GETTING a visa to travel to France or the countries of the Schengen area will not be so straightforward come December 1.
This is because the Embassy of France in Fiji is laying off up to 10 staff, some of them local, as it closes its visa section as a cost-cutting measure.
While he would not confirm how many local staff would remain at the end of the downsizing, French ambassador to Fiji Michel Djokovic said the mission would ensure a smooth transition.
“Unfortunately, it’s because of budgetary constraints. We have 17 staff now and we will have seven staff at the end of the (downsizing) process next year. The embassy will not close, we will do our best to strengthen our bilateral relationship,” Mr Djokovic said.
The visa section will be closed by December 1, but the embassy has not made a decision yet on the mode of visa application the citizens within their jurisdiction will have to follow.
The Embassy of France in Suva issues visas to citizens and residents of Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, Nauru and Kiribati for travel to Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium.
Mr Djokovic said the embassy was exploring the option of sending applications to its mission in Port Vila, Vanuatu, or outsourcing the application exercise to a private company as done by the missions of Australia and New Zealand.
The EU delegation for the Pacific based in Suva is not alternative as it was not competent to carry out the tasks associated with visa applications, Mr Djokovic added.
Not all staff who will be laid off are from its visa section and Mr Djokovic assured all effort was being taken to ensure minimal fall out.
“The core of the embassy will be maintained. The local laws will be respected, we will manage it in a very smooth manner,” he said.
He said along with exchanges, Fiji has with New Caledonia and French Polynesia, the French Government would continue its bilateral projects with Fiji funded by the French Pacific Fund.
