French Visitor Visa
The travel industry in France has seen significant growth, contributing positively to the country’s socioeconomic status through its thriving hospitality sector. To ensure the safety of international visitors, French authorities have enhanced law and order enforcement and streamlined the complex process of obtaining visas, particularly for British residents. We are pleased to provide a comprehensive guide on how to obtain a French Visa.
A short-term visa to FranceTable of Contents:
Introduction
1. Top questions
1.1 What is a Visa & Who Needs One?
1.2 What is a French Visitor Visa?
1.3 How Long is a Visitor Visa Valid for?
1.4 When Should I Apply for a Visitor visa?
1.5 How Long Does it Take to Obtain a French Visitor Visa?
1.6 Where is the Visitor Visa Processed?
1.7 How Much Does it Cost to Obtain a French Visa?
1.8 How to Pay?
2. Application Process
2.1 Documents Required to Apply for French Visitor Visa
2.2 Steps to Apply for a French Visa
3. Visitor Visa Extension
Introduction
The surge in the number of tourists visiting France has opened up countless opportunities for local entrepreneurship and job creation, fostering international investments and driving infrastructure development. However, this growth also raises concerns about the potential impact on local residents. While the expansion of the French tourism sector brings with it certain challenges, it is important to note that stringent law enforcement and the implementation of strict regulations can mitigate many of the negative effects associated with tourism. In particular, rigorous visa requirements have proven to be highly beneficial for France, especially for its local population. Despite these regulations, we believe that obtaining a visa to enter France is a straightforward process. Let’s dive into some questions and answers to better understand the French visa application process.
1. Top questions
1.1 What is a Visa & Who Needs One?
According to Wikipedia, a visa is a permit issued by France that allows an individual to enter, stay in, or transit through the country. This permit is typically stamped into the individual’s passport by an embassy. The type of visa required depends on the purpose of the visit and the duration of stay. In some cases, an interview at the embassy may be necessary before a visa is granted.
For British citizens, short stays in the Schengen Area (up to 90 days within any 180-day period) do not require a visa. However, if the stay exceeds 90 days, a visa will be necessary. For UK residents who do not hold a UK passport, a French Schengen visa is required to visit France.
Please refer to the tables below to determine whether your nationality requires a French visa.
[expand title=”The countries whose citizens are required to get a French visa in order to enter there are”]
| A | |||||
| Afghanistan | Algeria | Angola | Armenia | Azerbaijan | |
| B | |||||
| Bahrain | Bangladesh | Belarus | Belize | ||
| Benin | Bhutan | Bolivia | Botswana | ||
| Burkina Faso | Burma/Myanmar | Burundi | |||
| C | |||||
| Cambodia | Cameroon | Cape Verde | Central African Republic | Chad | |
| China | Comoros | Congo | Cote D’ivoire | Cuba | |
| D | |||||
| Dem. Rep. Of Congo | Djibouti | Dominican Republic | |||
| E | |||||
| Ecuador | Egypt | Equatorial Guinea | Eritrea | Ethiopia | |
| F | |||||
| Fiji | |||||
| G | |||||
| Gabon | Gambia | Ghana | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Guyana |
| H | |||||
| Haiti | |||||
| I | |||||
| India | Indonesia | Iran | Iraq | ||
| J | |||||
| Jamaica | Jordan | ||||
| K | |||||
| Kazakhstan | Kenya | Kosovo | Kuwait | Kyrgyzstan | |
| L | |||||
| Laos | Lebanon | Lesotho | Liberia | Libya | |
| M | |||||
| Madagascar | Malawi | Maldives | Mali | ||
| Mauritania | Mongolia | Morocco | Mozambique | ||
| N | |||||
| Namibia | Nepal | Niger | Nigeria | Northern Mariana’s | North Korea |
| O | |||||
| Oman | |||||
| P | |||||
| Pakistan | Papua New Guinea | Palestinian Authority | Philippines | ||
| Q | |||||
| Qatar | |||||
| R | |||||
| Russia | Rwanda | ||||
| S | |||||
| Sao Tome And Principe | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Sierra Leone | ||
| Somalia | South Africa | South Sudan | Sri Lanka | ||
| Sudan | Suriname | Swaziland | Syria | ||
| T | |||||
| Tajikistan | Tanzania | Thailand | Timor-Leste | ||
| Togo | Tonga | Tunisia | Turkey | ||
| Turkmenistan | |||||
| U | |||||
| Uganda | Uzbekistan | ||||
| V | |||||
| Vietnam | |||||
| Y | |||||
| Yemen | |||||
| Z | |||||
| Zambia | Zimbabwe |
[/expand]
With a UK residence permit valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date from France or the Schengen Area, you can stay in France for up to 90 days. However, if you plan to stay in France for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for a residency permit rather than a French Schengen visa.
If you hold a three-month UK visa, you may extend it for an additional three months to qualify for a French Schengen visa from within the UK. Ensure that you apply for this extension before your current visa expires and while you are still in the UK.
1.2 What is a French Visitor Visa?
A French Visitor Visa is issued to guests of French nationals, including family members, friends, or relatives residing in France.
1.3 How Long is a Visitor Visa Valid for?
A French Visitor Visa is typically valid for a maximum of 90 days within a 6-month period.
1.4 When Should I Apply for a Visitor visa?
You can submit your visitor visa application as early as 3 months before your trip to France. The latest you can submit it is 15 calendar days before your departure. However, it is highly recommended to apply about 4 weeks before your intended travel date to allow adequate processing time.
1.5 How Long Does it Take to Obtain a French Visitor Visa?
Typically, the Visa Application Center takes around 15 days to process a French Medical Visa application. However, processing time may be expedited in certain cases where the applicant’s health condition necessitates urgent treatment.
1.6 Where is the Visitor Visa Processed?
Visa processing generally follows a standard procedure, though additional documents may occasionally be required.
- If You Are Visiting Only France: Submit your application at the French Visa Center in the UK.
- If You Are Visiting Multiple Countries: Submit your application at the Visa Center in the country where you will spend the most days. If you plan to spend an equal amount of time in each country, apply at the Visa Center in the country you will enter first.
Visa Application Center in London – VFS Joint Visa Application Centre
Address:
66 Wilson Street
London
EC2A 2JX
Contact Details:
Email: info.ituk@vfshelpline.com
Helpline Number: 0871 376 0023
To manage the high demand for French visas, the French Embassy has outsourced visa application processing to the French Visa Centres in London. A Visa Application Centre is a third-party service provider authorized to accept visa applications on behalf of a country and transmit the information to the embassy or consulate responsible for processing.
Our company assists with filling out and submitting the necessary documents to the Visa Application Center. We ensure that all documents are correctly prepared and forwarded to VFS Visa Application Center for processing French visas.
VFS Centre’s official website page1.7 How Much Does it Cost to Obtain a French Visa?
The visa processing fees vary based on the applicant’s category:
- Adults: £73
- Children Aged 6-12 Years: £36.50
No visa fee is required for the following categories:
- Children Under 6 Years of Age
- Spouse of a French Citizen
- Family Members of an EU/EEA National Traveling with the EU/EEA Family Member
- Children Under 21 Financially Dependent on an EU National
- Ascendants Financially Dependent on an EU National
- Pupils, Students, and Accompanying Teachers on a School Trip
- Scientists (Holders of a “Convention d’accueil” for Short Stays)
- Foreign Teachers Teaching French
- Scholarship Holders from the French Government, Foreign Governments, Foreign Foundations, or Recipients of EU Programs (Travel Only Within the Territory Specified by the Terms of the Funding Program)
1.8 How to Pay?
You can pay the visa fees using one of the following methods:
- Cash
- Credit/Debit Card
Please note: Checks are not accepted.
2. Application Process
2.1 Documents Required to Apply for French Visitor Visa
1. Visa Application Form
- Complete the Short-Stay Visa Application Form legibly and accurately.
- Ensure you sign the form.
- Include the complete address in Austria, specifying the number, street name, city, and postal code.
Please make use of the following table to fill in the form correctly:
| The appropriate Form Section | Our explanation of each Form Section |
| Surname | Fill in your name like it is on your passport (do not write “married name” and your husband name) |
| Surname at birth | Write the name you had at your birth if different than your current surname |
| First Name (s) | Write your first name like it is on your passport |
| Date of birth | Fill in your date of birth like this: day/month/year |
| Place of birth | Fill in your place of birth like it is on your passport |
| Country of birth | Fill in your country of birth even there is no it on your passport |
| Current Nationality | Fill in your nationality like it is on your passport |
| Nationality at birth, if different | Fill in your nationality at birth if it is different from the nationality on your passport |
| Other nationalities | |
| Sex | Fill in your male or female gender |
| Marital Status | For a common-law marriage, indicate “common-law marriage” in the section “Other”. For a PACS (French civil union contract) with an French citizen, indicate “PACS” in the section “Other“ |
| Parental Authority | Fill in the full name, address, telephone number, email address, and nationality of the person who keeps parental authority or legal guardianship |
| National Identity Number | Fill in your national identity number if you have this one |
| Type of travel document | Write the appropriate kind of your travel document |
| Number of travel document | Write the appropriate numbers of your travel document |
| Date of issue | Write the date your passport was issued (not the extension date) |
| Valid until | Write your passport expiration date taking into account the extensions |
| Issued by | Write the country of issuing your passport and the authority that issued the passport |
| Personal data of the family member who is a European Union, EEA or Swiss Confederation citizen or is a United | Fill in the full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, and relationship only if you are the dependent spouse, child, father, or mother of a person who is a citizen of another State of the European Union. |
| Kingdom citizen beneficiary of the withdrawal agreement, if applicable | |
| Family relationship with an European Union, EEA or Swiss Confederation citizen, or with United Kingdom citizen beneficiary of the withdrawal agreement, if applicable | Fill in the corresponding status |
| Applicant's home address and e-mail address | Write the e-mail address: 1) your own one, either 2) another person one, or 3) company (accordingly, write the name of the mailbox owner). |
| Telephone number | Write your cellular number in your residence country and, where appropriate, in the country where you are submitting your visa application |
| Residence in a country other than the country of current nationality | If you are living in other country you need to write the number of your residence permit and its expiration date |
| Current occupation | Fill in the current occupation like it is on the passport, for example: “professor” or “retired (former designer)”. If you have no occupation, write “no occupation” |
| Employer and employer's address and telephone number | Fill in the name of the organization (firm, public service, educational institution) where you work or study and its name, address, and telephone number |
| For students, name and address of educational establishment | |
| Purpose(s) of the journey | Write the appropriate goal of your travel |
| Member State of main destination (and other Member States of destination, if applicable | Write France as your primary destination. If it is a French overseas department or territory, write “France” and the name of the department or territory |
| Member State of first entry | Fill in “France” |
| Number of entries requested | Write your desired number of entries with the dates of arrival and departure |
| Fingerprints collected previously for the purpose of applying for a Schengen visa | If your fingerprints have already been taken for a visa application, write the date |
| Entry permit for the final country of destination, where applicable | Write the number and validity dates for your visa at your final destination, if this country is outside the Schengen area |
| Surname and first name of the inviting person(s) in the Member State(s). Address and e-mail address of inviting person(s). Telephone number | Write the name of the person who invited you, address, e-mail and a phone number |
| Name and address of inviting company / organization, phone number and e-mail number | Write the contact info of the organization that invited you and the contact info for your contact person in the organization |
| Cost of travelling and living during the applicant's stay is covered | Indicate the necessary boxes |
| Place and date | Write the place and date where you are filling in the form, even if this date is different than the day you are going to the visa service |
| Signature | The visa applicant must sign and not another person. If the visa applicant is a minor (under 18), the application must be signed by a person having parental authority and their relationship should be included in parentheses (father, mother, guardian). If the visa applicant cannot sign, a cross may be used |
2. Two Recent Photographs
Follow these Austrian Visa Photo Requirements:
- Two identical photos taken within the last six months.
- Photo size: 35×45 mm (width x height).
- Colour photos only (no black and white).
- Head should occupy 70-80% of the photo.
- Background should be bright and lightly coloured (light grey is recommended).
- The applicant should be facing the camera directly.
- Maintain a neutral expression (no smile and mouth closed).
- Avoid uniforms or colours that match the background.
3. Valid Passport
- The passport must be valid for up to 10 years.
- It must have at least 3 months of validity remaining after your trip to Austria.
- The passport should have at least two blank pages for the visa sticker.
5. Roundtrip Reservation
This document includes the dates and flight numbers that show your entry and exit from the Schengen area. It is important to provide a detailed flight itinerary, which outlines your planned travel to and from France. This helps in confirming the duration of your stay and ensures that your visa application aligns with your travel plans.
6. Travel Health Insurance
Ensure your travel insurance meets the following requirements:
- Minimum coverage of at least €30,000.
- Coverage must be valid for all Schengen Area member states.
- It should cover expenses for repatriation, urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment, or death.
We recommend contacting insurance providers such as AXA or Europ Assistance.
AXA insurance company page7. Proof of Accommodation
To stay in France while visiting friends or relatives, you can provide one of the following options:
- Hotel booking
- House or flat of a family member, relative, or friend where you will be staying
- Rental contract
A hotel in France
A house in France to stay
8. Letter of Invitation
Provide a copy of your relative or friend’s French passport. If they do not have a passport, a copy of their residency permit will suffice.
An invitation letter9. Travel Itinerary
This document should include a full description of your trip, the purpose of your visit, the duration of your stay in France, and your contact details.
10. Means of Subsistence
This document should demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay in France. Proof of subsistent financial means can include:
- A bank account statement.
- A sponsorship letter from someone who will financially support your trip.
- A combination of both.
Accepted documents for proof of subsistent financial means include:
- A personal bank statement showing your financial affairs for the last 3 months.
- Credit card.
- Cash.
- Cheques.
- Payslips.
- Proof of employment.
- Documentation from your sponsor.
- Proof of prepaid accommodation.
- Documentation regarding private accommodation.
- Proof of prepaid transport.
- Other relevant documents.
When applying for a French visa, you should be able to prove having the following amounts:
- €120 per day if there is no proof of prepaid accommodation.
- €65 per day if you have proof of covered hotel accommodation for the entire period of stay. If not, the remaining amount is €120.
- €32.25 per day if you have proof of prepaid, less expensive accommodation.
Bank account statement11. Proof of Family Connection
If you have relatives in France, you need to provide evidence of your family relationship with them.
12. Proof of Employment Status
Depending on your current status, provide the following documents:
- If employed:
- Employment contract.
- Leave permission from the employer.
- Income Tax Return.
- If self-employed:
- A copy of your business license.
- Company’s bank statement for the last 6 months.
- Income Tax Return (ITR).
- If a student:
- Proof of enrollment.
- No Objection Letter from the university.
13. Documents for Minors
When applying for a visa for minors, you need to present the following documents:
- Birth certificate.
- An original notary-recognized No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the second parent if traveling with the first parent.
- Copies of both parents’ passports or IDs.
- An original notary-recognized NOC from both parents or legal guardians if traveling alone.
2.2 Steps to Apply for French Visa
Regardless of your visa type, the process for applying is as follows:
First Step: Locate the nearest Visa Application Center where you need to submit your documents. Contact us for assistance in finding the appropriate centre.
Your choice of applyingSecond Step: Determine the best time to visit the Visa Application Center in person to submit your Austrian Visa application.
Your choice of time to come to usThird Step: Schedule an appointment at the Austrian Visa Application Center.
You can make an appointment in one of two ways:
- Online
- In Person
Make an appointment at the French Visa Application CenterFourth Step: Attend your appointment at the Visa Application Center with all the required documents.
Your interviewFifth Step: Pay the visa fee.
Paying money for your visaSixth Step: Wait for a response from the application centre regarding your visa application.
A reply from the VFS application centreNote: Ensure that your visa application form clearly specifies the dates of your visit and the cities you will be staying in. It is advisable to gather all necessary documents and complete the application form only after you have all the required information.
3. Visitor Visa Extension
You will not be able to extend your French Visitor Visa for general purposes. However, you may apply for an extension in specific cases, including:
- Humanitarian reasons
- Force majeure
- Vital personal reasons
- Late entry into France
In Summary,
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