The situation
Appointments at French consular posts in some countries are temporarily unavailable during a transition to a new appointment system.
A closer look
- New appointment system. All French consular posts are transitioning to a new appointment system before July 2018. Availability of the new system will vary between consular posts.
- Previous system unavailable. The former appointment system is no longer available. Some consular posts have temporarily taken down websites relating to appointments, or in exceptional cases have taken down the entire website.
- Transition process. Consular posts may allow appointment bookings via phone or email during the transition period at their discretion. Fragomen will contact affected applicants to find an appropriate workaround to minimize delay.
- Locations not affected by the change. The new appointment system is already in place in India and China, so these locations will not be affected by the change.
Impact
Employers and foreign workers are advised to account for delays in work start dates, as all French long-term work authorization options involve a consular visa application.
Background
Visa appointments will be organized and operated by new visa service providers TLScontact or VFS Global going forward.
Looking ahead
The new appointment system should be in place in all locations by July 2018. Delays may continue through August as a result of backlogs due to the system's temporary outage, and due to the normal summer increase in consular appointment requests.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen
Awards
The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America™ honors numerous Fragomen attorneys for excellence in immigration law, including Partner Sarah K. Peterson, who received the distinguished “Lawyer of the Year” award.
Video
In this video, Senior Manager Ben Morgan offers a comprehensive overview of Greek citizenship by descent—a key pathway for individuals with Greek ancestry to obtain citizenship.
Blog post
Partner Aim-on Larpisal and Senior Knowledge Management Specialist outline key visa options available to international students seeking to study in Thailand, emphasizing strategic planning for a smooth application process.
Fragomen news
Partner Charles Johanes contributed insights to the Australia section of a global immigration and mobility guide.
Media mentions
Pittsburgh Managing Partner Alex Castrodale and Associate Adam Teets highlight the need for US employers to prepare for unannounced immigration compliance checks.
Blog post
Associates Stephanie Fitton and Halil Kaya and Paralegal Marcus Alexander Lang-Rawlings discuss how UK changes to the Skilled Worker visa in 2025 are reshaping sports sector employment.
Blog post
Assistant Business Immigration Managers Jeszel Panistante-Cabral, Elsie Lim and Nellanie Quimson explore the complexities young professionals face entering the workforce and the evolving hiring landscape in Singapore.
Blog post
Director David Iannella discusses Fragomen Germany’s approach to outbound immigration solutions and how the office supports global mobility through visa services and compliance expertise.
Blog post
Corporate Services Manager Asfandyar Sheikh and Assistant Corporate Services Manager Ka-Ying Leung discuss Saudi Arabia’s push for corporate transparency through new ownership disclosure rules.
Video
In this video, we share an overview of Fragomen's posted worker compliance solutions.
Blog post
Partner Jo Antoons and Managers Sara Fekete and Andreia Florina Ghimis explore how digitalization is reshaping European compliance programs and share how organizations can prepare with Fragomen’s support.
Media mentions
Partner Rajiv Naik examines how the UK’s industrial strategy and immigration reforms will reshape talent access and create new opportunities for HR and mobility teams.
Awards
The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America™ honors numerous Fragomen attorneys for excellence in immigration law, including Partner Sarah K. Peterson, who received the distinguished “Lawyer of the Year” award.
Video
In this video, Senior Manager Ben Morgan offers a comprehensive overview of Greek citizenship by descent—a key pathway for individuals with Greek ancestry to obtain citizenship.
Blog post
Partner Aim-on Larpisal and Senior Knowledge Management Specialist outline key visa options available to international students seeking to study in Thailand, emphasizing strategic planning for a smooth application process.
Fragomen news
Partner Charles Johanes contributed insights to the Australia section of a global immigration and mobility guide.
Media mentions
Pittsburgh Managing Partner Alex Castrodale and Associate Adam Teets highlight the need for US employers to prepare for unannounced immigration compliance checks.
Blog post
Associates Stephanie Fitton and Halil Kaya and Paralegal Marcus Alexander Lang-Rawlings discuss how UK changes to the Skilled Worker visa in 2025 are reshaping sports sector employment.
Blog post
Assistant Business Immigration Managers Jeszel Panistante-Cabral, Elsie Lim and Nellanie Quimson explore the complexities young professionals face entering the workforce and the evolving hiring landscape in Singapore.
Blog post
Director David Iannella discusses Fragomen Germany’s approach to outbound immigration solutions and how the office supports global mobility through visa services and compliance expertise.
Blog post
Corporate Services Manager Asfandyar Sheikh and Assistant Corporate Services Manager Ka-Ying Leung discuss Saudi Arabia’s push for corporate transparency through new ownership disclosure rules.
Video
In this video, we share an overview of Fragomen's posted worker compliance solutions.
Blog post
Partner Jo Antoons and Managers Sara Fekete and Andreia Florina Ghimis explore how digitalization is reshaping European compliance programs and share how organizations can prepare with Fragomen’s support.
Media mentions
Partner Rajiv Naik examines how the UK’s industrial strategy and immigration reforms will reshape talent access and create new opportunities for HR and mobility teams.