Visahjelp

Volontaire CES — Corps Européen de Solidarité / European Voluntary Service

The European Solidarity Corps (CES) volunteering visa is the realistic entry route from Vietnam for volunteering in France. Unlike the service civique and volontariat associatif tracks — which require at least one year of prior legal residence in France — CES eligibility is determined by the host organisation's EU programme accreditation, with no prior French residence needed. Typical applicants are young adults aged 18 to 30 selected by an accredited French host for a 2 to 12 month mission. The programme is not salaried: the CES provides pocket money, accommodation, meals, and travel. After arriving in France, the applicant must file for an APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) at the local préfecture within 1 month of arrival.

From the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“Decisions by the Embassy of France in Hanoi or Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City. Visa type: VLS-T « Volunteer » for missions up to 12 months; VLS-TS for longer missions. Post-arrival: APS « volontaire » filed at the préfecture within 1 month of arrival per F17335. The APS is issued for the duration of the mission and costs €100 timbre fiscal. APS-stage documents per F17335 verbatim: 4 photos (not 2), engagement-to-leave letter, signed engagement to respect Republic principles (CESEDA L412-7), justificatif de domicile < 6 months old. 4-month administrative silence = implicit refusal. The volunteer is NOT a salaried employee. EES does not apply (long-stay regime). European volunteers do not need a residence title; Vietnamese applicants do — both the long-stay visa and the APS.”
— French Ministry of Foreign Affairs · French consulates

What you need

  • Per F17335 and the Corps Européen de Solidarité EU programme: (1) selection letter or acceptance document from the CES-accredited French host organisation confirming the volunteer has been selected for a specific CES mission; (2) copy of the host organisation's CES programme accreditation or ESC-accredited project reference; (3) signed volunteering engagement contract (contrat de service volontaire or équivalent) specifying mission duration, role, allowance, accommodation, and meals arrangement; (4) accommodation evidence — typically provided by or arranged through the host; (5) health and accident insurance covering the full mission duration — CES programme typically provides this; confirm the certificate covers France-based activities; (6) civil-status documents (birth certificate); (7) financial-support evidence — CES pocket-money allowance suffices; host provides accommodation and meals; (8) Cerfa 14571-05 generated by the france-visas.gouv.fr interactive assistant. Vietnamese-language documents must be notarised and sworn-translated into French or English. APS-stage documents (filed post-arrival at the préfecture within 1 month per F17335): 4 biometric photos (distinct from the 2 photos at the visa stage per F17335), engagement-to-leave letter (commitment to quit French territory at end of mission), signed engagement to respect the principles of the Republic (CESEDA L412-7), justificatif de domicile less than 6 months old. APS fee: €100 timbre fiscal per F17335. Administrative-silence rule: absence of préfecture response within 4 months = implicit refusal (F17335).

Checklist

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  • Long-stay visa application form (Cerfa 14571-05) — completed via france-visas.gouv.fr assistant, printed, signed *
  • Two recent identical biometric photos at visa stage (35mm × 45mm, ICAO standard) *
  • Original passport (validity covering the planned mission + 3 months; issued within 10 years; 2+ blank pages) *
  • Vietnamese documents — notarised + sworn translation into French or English *
  • Accommodation evidence — typically arranged by or through the CES host organisation *
  • Health and accident insurance covering the full mission duration — CES programme typically provides; confirm the certificate covers France-based activities *
  • Birth certificate (Vietnamese original, notarised + sworn-translated into French or English) *
02

CES programme documents

  • Selection letter or acceptance document from the CES-accredited French host organisation confirming the volunteer's selection for a specific CES mission *
  • Copy of the host organisation's CES/ESC programme accreditation or project reference number *
  • Signed volunteering engagement contract (contrat de service volontaire) — specifying mission duration, role, allowance, accommodation, and meals *
03

Fees

  • Visa fee — verify current amount on france-visas.gouv.fr/en/volontariat before each filing *
  • TLS Contact service fee — reference €25 per application; re-verify on tlscontact.com/vn *
04

APS-stage — post-arrival at préfecture (within 1 month of arrival)

  • APS « volontaire » fee — €100 timbre fiscal per F17335 (paid at the préfecture, post-arrival within 1 month) *
  • Four biometric photos at APS stage — per F17335 verbatim (distinct from the 2 photos at the visa stage) *
  • Engagement-to-leave letter — commitment to quit French territory at end of mission (APS stage per F17335) *
  • Signed engagement to respect the principles of the Republic (CESEDA L412-7) — APS stage per F17335 *
  • Justificatif de domicile less than 6 months old — APS stage per F17335 *

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