Ambassador of France to Kuwait Olivier Gauvin talking to the press

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 1: The Ambassador of France to Kuwait Olivier Gauvin says France is the top Schengen destination for Kuwaitis, which reflects the long-standing friendship between the two countries. He highlighted that the large number of Kuwaitis who choose France for their holidays demonstrates the vitality of economic and cultural exchanges. Speaking at a press conference marking the reopening of the newly renovated Capago Center at Al-Rayah Center in the presence of several ambassadors and representatives of European diplomatic missions, Ambassador Gauvin affirmed that France retained its position as the world’s most popular travel destination in 2024, after receiving more than 100 million visitors. He revealed that the consular section processed 36,000 visa applications in 2024, with the embassy’s consular team handling approximately 150 applications daily, a number that could increase to 300 during the summer.

Ambassador Gauvin said, “We are committed to providing a high-quality experience for Kuwaiti citizens who wish to visit France”. Highlighting the services offered by Capago to visa applicants, he said, “The contract for the Capago branch in Kuwait, which was established in 2012, has been renewed for another five years. This reflects the continued confidence of the French administration. The Kuwait City visa center has undergone a complete renovation to enhance the user experience and improve the comfort and well-being of visa applicants.” Ambassador Gauvin explained that the new design has modern elements, including more spacious waiting areas and upgraded facilities.

The number of counters has increased from nine to ten in the standard area and from three to four in the VIP area, thereby boosting the center’s processing capacity. New tailored services will soon be introduced to offer personalized solutions for each applicant. Among these services, pre-checking of documents before appointments will ensure complete applications, and reduce processing time to under five minutes at the center. On September 8, 2023, the European Commission decided to implement the “Cascade Visa”, marking an important step in facilitating travel for Kuwaiti citizens to Europe.

The “Cascade Visa” is only available to Kuwaiti citizens for short-term tourist purposes. Applicants of other nationalities must apply for a separate visa for each stay in France. Ambassador Gauvin said, “For the first application for a short-term tourist visa, Kuwaiti citizens will receive a multiple-entry visa valid for five years. Applicants must complete the visa procedures at the embassy of the Schengen country where they plan to spend the majority of their first stay. After the initial trip, subsequent stays can be made in any Schengen country, as long as each stay does not exceed 90 days within 180 days. For each trip, the visa holder must provide proof of residence, an insurance certificate covering the duration of the stay, proof of means of subsistence, and a copy of the round-trip flight ticket. A visa cannot be issued with a validity longer than the remaining period of the passport. To obtain a five-year visa, the passport must have at least five years of validity left. If the passport’s validity is shorter, the visa will be issued for a duration matching the passport’s validity, ranging from six months to four years. The visa’s expiration date will be set to ensure it expires three months before the passport’s expiration”.