Passports & Visas

PASSPORTS

Each student is responsible for applying for his or her passport immediately. Applications are available at U.S. post offices, a county courthouse or government center. If you are unsure of where to apply for a passport in your area, the State Department's website can be very useful:

http://travel.state.gov

Plan on at least 2-5 months to get a new passport.
If a student already has a passport, be sure to check the expiration date. Make sure that it does not expire until at least six months after the completion of the program.

Students will need:

Passport application
A certified copy of his or her birth certificate, not a photocopy.
Two recent 2" x 2" passport photos, full front view. We recommend having two extra passport photos to take to France in the event of a lost passport.

Teachers will schedule a "passport check" at one of the meetings, at least twelve weeks before departure.

Before departure, students will receive around-the-neck passport holders from VIE. Please see that they use them! We also recommend that they make three photocopies of the inside front page of their passport: one to turn in to the teacher, another to carry separately in their luggage, and a copy to leave at home. Having a copy will greatly facilitate replacing a lost document.

VISAS

At this time a visa is not required for U.S. citizens traveling to France; we will notify you if this situation changes.

Non-U.S. citizens must contact their nearest French consulate immediately for any necessary visas. VIE is not responsible for obtaining visas for foreign citizens; however, VIE will provide any necessary documentation to help in obtaining a visa, upon request. Students who will need a visa should begin working on this immediately upon registration in the program, as the process of getting a visa can often take months. We suggest teachers and students visit http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org for more information about specific visa requirements.