Text by Lily C. Fen, Images from April Bitar
April Bitar walked into my French class with a joie de vivre evident in the way she handled teacher and classmate alike.
As our intensive course flew by, I began to get to know this young woman who was walking her path with purpose.
April brought her love for fashion into her YouTube channel, dubbed My French Até, which evolved into French Até Ventures — that last word defining the great endeavor it was to apply for a visa and move abroad. Its acronym would become the basis for FAVE Visa Consultancy.
A deeper purpose fuelled her drive—she had a genuine love for the Filipino people. April wanted to serve them where she saw a need. She had encountered Filipinos who had found themselves trapped, for years, in cycles that prevented them from seeing loved ones back home.
This woman was on a mission. What if there were someone to lead these Pinoys and inform them about their Visa options, would many find a better way into France?
Individuals who want to grow on merit and hard work in the EU are beginning to notice this force of beauty and business combined.
In the spirit of service
Having migrated to France herself, April could relate to the regular Filipino’s plight. She’d also worked for an Immigration firm in Singapore and France, exposed to visa processing for years.
FAVE is the only Filipino-owned company in France that provides Visa and Work Permit assistance. They do so primarily for Filipinos and are branching out to serve other nationalities. FAVE’s Service Fee is “presyong Pinoy”— a reasonable rate for visa applicants in the Philippines. With a 100% Success Rate, FAVE service is customized for every individual.
April enthuses that Filipinos fare far better when they do not come as a tourist to Europe and overstay. She suggests looking for a job while still in the Philippines. FAVE processes papers so that people can arrive in France with valid papers for work.
Guiding applicants towards this reasoning, as well as continuing FAVE’s strong approval rate and growing the team are April’s main goals.
Clients continue coming to FAVE for assistance, making it clear that FAVE will expand into the next decade. FAVE also looks to a future that may see them directly connecting employers to potential employees.
Tips for Younger Pinoys and Expatpreneurs
To the young Filipino with dreams of traveling abroad, she says that one should take the time to figure out where they want to go. “Pray for it. Do some research on your target country,” she advises. “Learn about its culture and main language. Consider if this country is a place you’d like to relocate to for good or for just a few years.”
She advises that being an employee first and doing what is needed for that job is essential for aspiring Filipino expat-preneurs like herself. “The lessons you will learn from that experience will serve you later as an entrepreneur,” she says. “Find your passion and figure out what it is you want to do. Study the market and target clients. When the timing is right, go for it!”
Why Fave?
On the subject of visa assistance, April points out that not all Filipinos are privileged and can travel abroad easily.
“Some dream of traveling to Europe but think that traveling is only a luxury for the rich. That’s where FAVE Visa Consultancy comes in,” she says. “We make things easier for stressed applicants who don’t know what to do. We do the same for those who want to work in France. We help make people’s travel and migration goals come true.”
What makes April’s day is getting news that a client’s permit or Visa was approved by the French Ministry. “Growing up as a Filipino, applying for Visas was a part of life,” she says. “Every client’s case concluded well has felt like a personal achievement. Our clients’ success is our success too.”
Secure your Schengen Visa or Work Permit in Manila, with FAVE Assist ready to share Visa
tips for Filipinos. Contact FAVE and Book your FREE consultation today. Check out http://WWW.FAVEASSIST.COM.
About the contributor: Lily C. Fen was RAW's Swiss Bureau Editor from 2020-2022. Her fiction has appeared in QLRS, Asian Cha & New Asian Writing. She also writes about motherhood on medium.com