Issuance and delivery of the visa

The French consulate

Upon receiving mail from OFII, the consulate will send a letter to the applicant, who should normally be a resident in Canada (i.e. have a Canadian address), inviting them to make an appointment. The applicant will need to bring the application and supporting documents. A few days after the appointment (up to 3 weeks maximum), the applicant will receive mail asking them to drop off their passport at the consulate, so that a sticker (vignette) can be affixed to it. Once in France, the applicant will need to make an appointment with OFII to get a second sticker affixed to their passport, as well as to complete a medical visit.

Other remarks

Applicants for the 3A visa should reside in Canada. It is not possible to complete the process entirely on French soil, because at least one of the steps involves going in person to the French embassy or consulate in Canada.

The most important and beneficial thing to have is an employer (ideally one that you started working for with on a Working Holiday Visa) that is willing to complete all the necessary paperwork and await your return to France to resume work.