On Monday, April 7, the Consul General of France in Jeddah, Mr. Mohamed Nahad, inaugurated the new visa application center inside the VFS center in Jeddah. This step comes within the framework of strengthening France’s commitment to facilitating exchanges with Saudi Arabia.
The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of a number of prominent figures, including His Excellency the Director General of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makkah Region Branch, His Excellency Mr. Farid Al-Shehri.
His Excellency the Consul General, Mr. Mohammed Nihad, delivered a speech on this occasion, in which he stressed the importance of the strategic partnership between the two countries, pointing out that France is keen to promote tourism and receive more Saudi visitors, by providing an accessible, high-quality experience and specially designed to meet their needs, while ensuring their comfort and satisfaction.
The new center has a capacity of up to 700 visa applications per day, and features additional windows and modern reception spaces. This modern center will contribute to improving the reception process and processing applications more efficiently.
This center is the first gateway to France for visa applicants in Jeddah, and it is the only center of its kind operated at this level by a country within the VFS center in Jeddah. This new facility is part of the approach to continuous improvement of the user experience, in response to the aspirations and feedback of applicants. France will continue to facilitate and streamline procedures to meet the needs of Saudi applicants.
In 2024, Saudi citizens submitted 80,750 visa applications to France. France remains a favorite destination for Saudi tourists, who like to visit various French regions rich in history and culture, such as Paris, the French Riviera, Mount Saint-Michel, and Bordeaught, because of its unique experience that combines beauty, art, and cultural diversity.
The opening of this new center represents an important step in the path of bilateral cooperation, and embodies the common desire to strengthen the ties of the relationship between the two countries.
