New visas for the French

New visas for the French

The French can, since November 13, 2015, visit Thailand and the surrounding countries without fear of seeing their visa expire. Indeed, the Thai authorities have just introduced a “Multiple Entry Tourist Visa” (METV) or multiple-entry tourist visa. This new visa allows you to stay for 6 months in the Land of Smiles by making several entries. It should be noted that each of these entries must not exceed more than 60 days. You can obtain this document in a Thai consulate for a price of 5,000 baht (about 128 euros).

In addition, if you plan to leave for Canada by plane as of March 15, 2016, you will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). It is quite similar to the American ESTA and will cost you $7 Canadian, or between €5 and €6. Valid for 5 years, it allows you to make several stays in maple country for a maximum of 6 months each time. Finally, if you have traveled to Iraq, Iran, Syria or Sudan in the past five years, you will no longer be able to have the ESTA authorization. However, you can apply for a 2016 visa in person directly at the United States Consulate in Paris.

To keep you informed of the news in terms of visas, we recommend the article by Tourdumondistes, regularly updated.

Travel insurance for visas

Whether you plan to spend an unforgettable sports holiday with your family, to experience a beautiful romantic getaway or to go on an adventure to the end of the world, it is important to take a minimum of precautions. Indeed, an accident or illness can spoil your stay. It is in these situations that taking out travel insurance makes sense, allowing you to continue your stay with peace of mind.

Moreover, there are cases where travel insurance is mandatory. Indeed, some countries such as Cuba, Russia, Algeria or China condition the issuance of a visa to the subscription of travel insurance.

Beyond compliance with these administrative provisions, this type of insurance can really help you out in the event of unforeseen travel. Generally, travel insurance such as the Globe Partner offer from ACS covers a number of guarantees such as:

Medical and hospitalization costs including treatment and medication. In the event of hospitalization, travel insurance may include the presence of a loved one with the insured.
Repatriation to France if your health situation requires it.
Baggage insurance for the entire round trip and which covers both theft and loss or damage to your personal effects by the transport company.
Civil liability to cover material or bodily damage that you may cause to a third party during your stay.
In some cases, travel insurance may include additional guarantees such as premature return caused by a serious accident affecting a loved one who has remained in France, or the reimbursement of lawyer's fees as well as the advance of criminal bail if you have trouble with the justice system in your destination country.

The visa is generally necessary to go on a trip to many countries. It is therefore important to find out whether it is compulsory or not, but also to know the terms of its issuance as well as its cost. In order to prepare for any eventuality, it is more prudent to take out travel insurance before your departure, especially since this formality is compulsory for certain destinations. ACS has a range of travel insurance designed to cover each category of traveler.