s website.