Plea bargaining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plea bargaining - Essay Example However, if the criminal knows he will most likely be pleading guilty to a lesser crime than the crime he is committing, the punishment for the lesser crime might not be enough to prevent him from committing it. While I agree that it is certainly true that many criminals will get away with a lesser charge, I think the harm caused by this is mitigated by the fact that more guilty criminals will be convicted. This is because it seems that someone who knows they are guilty is likely to accept a lesser charge, even if there is a possibility they will be acquitted. The second issue has to do with the concern that innocent people will plead guilty to lesser crimes. Although the defendant may know he is innocent, instead of maintaining this position, he may feel coerced into accepting the plea bargain. The innocent person may feel it’s not worth the risk to face the greater charge, and feel almost forced to plead guilty to a charge he never committed. I agree this is a serious moral issue, for if large amounts of people are pleading guilty to crimes they did not commit, then the credibility of our justice system is undermined. Despite moral criticisms plea bargains continue to play a key role in our justice system. Prosecutors still often benefit from the ability to get more convictions, while defense attorneys benefit from being able to get their clients a better deal. Perhaps more regulation needs to be provided to prevent coercion of innocent people. It’s doubtful though, that plea-bargaining will ever be eliminated from our legal system completely, and it will likely remain

Religion and Corruption in Nigeria Essay Example for Free

Religion and Corruption in Nigeria Essay In the constitution of our nation religion feature prominently at the very beginning. I the preamble to the 199 constitution, it is affirmed and solemnly resolved that we intend to live in hrity and harmony as one indivisible and in dissolvable fevereigh nation under God. Indeed the overwhelming mighty of Nigerian are religions people we believe in the supremacy of God, we believe that God is the very basis of our individual lives and our corporate existence. We believe in and relate with supernatural realities through prayers and supplications and through the offering of sacrifices find churches, musgus shrines and Sunday prayer houses everywhere in the land we take part in crusades, worship sessions and might rights, we offer sacrifices and observe fasting days and religions holidays, and we so in large numbers on religion is pilgrimages to Jerusalem and mecca, taking pride in being called Jerusalem pilgrims (JP) or Alhaji throughout our lives. While thee is noticeable decline in religion farour in may parts of the world to lay the religion inter praise seem to thrive very much in Nigeria, as more and more company ware houses private buildings, schools, and our spirit stadia are being courted to prayer arena, and the stadia hort more religion crusades than for spiriting events. It is noticeable that street within our town and villages as well as inter-state highways are often blocked these days by enthusiastic worshippers who flock to church and camp meetings. It is not and exaggeration to state that there are as many churches and Mosques as there are streets in our urban areas. According to Norimitsa Onishi in an article in new York times march 13,2002 â€Å"Christianity is growing faster in sub-Saharan Africa than in any other place on earth. Roman Catholicism and the other Major protestant denomination are gaing mine follows everyday, but new churches are leading the boom. Within this religion firmament, bishops, evangelists pastors, prophet, faith leaders and visionaries, as well as sheikhs, mams and gurus of all sorts are swelling in number and having a failed day in recent past a new dimension has been added to the throwing religions enterprise. And this is the increased patronage of high ranking public official who not openly call for and sponsm regular prayers sessions in different churches and prayer houses have themselves become born again Christians and prayer erchants, often appearing at church crusades and prayer vigils with all the paraphernalia of public office and sometimes grabbing the microphone to render sanctiononion homilies and earthshaking prayers. Also worthy of note is that these days prayer and preaulims sessions are no longer limited to churches, Mosques and homes, but they are held in government offices, in commercial buses, corporate boardrooms and in open markets. Nigerian going about their daily businesses are seen brandishi ng the Bible Wkoran, the Rosary or Islamic prayer beads. The langeil bill boards in our town and cities are those colvertising upcoming religions crusades are faith healing carnivals. The exclamations, to God be the glory, praise the Lord, the Lord is God, Bless you, â€Å" and Alaahu wa K’bar,† are often on the lips of Nigeria at worker at play from the exacted members of the National Executive council or Council of State to the young own who are about to sick common entrance examination. Succinctly put from all outward indication Nigerians are a chronically religions people. Unarguably one can perrps say about there is no nation in the modem world unit as muner religiosity as contemporary Nigerian . Now how do you place the religion piety of Nigeria with the endemic corruption in our society ? With all the show of religiosity one would have expected to see a very high degree of social morality in Nigeria, since all world religions generally promote truth, justice, honesty and probity. But this is a reverse case withy us. The is an embarrassing contradiction between the high ethical demands of the religion profess by majority of Nigerian and the phenomenon of corruption greed and graft that has earned our country one of the most corrupt nation in the world. Some observes of the phenomenon actually say that corruption is so endemic in the Nigeria society that the society economic and political system can almost not tinetion without it. Along side religiosity corruption in its many shapes and sizes is becoming in Nigeria- from the petty bribery taken in the work in the office or the policeman at the check point, to the grand corruption by which huge project contract are hurriedly awarded, not for the sake of common good, but because of the greed awarding official, who requires some money via contract â€Å"kick-baiks† The Nigeria society is prevalence with frauct, thievery and roguery even as our environment is a wash with prayers and ritual sacrifices to the God of truth, justice and holiness. Doesn’t it seen a contradictory to many highly placed Nigeria hat they embezzle and misappropriate stupendous amounts of public and company, and even church funds while at the same time trying to occupy the front seats and even struggle or pray to take religion titles in their churches corruption is so perverse that it has infiltrated every facet of the Nigeria society procure medical certificates of fitness from hospitals when they have not undergone any medicate testy obtain sick leave permits from doctors when they hale and hearty, falsify the age of their children obtain fake certificate in order to gel them to school or obtain jobs for them, routinely swear to false affidavit in order to obtain false age declarations when seeking employment etc. it is a statement or fast that many or those who today and drivers licence have never been to a drawing school. They simply pay for the license and declare themselves drivers thereby putting the lives of genuine drivers into jeopa rdy. Many of our country men who flock our churches on Sundays and fill the mosque on Fridays are constantly involve in such fraudulent activities as evading tax, issuing and obtaining of take receipts, over invoicing and under –invoicing importation of take drugs, petty and large scale bribery, take anclit report, adverse fee frond, ete. All these practices are so common place so inside spread that many Nigerian youths can not decipher between good eril or between what is right and wrong. As a result, corruption in Nigeria has been described as system, and the consequence are legion corruption has bred in efficiency and diminished productivity in both the public and private sectors of the economy. It has discourage investment, fuelled capital flight, increased unemployment and inflation, created and acute degree of poverty, brought about a severe decline in the quality of life and life expectancy in Nigeria and given Nigeria and Nigeria a terribly bad image in the cornity of Nations. Infant corruption is an affront on human dignity and an assault on the human conscience apart from being a negation of the Christian rocation to promote holiness and righteousness in the world. Are they truly Christians? This question is pertinent and fundamental because many of our people who engage in the sharp practices enumerated above would like to be seen as pious Christians. But really are they? Do they really know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of holiness and righteousness, who in Leviticus 19:2 says† be holy for the Lord am holy† Do they really know the God of Moses and Joshua who on mount Siriat presented the ten commandment as the tempt of his contract with him people insisting that fidelity to this ethical code is what will distinguish his people from others? Do Nigerian who claim to worship God, but who at the same time offer and take bribe, defraud, evade tax and circumvent justice know the God of Mosses who in Exodus 22:8 says â€Å" You will accept no bribes, for a bribe blinds the clear sighted and is the cause of the ruin of the upright. Do they know the God of the prophets who in Isaiah 33:15 says that the person who will be qualified to be in his presence is the one who â€Å"acts uprightly and speaks honestly, who scorns to be rich by extortion, who rejects bribes out of hand, who refuses to listen to plan involving bloodshed and shuts his eyes rather than countenance crime. Do Nigerian worshippers who make a daily show of their religiosity known that what the Lord truly require of us is to love terekerly, to do justice and to work humbly by me God (Micah6:8 John the Baptist while preparing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ crudemned the kind of religion that thrives side by side with corruption as empty ritualism. In his addrer to those who gathered to listen to him, amongst whom were solders and tax collectors, he admonished â€Å"Exalt no more than the appointed rate†¦ No intimidation. No Excntinu be content with your pay† Luke 3:13-14. Jesus himself denounced the kind of religions practice that was not matched by high moral and ethical standards in realize that not all those who claim to be Christians will enter the kingdom of heaven but only those who do the will of the father Mathew 5. This Christianity make no room for crooks and fraudsters. It has no place for those who offered take bribes. Genuine Christianity does not accommodate the cnetire of â€Å" settlement† in Nigeria to day. Therefore, faced with the contradiction and the embarrassment of a booming Christianity in the most of an environment that stinks with corruption and indiscipline, one is poise to conclude that what is spreading like wildfire in contemporary Nigeria is not genuine Christianity at all, but a masc movement with elements of Christian ritualism, one that is in large measure shallow, superficial, noisy and devoid of substance and depth. Popular Christianity in Nigeria is often Materialistic and individualistic in orientation, with an in credibly high sense of devotion to the cult of material and physical prosperity, success and healing, and with little or no attention at all given to the social morality of the believing persons.

School Uniforms Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schools today aren't in the best condition. There is teasing, violence, discrimination, cliques, and poverty. There is much to say about how having mandatory school uniforms will help these problems. My question is, will uniforms help these problems enough to dismiss the hurt that they would cause? I say the uniforms do little to help.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having uniforms would stop the teasing and discrimination about clothing, but there is more to tease or discriminate someone about rather than just clothing. Such as hygiene, looks, personality, intelligence, race, and the list goes on. So unless people somehow find a way to be perfect in everyone's opinion, teasing and discrimination won't stop.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As for violence, it's the same story. Uniforms would only stop the smallest percentage. In some ways uniforms actually make violence less preventable by eliminating one major warning sign. For example the black trench coats that were worn in by the murderers at Colorado's Columbine High School shooting. Of course I'm not saying we should arrest anyone who wears a trench coat, but the way that someone dresses can say a lot about their personality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you're thinking that uniforms will end symbols of being in a gang such as gang colors, think about how many other ways that a gang member could symbolize that they were in a gang such as rolling up your sleeve or leaving out the tag on y...

Essay on Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

In ancient Greece, men who died in war fulfilled the civic ideal to the utmost.   The women, destined to live out a degrading life, died in bed.   Certainly, not all men died in battle, but every epitaph shows in one way or another, the city would always remember the men who died in war.   Additionally, not all Athenian women died in bed; nonetheless, it was left to her family to preserve the memory of her not the city.   No matter how perfect a woman was she would never receive the same status or level of social expectations from the city that a man received. No accomplishments were allowed beyond living a life of motherhood and submissiveness to a man, namely her husband.   In fact, in early Greece, women were typically viewed as subservient to men, submissive in their actions, and of a status only slightly above slaves; however, Antigone was not your typical Greek woman.   Many ancient Greek Philosophers have written and expressed their views on women’s’ status in ancient Greece.   One author, Sophocles, wrote plays about how you cannot escape fate, because the Gods give fate and men cannot escape what the Gods decide. Sophocles shows his case in point, that human laws can destroy a city, using Antigone as a noticeable illustration to show his points.   Pericles according to the author Thucydides has hardly anything to say about women, but when he does, it is in a demeaning statement.   Socrates never says anything in reference to women, but more to society in a whole.   Finally, Sappho’s writings have been threatened to be destroyed because of her indifferent views towards women and how she portrayed them.   In the play Antigone, Sophocles stretches the role of a woman. There is a battle between what is right and laws of Gods or laws of man.   Sophocles places Antigone in this fight against her Uncle Creon.   Antigone stands up for ancient law and Creon stands up for man’s law.   Creon voices his opinion on how he feels about women in ancient Greece.   Creon states â€Å"We must defend the men who live by law, never let some woman triumph over us.   Better to fall from power, if fall we must, at the hands of a man – never be rated inferior to a woman, never.† (Pg. 77 – line 755-762)   Antigone, with her sharp tongue, challenges Creon with what she feels is right  Ã‚   â€Å"It wasn’t Zeus, not in the least, who made this proclamation – not to me.

Platos Influence in Western Culture Essay

Plato (429-347 B. C. E) is seen by many as one of the greatest philosophers of the classical period, if not of all time. Coming from a wealthy Athenian family it is the belief that he followed and further developed philosophy from his mentor Socrates. His first works are seen as the most trust-worthy accounts of Socrates life, and after his death Plato would continue to develop Socrates works with the help from Plato’s most famous student, Aristotle. During this time Plato would develop his most famous work The Republic. This would notably, along with many of his later works, blend his ideas of politics, ethics, psychology, and metaphysics into an interlinked philosophy. Plato’s dialogues present much of the idea’s founded and developed by the trio, especially in one of his most famous dialogues, The Apology of Socrates Trial. It is from these experiences that with the help of his teacher Socrates and his student Aristotle, Plato would develop the philosophical foundations of Western culture. When asked to define the philosophical style of Plato most people would be quick to label him as a political philosopher, this is due to his views on social implication and the idea of an ideal state or government. Plato was an elitist political thinker in the fact that he said that only those with reason, experience and wisdom should govern. The way he put it was: â€Å"Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophize, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,†¦ nor, I think, will the human race. † By saying this Plato re-enforces his thought that only those with great wisdom should become leaders and politicians. His belief was that cities will remain evil and tyrant until their current kings either began to think and philosophize, or philosophers were to take rule over the kingdom. Plato’s theory was that these new superior leaders would be seen as â€Å"those who love the sight of truth. † And from this they would then create a perfect city much like the one which he outlined in The Republic, which begins with the city being run by an aristocracy, whose virtue is wisdom, lacks honour and because of this gets replaced by a militant government, which had the virtue of honour but also has the vice of poverty. This too is then overthrown by an elitist group whose wealth corrects the poverty of former militant government but also brings the vice of greed. The elitists are once again replaced by an elected democracy whose vision of equality and fairness corrects the former greed but brings the mistake of to much freedom resulting in anarchy. Finally, the movement of democracy brings forth the order of a tyranny, which establishes peace through cruelty and oppression. It is from this cycle of inevitable and more disturbingly logical political change that Plato disliked the idea of democracy, stating that the average person is selfish, envious and stupid, which leads democracy to be highly corruptible and can cause it to open gates to potential dictators. Democracy was seen as a government dependant on chance which for success must be mixed with competent leadership. The belief was that to run a state a government politicians needed expert rulers and not an average unintelligent citizen who may be elected in by accident. A political decision needs good judgement and because of this leaders must be carefully selected and prepared by means of extensive training. Because of this theory Plato would influence Aristotle, the English constitution and the founding fathers of America to develop a mixed republic that combines democracy, aristocracy and kingship. After the death of Socrates Plato returned to Athens and from there founded a school knows as the Academy, which is where we get the English word â€Å"academic† from and still to this day call institutes of higher learning â€Å"academies†. It was around 387 B. C. E in which Plato bought land outside of Athens to set up his school of philosophy there, which many see as the Western world’s first university. The aim of this academy was to train future politicians of Greek states, and studies focused primarily on philosophy and mathematics. The academy would continue to educate for more than 900 years after its founding even surviving the Roman invasion on Greece in 146 BCE, eventually though the academy would close when the Christian Emperor Justinian closed it in 529 A. D. Later though in Florence sometime during the mid-15th century the â€Å"Accademia Platonica† would be formed by a group of scholars who met under the Platonic philosophy professor Marsilio Ficino, to discuss philosophy and the study of classical politics. Finally in 1926 a modern academy of Athens would be built and labelled as Greece’s national academy. Staying true to its original routes to this day the academy still focuses on the study of humanities and science. It is from this initial establishment of his original academy that the legacy was able to pass on through hundreds of years to the point where the tradition is still alive to this date. Had it not been for Plato’s founding of the academy, the education process would most likely be very different than from that of which it is as we know it today. In Plato’s last and longest work entitled the Laws, he begins by asking â€Å"Who is given credit for laying down the laws? † As opposed to his earlier work in the Republic, which focused on what the best possible state might be like and what experiences and adjustments must be made to achieve that status, the Laws rather focuses on the idea of creating a practicable, yet ideal form of government in a much more realistic way than the former. The characters in this work deal with designing rules to meet â€Å"real world† problems and human affairs. Unfortunately though, the dialogue went unfinished at 345 pages at the time of Plato’s death in 347 B. C. E. The incomplete work of the Laws was still able to outline many questions and themes including, divine revelation, divine law and lawgiving; the role of intelligence in lawgiving; the relations of philosophy, religion, and politics; the role of music, exercise and dance in education; natural law and natural right just to name a few. Once again it was because of Plato’s teaching of his theory’s and publication of his dialogue’s that this theory was also able to spread so quickly through Western culture and even play a role in the way we choose laws to this date. Overall it appears that without Plato’s influence and writings the Western world and it’s culture would have been drastically different from what is the current norm in society. Political structure, academic education and formation of laws would all be heavily affected to the point in which many key things that one would see vital in today’s society may not even exist such as the use of a constitution or an academic university, since it was Plato who established and helped spread the development of such institutions. With Socrates and Aristotle, Plato not only helped develop the foundation of Western culture, but he steered it down the right path as well.

Preposition Review ESL Lesson Plan

Preposition Review ESL Lesson Plan Prepositions are a challenge for almost all students. There are many reasons for this, not least of which is the fact that English has numerous phrasal verbs. In this case, theres little to do except to encourage consistency and the ability to listen carefully to mistakes made. In any case, there are a few activities teachers can undertake to help students learn basic differences. Aim: Develop recognition of similar preposition use through contrast in written exercise, review of prepositionsActivity: Discussion of similar prepositions followed by a written exerciseLevel: Intermediate Outline Take a few objects into the class, such as a model car, an apple, etc. Use simple sentences to help the class understand the differences between in/into, out/out of, etc. using the propositions.Give the students some of the objects and encourage them to come up with their own sentences, especially focusing on the finer differences between the prepositions discussed.Discuss some of the basics using the preposition checklist below. Ask students to come up with exceptions such as in the morning, afternoon, and evening but at night.  Pass out the handout and ask students to get into pairs to work through the short exercise.Correct worksheet as a class and discuss problems  or questions.Repeat first activity to help reinforce learning. Preposition Checklist Use to with verbs of movement.  She drove to the store./He walked to the park.Use at with places within a city with verbs that do NOT express movement.  Ill meet you at the shopping mall./I like to relax at home on the weekend.Use on with surfaces, both horizontal and vertical.  Thats a beautiful picture on the wall./I like the vase on the table.Use into, out of and onto to express movement from one place to another.  She drove out of the garage./Please put the keys onto the table.  Use in with months, years, cities, states, and countries.  She lives in San Diego./I will see you in April.Use at with times of the day. Lets meet at five oclock./I want to begin the meeting at two.   A Strange Noise in the Night Worksheet It was late (at/in) night when I heard the noise. I got (out of/outside) bed and decided to investigate. First, I went (into/in) the living room and kitchen. Everything seemed to be OK in those rooms. Then I heard the noise (again/over). It was coming from (out/outside), so I put (on/off) my jacket, opened the door and went (into/out of) the backyard. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to (pick up/in) a flashlight on my way (inside/out) the door. It was a dark night and there was a light rain falling. I couldnt see much, so I kept stepping (into/onto) things in the yard. The sound continued to repeat and was coming (over/from) the area (on/in) the other side (to/of) the house. I slowly walked (through/around) the house to see what was making the noise. There was a small table (in/on) the porch which was (next/near) to the wall. (On/To) top of this table was a bowl with some rocks (into/inside). A small mouse was trying to get (out/above) and was moving the rocks (around/through) the bowl making the noise. It was very strange, but now I could go back (in/to) sleep!

French Long Stay Visa and Residence Permit Application

French Long Stay Visa and Residence Permit Application If youre a United States citizen and want to live in France for an extended period of time, you will need a visa de long sà ©jour (long-stay visa) before you go- France will not let you into the country without it. You will also need a carte de sejour, a residence permit which you complete after you arrive in France. The following is a general overview of the process required by United States citizens to obtain long term residence in France. This information is derived from the exceptional amount of detail in English on the France-Visas website. Processes change and it is essential that you be au courant with the appropriate method, so plan to become familiar with France-Visas. The process is conducted in part online but it is a long one and can take weeks or months, and you may not be accepted the first time out. No matter what, France will not let you into the country without a proper visa, so dont buy your ticket until you have completed all the paperwork and have your visa in hand. Process and Function Basically, the long-stay visa is operationally equivalent to a Schengen visa- the visa used by residents of the 26 European states and members of the European Union that have officially abolished all passport and other border controls at their mutual borders. That means that with the visa you will be able to visit the 26 Schengen countries. There are some restrictions and some exceptions, depending in part on the purpose and length of your stay.   The visa and residence permit application process can vary not only due to different family and work situations but also based on where you apply. Beware of scams and unofficial websites: the official secure France-Visas portal is: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/us/ The official list of U.S. VFS Global Centre locations- a third party service provider where you will have to go to submit your visa application- is: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/us/a-qui-sadresser Do You Need a Long-Stay Visa?   In general, an American holding an ordinary passport who wishes to stay in France for a period between 90 days to a year will need a Visa de Long Sà ©jour acquired in advance. Exceptions include if you (or, if you are a minor, your parent) already hold a French residence permit or are a citizen of a European Union Member State. All visa requests must be entered online at the secure France Visas website- since you will be inputting personal information, be absolutely sure you are at the right website. The French government has created a Visa wizard so that if you have any doubts about whether you need one or not, use that.   Will You Also Need a Residence Permit? There are two types of long term visas: the visa de long sejour (VLS) and the visa de long sà ©jour valant titre de sà ©jour (VLS-TS). The VLS requires that you submit a request for a carte de sà ©jour (residence permit) within two months of your arrival in France; the VLS-TS is a combined visa and residence permit, which you must validate within three months of your arrival. They are both long term visas but they have administrative differences which are assigned to you by the French consulate. Either way, if you wish to stay beyond the one year limit, you must apply for a residence permit at your local prefecture in France. Categories of Long Stay Visas (VLS) There are four categories of long-stay visas, based on your purpose for going. The categories determine what supporting documentation you will require in advance, at the border, and in France, and any restrictions youll need to adhere to- such as whether you can work for pay while you are in the country.   The categories of purposes of a long-term stay are:   Tourism / private stay / hospital care: all of these purposes restrict you from working for pay.  Professional purpose: If you will be in France to work, you will need a professional visa regardless of whether you are an employee of a company, or self-employed. Youll have to describe the type of business you will conduct and, if you are in a profession that requires credentials such as doctors and teachers, you will need to prove that you meet French criteria to conduct that work.  Studies training: This category includes if you will be taking an advanced degree; if you want to learn French while working as a family assistant or an au pair; or if you want your minor child to study in a French school. You or your child may need to be officially enrolled before you go.  Family purpose: Youll need to provide the address, names, and nationality of your relatives in France, what your relationship to them is, and the reason for your stay.   Starting the Visa Process Once you have determined that you do need a visa, you can prepare your application online at the France-Visas portal, regardless of where you live in the United States. The online application form and you will be guided through the whole process by on-screen explanations. In order to save your form and print it out, youll have to create a personal account that includes your email address. Once you have finished, you will receive the list of required supporting documents required to the type of visa you have requested, and have the opportunity to book your appointment. All visas for France are ultimately reviewed by the French counsel in Washington DC, but first, youll have to appear in person at the VFS Global Centre for your region to get it submitted to DC. There are ten Global Centres in the United States- youll need to request an appointment through the France-Visas portal.   Submission Requirements   The specific documents you need will depend on your specific circumstances, but you will need a current passport, two recent identification photos in the  specific International Civil Aviation Organization (ISO/IECI) format, and whatever other documents (originals and a copy) are required because of your situation.   As of June 1, 2019, the legal requirements to successfully submit a visa are:   Your passport must be clean and in good condition, issued no more than 10 years ago, valid three months beyond your intended departure date from the Schengen Area, and with at least two blank pagesThe purpose and conditions of your stayDocuments and visas (if any) required by international conventions, which will depend on the circumstances of your visitProof of accommodation: either a hotel reservation or a form filled out by your hostEvidence of your financial ability to live in France: you must have proof that you can spend â‚ ¬65–120â‚ ¬ per day depending on where you will be housed and no less than â‚ ¬32.50 per day if youre staying with familyApproved insurance for medical and hospital expensesGuarantees of repatriationDocuments (if required) for the exercise of a professional activity2 recent photographs according to strict ISO/IECI specificsYour return ticket or the financial means to acquire one at the end of your stayNon-refundable application fee which is t ypically â‚ ¬99 ISO IEC restrictions on photographs which are acceptable for identification are quite specific. The photos must have been taken within the last six months, they must be about 1.5 inches (35-40 mm) in width. The image must be a closeup of your head and top of your shoulders, not too dark or light, your face must take up 70–80% of the photograph. It must be in sharp focus without shadows, you must be standing in front of a plain background, and the picture must not include another person. Dont wear heavy framed glasses, dont wear a hat- if you wear religious headgear your face must be clearly visible. Look at the camera and you can smile, but your mouth must be closed.  You will need several copies during the process. Submitting Your Application After you have filled out your form, you will be given an opportunity to set up an appointment at the VFS Global Centre for your regionbut you can also do it later. Request your appointment through the France-Visas portal.  Bring all of your original documents to the appointment, as well as at least one photocopy of each. The service provider at VFS will receive you, review your application, collect the visa fee, and capture your biometric data (a photo scanned or taken during your appointment, and ten individually-taken fingerprints). She or he will retain your passport and the copies of all your supporting documents in order to forward them to the consulate. You can track the progress of your application online at the France-Visas site; you will be notified when your documents are ready at the VFS Global Centre you applied at. On Arrival To enter France, you will need to offer the following documentation (at least) to the Border police: valid passport and visaproof of accommodationproof of sufficient financial meansyour return ticket or financial means to acquire oneany document providing details on your profession Unless you obtained a VLS-TS, the visa de long sà ©jour does not give you permission to live in France- it gives you permission to apply for the carte de sà ©jour. If your visa has the words carte de sà ©jour solliciter,† you do need to get a residence permit. Start that process within two months of your arrival, at the prefecture of your place of residence within two months of your arrival. If you live in Paris, you must report your presence to police headquartersif you live in another department, you must report to the prefecture or subprefecture of your department   Validate Your Residence Permit (VLS-TS) If you received a VLS-TS visa, you wont need a carte de sà ©jour, but you must validate it within three months of your arrival. While the process is completely online, you will need to provide the information on your long term stay visa, the date you arrived in France, your residential address in France, and your credit card to pay the required issuance fee or electronic stamp.