Chennai: The Bureau de France, Chennai, Chancery detached from the Consulate General of France in Puducherry, will celebrate first year anniversary on Wednesday. Elaborate arrangements are being made on the occasion at the Bureau de France, Dr Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore.
A press issued by the Bureau de France, Chennai, stated that inaugurated in October 2017 by the Ambassador of France Mr Alexandre Ziegler, the Bureau has improved its functions with the weekly presence of the Consul General Ms. Catherine Suard, and several day-to-day services including, consular and visas services, French Institute in India, Business France and Campus France.
Set up to reinforce exchanges, cooperation, and mobility between France and India, the bureau had rapidly developed its role in several sectors and strengthened the French presence in the Southern states.
Transferring the visa services to Chennai was a strategic decision to cut short the process time of Schengen visas for tourism and business, since a major part of the applications come from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Today, Schengen short term visas are issued within 48 hours and the bureau expects to process more than 25,000 visas this year.
As the target of 10,000 Indian students in France by 2020 set by the French President, the student mobility accorded priority by the Bureau and Campus France, the agency for promotion of higher studies in France. This year, 750 student files have been processed and visas granted for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala so far.
Through the French Institute in India, partnerships have been strengthened between South Indian and French educational institutions. The ‘School of Excellence in French’ network has been developed and more French language tutors have been assigned in the most prestigious institutions across the state.
The promotion of French language has been supported by Bonjour India edition and events such as 'La Grande Dictée' for students from standard-8 to their bachelors.
The French economic presence is strong in Tamil Nadu, with 118 branches and 29 headquarters. The Bureau and Business France accompany economic stakeholders via different initiatives organized in collaboration with our multiple partners. The Bureau and Business France accompany economic stakeholders via different initiatives organized in collaboration with our multiple partners.
The Bureau’s presence in Chennai has been the opportunity not only to start building a network of contacts, but also to offer a larger pool of services in proximity to the French community, which accounts more than 800 people currently in Chennai. Looking ahead, “The road map is drawn: doing more, doing better, with all of you,” said Ms. Suard, Consul General of France, in Puducherry and Chennai.
