FranceDestinationPractical guide / official sources
Prepare for a Working Holiday in France: check the Chilean-passport requirements, plan your budget and understand the work and study conditions.
Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
Content reviewed by the site owner; check current requirements in the official sources. The annual cap and announced date do not show remaining places or current availability.
Requirements, application steps and preparation for your trip.
Step 1
Plan submission before turning 30 to leave time. The embassy and France-Visas specify the 30th birthday inclusive; Chile’s page uses ages 18–30. This does not mean the entire year while aged 30. Confirm your case if close to that date.
Chileans must apply in Chile even if living elsewhere. The passport must outlast the visa: the guide requires more than 12 months of validity from planned entry. This page does not apply other nationalities’ exceptions.
The instructions consulted do not list a mandatory French test. Check your individual France-Visas document list. Schools and employers set their own expectations; a course secures neither a visa nor a job.
Explore French courses →The guide requires a police certificate under three months old and a medical certificate with the licensed Chilean practitioner’s details, signature and stamp. Follow France-Visas for forms, photos and copies. You cannot repeat the program even if an earlier visa went unused. Dependants are not permitted. Provide an initial French address, which may be temporary; the guide no longer requests accommodation evidence.
Language courses · commercial service
Through ViveCampus, you can get quotes for language courses with international-student discounts. Offers may vary by your country of origin and destination. Request a personalized quote to confirm available discounts and the final price. Booking a course does not guarantee a visa.
Step 2
The embassy’s 2026 campaign instructions list an annual Chile quota of 400 visas. This is a cap, not remaining places or confirmation of availability. Check the announcements for your intended cycle.
References: 2
The 2026 guide places document submission between six months and 15 days before planned entry. This guarantees neither an appointment nor a timely decision. Use the Vacances-Travail appointment category and prepare early; the next opening is not established here.
References: 2
The embassy guide sets EUR 99, converted at the French ministry’s exchange rate. Payment is in Chilean pesos by cash or card. Insurance, travel, certificates and courses cost extra. Confirm the peso amount before your appointment.
References: 2
France-Visas Chile lists ten working days for long-stay visas generally. This is not an individual guarantee and excludes waiting for an appointment. Confirm your case’s timing and do not make firm bookings based on this reference alone.
References: 3
An appointment is not a visa approval. Check the embassy’s instructions before making firm financial commitments.
Official guidance and application accessStep 3
Wait for the written decision before committing to flights or study. If granted a visa, check its entry dates and all conditions.
The program permits up to 12 months and is non-renewable. If granted a visa, check its printed entry and expiry dates before booking. We do not assume when its validity starts or promise extra time to travel.
Step 4
Tick off what you have reviewed and use the links to return to anything still to do.
A personal planning aid; ticking the list does not confirm visa eligibility. Your ticks are not saved or sent. Reloading this page starts the list again.
Show at least EUR 2,500 of your own funds in a current or savings account. Without a return ticket, add EUR 1,000: EUR 3,500 total. Phone screenshots, guarantors and credit-card limits are not accepted. The minimum is not a complete trip budget.
References: 2
Prepare insurance for illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization and repatriation throughout the visa, plus civil liability cover. Check policy exclusions and dates; a travel-insurance label alone does not establish adequate coverage.
Provide a return ticket or EUR 1,000 on top of the initial EUR 2,500 to buy one. Buying before the decision is at your own risk: the embassy does not guarantee approval. Check change and refund terms before spending.
References: 2
Step 5
Tourism and cultural exchange are the main purpose. The visa permits incidental paid employment without prior administrative work authorization. Respect its validity and conditions; check any conditions relevant to the role before accepting a job.
Explore French courses for language preparation. Study conditions for this visa still need confirmation; we assume neither a six-month allowance nor degree-study permission. Confirm the course and required visa with the authority before paying. A course alone does not authorize work.
Explore French courses →Check that your visa specifies Working Holiday and review its dates. Authorisation is for at most one year, subject to particular provisions.
References: 6
Campus France states that Working Holiday holders are exempt from arrival formalities. Still check your visa and consular instructions; do not automatically apply general VLS-TS rules.
The visa permits incidental salaried work without prior administrative authorisation. Discovering France remains the main purpose; this is not general permission for every activity.
References: 6
France-Visas exempts long-stay visa holders from EES. If your visa expressly requires validation or a residence card, confirm and follow those specific instructions.
References: 7
A starting point for planning, not a promise of a job or accommodation. Check your visa conditions before working or studying.
Plan the route to your accommodation and keep the address available offline. Allow time to rest, get to know the area and adjust your budget to your actual expenses.
Return to my preparation checklist →Update your CV in French and practise a short introduction about your experience. Read what each role asks for and prepare for interview questions. French expectations vary between jobs.
Explore French preparation →Keep the consular contact for the area where you will stay, along with your accommodation details. If you will study, ask the school what arrival guidance it provides.
View consular contacts →If your plans change, review the costs, dates and relevant conditions before making new bookings.
Review each destination separately. Age, insurance and study conditions differ; an age filter does not decide whether you can obtain a visa.
Read the Australia guide → · Compare other destinations →Plan submission before turning 30 to leave time. The embassy and France-Visas specify the 30th birthday inclusive; Chile’s page uses ages 18–30. This does not mean the entire year while aged 30. Confirm your case if close to that date.
Chileans must apply in Chile even if living elsewhere. The passport must outlast the visa: the guide requires more than 12 months of validity from planned entry. This page does not apply other nationalities’ exceptions.
Show at least EUR 2,500 of your own funds in a current or savings account. Without a return ticket, add EUR 1,000: EUR 3,500 total. Phone screenshots, guarantors and credit-card limits are not accepted. The minimum is not a complete trip budget.
References: 2
Prepare insurance for illness, maternity, disability, hospitalization and repatriation throughout the visa, plus civil liability cover. Check policy exclusions and dates; a travel-insurance label alone does not establish adequate coverage.
The program permits up to 12 months and is non-renewable. If granted a visa, check its printed entry and expiry dates before booking. We do not assume when its validity starts or promise extra time to travel.
France-Visas Chile lists ten working days for long-stay visas generally. This is not an individual guarantee and excludes waiting for an appointment. Confirm your case’s timing and do not make firm bookings based on this reference alone.
References: 3
Useful contacts for your trip
Confirm contact details and appointment arrangements before visiting. Visa applications belong with the Embassy of France; do not send visa documents to this site.
Chile’s Paris consulate lists France excluding French Guiana. The French visa service receives applicants in Santiago by appointment; France-Visas does not list a telephone number.
Obispo Donoso 8, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
visas.santiago-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Official contact64 Boulevard de La Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris, France
Official contactIndependent information. We are not a government agency and do not provide immigration or legal advice. Confirm current rules and availability with the issuing authority.
Source research recorded on 15 October 2026. This is not a human-verification date. Check current requirements and instructions on the official government pages before applying.