Educational Trip to France
We will guide you through while preparing before leaving India
This page provides you the information required for your trip
Documents required at the time of filling the visa application form:
- Passport
- Your air-ticket
The France Visa application is now through an online portal.
Visa application form filling
Step 1
Have your passport and the air-ticket by your side
Step 2
Watch the video tutorial provided here. Keep it ready for reference.
Step 3
To start filling the form, go to the website: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/
Download the form after it is submitted online. Take a print of this form and attach/affix a photograph of the traveller on the form at the designated space.
This tutorial is for reference only. While filling the visa application form, use the details relevant to your educational trip (dates, name and address of the French school, etc.)
The Visa forms submission
The printed visa forms along with the following documents are to be submitted at the VFS Office where all participants have to be present personally for the biometrics (finger-marks scanning).
- Printed visa application form duly completed and signed by both the parents (in case of minors).
- Photocopy of the Birth certificate.
- Print of the Travel Insurance.
- Parent Consent Form duly signed by both the parents in two copies on plain paper. (Template accessible below).
- Photocopy of ID Proof (Aadhar Card/ Passport) of both the parents. These should be self-attested.
- Photocopy of last 3 months bank statement of a parent with sufficient funds of minimum Rs. 3 Lakh at all times.
- Photocopy of the passport mentioning personal identity (1st page and last page) and all other pages which contain previous Schengen and valid US, U.K visas.
- Four Passport size recent photograph (not older than 3 months) meeting set standards (Size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, with clear white background, face visibility of 80%),
The visa process takes at least 2 to 3 weeks after submission of the forms at the VFS Office.
E&B will take an appointment for the group at the VFS and will inform the parents and the school coordinator by mail of the date and time for the visa forms submission and biometrics.
The following information will help you know what you can expect during your E&B tour.
Group travel
Group travel is a great opportunity for students to make friends from other cities. Your group is a private group, hence you’ll be traveling with other members of this trip from India and have similar tour and departure dates. It’s important to keep in mind that traveling with others requires thoughtfulness, a good attitude and flexibility with tour organization.
Airport Check-in with your group is at least three hours before your flight. This may also depend on the latest guidelines issued by the airlines or by the travel regulatory authoriries. Please keep in mind to pack lightly as you are responsible for carrying your own luggage.
After you arrive at your final destination (Paris), collect your bags, bring the customs paperwork from your flight and proceed to customs. Clear customs, proceed through immigration and reach the arrivals area. All through this, the E&B Group Leader will be with you.
Arrival day:
Rest and relax on the plane as you may arrive early in the morning and won’t check in to your room with the host family until later in the day. This day can be exciting and challenging because tours are fast-paced. To help you get in sync with the time change, you will get to spend time with your host family, take some rest and prepare for the next big day.
Accommodation
You’ll be stating in a host family chosen by the inviting school. These families are experienced in hosting students from the world over. Get to know the culture by participating in the daily life of the host families, a perfect place to see how the French family functions and sample the local home made cuisine.
Transportation in France
The E&B group leader will take you from the airport directly to the main city where you’ll be welcomed by the host families. You will have convenient bus airport transfers.
When in France, you will use public transport metro/buses. Part of the fun is navigating yourself through your destinations.
Meals
Traveling is a great opportunity to sample a variety of international cuisines and allows you to make your own culinary discoveries. Remember, food abroad might be different than what you’re used to. Breakfast includes breads, rolls, juice, tea and coffee. Your host family will also prepare you a healthy dinner to provide you required nutrients for the next day’s
experience. Dinner is a nutritious balance of familiar dishes and local favorites. Keep in mind that soft drinks and other beverages are not included in your meals.
Make sure to mention any special dietary requirements to your group leader before your tour and to your host
family on the first day of your arrival.
Communication with family
You can buy a local SIM card with Internet and use Whatsapp for calling family back home in India.
E&B Group leader
Throughout the travel and stay, the E&B Group Leader will be with you and will become your primary guide abroad! E&B Group Leaders handle all the logistics of your tour—from Delhi International airport’s check-in to sightseeing and everything in between. They are also experienced travelers who are excited to share their knowledge and to provide important historic and cultural information about the sites and destinations you will visit.
Be aware of:
Climate and temperature of the country/city during the dates of your trip
Note: the houses, classrooms are all centrally heated.
Things to Carry
- Copies of passport, visa, air-ticket, travel insurance
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Shirts/T-Shirts (4 in total)
- Socks (3 pairs in total)
- Undergarments (5 in total)
- Shorts/jeans (2 in total)
- Pajamas/Night suit (1 in total)
- Sweatshirt/Sweaters (1 in total)
- Warm Jacket (1)
- Bathroom bag: towel, shampoo, toothbrush, hairbrush, toothpaste, etc.
- Voltage converter/adapter
- Eyeglasses, contacts and solution, sunglasses
- Medications and copies of prescriptions (in your carry-on bag)
- Addresses (for mailing postcards to friends and family)
E&B’s rules of the trip
Participants not conforming to any of the regulations mentioned below risk disciplinary action and possible dismissal from the tour, returning home at their own expense. This decision is reached in consultation with group leaders, the accompanying school teacher, the Indian/French School’s administration and the student’s parents. Successful group travel relies upon considerate behavior from all participants. Please remember that you are representing your country while you’re abroad. You need to be punctual at all times and be attentive to your group leader, who is responsible for everyone in your group. You also need to respect your E&B Group Leader, who will handle all of the logistics of your trip.
E&B’s rules of the trip
- All scheduled activities are obligatory. A participant unable to attend due to a physical ailment must immediately inform the School Coordinator and the E&B Group Leader.
- Visitors or group members of the opposite gender are not permitted in students’ rooms.
- Shoplifting, possession of illegal drugs and all other illegal activities will not be tolerated and are punishable by immediate dismissal from the tour. All costs to return home are at the participant’s expense.
- Participants are required to pay for any phone calls or incidental personal expenses incurred by them during the stay, in town or in the host family. These will be payable immediately.
- Compensation for damage done to rooms or to buses is the responsibility of the participants. They’ll have to immediately reimburse any damage caused.
- Should the local authorities be involved, participants will be subject to the laws of the country they are visiting.
- Hitchhiking and the driving or renting of any motor vehicle are strictly forbidden for all travelers.
- The consumption of hard liquor is strictly forbidden. Parents may sign a consent form at the group leader’s discretion, giving their permission for students under the age of 21 to consume wine or beer, on occasion and under supervision, in countries where the participant is of legal drinking age.
- Excessive drinking of wine or beer by any participant, of any age, will result in disciplinary action, including dismissal from the tour at the participant’s expense.
- Smoking is not allowed on buses, during meals, in hotel rooms or in any other shared, enclosed space.
- The E&B Group Leader may establish a curfew (usually 10:30pm) when the group is staying in hotel or a hostel. Students are expected to respect the nightly curfew for their own safety and security. Room checks may be conducted each night.
Uncommon circumstances
- If the group has to stay for a prolonged period in case of any airline strike, natural catastrophe or other such event, then the school shall collect the extra cost incurred by E&B from the participants’ parents and make a consolidated payment to E&B.
- E&B shall fulfil the above mentioned programme except in the case of natural catastrophe, calamity, pandemic, international border restrictions and political unrest beyond its control.
Pandemic related issues
- All group members should have completed the vaccination doses as per the Government of India regulations corresponding to their age group.
- All group members have to take a RTPCR Test less than 72 hours before boarding the flight (or as per the Govt. guidelines at the time of departure).