France Visa
France has long been a global centre of art, science, and philosophy. It hosts the world’s fourth-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is the leading tourist destination, receiving around 83 million foreign visitors annually. You should obtain a visa before entering France unless you come from the visa exemption countries.
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
- European Union citizens
- Nationals of the countries comprising European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Nationals of Switzerland
VISA WAIVER COUNTRIES
Nationals of the following 62 countries and territories holding ordinary passports may enter the Schengen Area, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania without a visa, for short stays (usually 90 days within a 180-day period):
Albania
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
El Salvador
Georgia
Grenada
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Macau
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
New Zealand
Nicaragua
North Macedonia
Palau
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Albania
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
El Salvador
Georgia
Grenada
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong
TYPES OF FRANCE VISA
Depending on the purpose of your travel to France, there are different types of visas that will apply to the occasion.
An Airport Transit visa, is issued to individuals who will transit through a French airport to another country, without entering into the territory of France. It is valid for 24 hours.
France Tourist visa is issued to persons who want to visit France with the purpose of tourism for a period shorter than 90 days. This type of visa, which is also known as a Schengen Visa, permits you to stay in France for 90 days at most per a period of 180 days.
The France Family visa makes it possible for non-EU family members of French residents that live outside of France come to France and meet their parents, children or spouse.
The professional visa is for applicants who will be gainfully employed during their stay in France. These applicants have to provide a Temporary Work Permit with their visa applications at the embassy or consulate of France in their home country.
Business visa issue for people travel often to and from the Schengen countries for business purposes.
Visa for Culture and Sport activities is a visa established for people living outside of the Schengen area, wishing to travel to Europe for the purpose of attending a Cultural / Sports / Religious Event and Film Crews.
You will have to check this visa purpose even if you are traveling together with a large delegation with identical travel dates and official purpose.
Study visa is pupils and students that wish to attend any type of educational institutions, as university courses, language courses and other, for a period shorter than three months, can apply for a Schengen study visa.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A FRANCE VISA
The type of visa you need to visit France depends upon your nationality and your length of stay. France allows citizens of many countries to visit without a tourist visa for 3 months. If you want to stay longer, you can apply for a French long-stay visa after you have returned home. If you need a Schengen or long-stay visa to enter France, then you must make an appointment with your local French consulate and provide the appropriate documents.
Decide how long you plan to stay in France. For most people, 3 months is plenty of time. If a 3-month visa is not waived for your nationality, then apply for a Schengen visa. Gather all required documents and keep them ready for submission.
Make an appointment at your region's French consulate. This appointment should be 1 to 3 months before your departure, but after you have bought your plane tickets and made travel arrangements.
Bring the application fee to your appointment in cash. Submit your application, payment documents and photos at your appointment.
Wait approximately 2 to 3 weeks to receive a short-term visa and approximately 2 months to receive a long-term visas. Waiting times may be longer.
FRENCH VISA APPLICATION FEES
A fee applies towards each applicant who submits a French visa application.
Regular application fees for submitting a French visa application:
- If required a short-stay or airport transit visa for France the application fee is 60€ (unless otherwise stated on the visa sticker)
- If required a short-stay or airport transit visa for a French Overseas Department or Region the application fee is 60€
- If required a short-stay or airport transit visa for a French Overseas Territories the application fee is 9€
- If required a long-stay visa for France the application fee is 99€
- If required a national long-stay student for French territory the application fee is 50€
- If required a national long-stay visa for France and other French territorial areas, for a foreign child legally adopted by French citizens the application fee is 15€
35€ fees, are applied to:
- Children of 6-11 age (not including French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte and French Southern and Antartctic Lands
- Citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia,
- Citizens of Bosnia and Hercegovina, Albania, Moldova, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro who DO NOT hold biometric passport yet
FRENCH VISA APPLICATION FORM
All applications should download latest version of French visa application form and fill out.
Tips to fill out the application form:
- Download the latest form of the application since that is the only form accepted.
- Make sure you fill out every required gap.
- Do not leave any columns blank. If you feel that, there are columns that do not correspond to your case, fill them with NA (No Answer).
- Remember to print the form twice. Sign both of the copies at the end.
- If you are a minor, your parents have to submit a written consent and sign in the corresponding column of the application form.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1. I am going on a holiday tour for 6 days in France and 7 days in Italy. Can I submit my visa application to the French consulate?
No. You must submit your visa application to the consular authority of the Schengen State where you will be spending the most time, the country which is in fact your main destination, so, in the present case, to the Italian consulate.
2. How long does French visa take?
The Campus France process takes at least three weeks (unless
an applicant pays additional for the expedited three-day service) and the visa
process will take a minimum of two weeks. As of this writing, the visa process
is taking 2-4 weeks for U.S. passport holders, and sometimes longer for non-US
citizens.
3. What are the financial requirements to apply for France visa?
If the applicant’s parents or the applicant are one company representative, the applicant should provide individual’s bank account statement and bank documents under the name of the company.
The bank account statement includes full account history within the latest 3 months to meet the minimum requirements set by Consulate. For uncompleted bank account statement, it is required to present explanation letter for such a reason.
Please note that the bank account statement is not original certificate of deposit. Bank account statements must show exactly the date of deposit and withdraw.
4. Do I have to apply for France visa by myself?
Presence is required for all of applicants when
they apply for visa, unless they are in case of fingerprint exemption. If those
people are exempt from fingerprint, they are able to authorize others to submit
documents, but the authorized person must be over or equal to 18 years old.
Persons who are exempt from fingerprint: Children who under 12 years old,
disabled people, person who had been granted Schengen visa since 3 years ago.
However, the Consulate still has a right to ask for fingerprint again and the
applicant should be available to take fingerprints as required.
5. How long to process France visa application?
Normally, the processing time is 15 days, except for the case of humanities and emergency.