VISAHJELP

Volontaire CES — Corps Européen de Solidarité / European Voluntary Service

Long-stay visa pathway for a Vietnamese national selected by a CES-accredited French host organisation to carry out a European Solidarity Corps (Corps Européen de Solidarité — CES) volunteering mission in France. CES is the realistic Vietnam-entry volunteering route: unlike service civique (F13278) and volontariat associatif (F13273), which require ≥1 year prior France residence, CES eligibility is determined by the EU programme accreditation of the host — no prior French residence required. Typical Vietnamese profile: young adult aged 18–30 selected by an accredited French host organisation for a 2–12 month volunteering mission. Visa type: VLS-T for missions ≤12 months; VLS-TS for longer missions. No salary — the CES programme pays a monthly pocket-money allowance and covers accommodation, meals, and travel. Post-arrival, the applicant files for an APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) « volontaire » at the préfecture within 1 month of arrival per F17335.

LAST VERIFIED · 2026-05-14 SOURCE: France-Visas · Independent · not affiliated

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

17
  • 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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