France Tourist visa

Required Documents for France Schengen Visa

Documents for a French Schengen visa application must be completed or translated into English, French or Spanish.

• Valid passport
  • At least 2 blank pages
  • With the applicant’s signature
  • Not more than 10 years old
  • Valid for at least 3 months after the expiration of the requested visa
  • Previous passport, if applicable
• Passport-sized photos
  • Size 3.5 x 4.5 cm
  • Plain white background
  • Taken within the past 6 months
  • Forward-facing with facial features visible and clear
  • Completed application form
• Biometric data (Fingerprints)
• France Schengen Visa fee
• Documents pertinent to your trip
  • Travel Itinerary or plan
  • Proof of return to the country of residence or forward ticket to another country
  • Reason for travel to France
  • Flight reservations
  • Proof of financial means (bank statements over the last 3-month period, personal properties, and/or other assets)
  • Proof of accommodations (with booking reference number, location, and contact number of the hotel)
• Travel medical insurance
  • Valid through the entire visa period
  • Valid in all Schengen countries
  • Minimum coverage of 30,000 EUR must be purchased
  • Insurance conditions such as validity, duration, and extent of your coverage to be clearly stated on the confirmation letter or insurance document
• Employment letter with the following information:
  • Name and address of employer
  • Nature of employment
  • Starting date of employment
  • Salary
  • Purpose of travel
  • Duration of time off from work for travel
• Scans (copies) of:
  • Personal-ID page of passport.
  • Older Schengen visas (if relevant).
  • Residence permit (if relevant).
• Applicants below the age of 18 are required to submit the following additional requirements:
  • Copy of birth certificate
    • If the minor applicant is adopted, adoption documents are required
    • If the minor applicant's parents are divorced, divorce papers are required
    • If the minor applicant's parents are deceased, death certificates are required
  • Letter of consent from both parents or legal guardians
  • Passport copies of both parents or legal guardians
• It may also be necessary to submit supplementary documents in relation to your travel visa application.

France Schengen Visa Fees

The standard fee for the application of a French Schengen visa is 80 EUR. However, there are particular applicants who are exempted from fees, such as most student visas and visas for children below the age of 6. Applicants have to pay a separate, non-refundable service payment with their application.

France Application Steps

1. Prepare all the required documents.
2. Select “Tourism” as the reason for travel on the visa application form.
3. Decide the number of entries needed to France or the Schengen area.
4. Fill out the application form.
   • Generally, applications for a French Schengen visa are lodged online through the country’s application portal. In addition to English and French, it is also accessible in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.
   • Register if you’re a new user or log in if you’re already registered.
   • Fill out and submit the application form, and print it together with the receipt.
   • This paper application copy must be submitted together with any additional documents relevant to your application to a French Consulate or visa processing center.
5. Schedule a visa appointment, if applicable.
   • Most applications require an in-person appointment at the nearest French Consulate or visa center in order to submit the application. Alternatively, applications may be submitted without prior appointment during normal operating hours. Contact the French Consulate or visa center to determine if there is a need to schedule an appointment.
6. Submit your French Schengen visa application.
   • Note: Applications must be submitted at least 15 days before the date of travel but not earlier than 6 months before the date of travel.
   • Generally, applications must be submitted in person to the French Consulate or visa processing center. However, there may be a few differences in the submission procedures.
   • Applicants will likely be required to submit their fingerprints (biometric data). Children below the age of 12 are exempted from fingerprint data collection. Applicants who have submitted their fingerprints within the last 59 months will most likely not be asked to resubmit.
7. Pay the visa application fee.

When to Apply

Visa applications must be submitted at least 15 days before the travel date but not earlier than 6 months before the travel date.

Where to Apply for France Visa

Applications should be submitted either through a French consulate or a visa application center that is connected with France.

Applications should be submitted only in the country of citizenship or residence.

Applicants can check for the locations of French Consulates and visa application centers here.

In countries without any French consulate, applications may be submitted through a Schengen state consulate representing the interests of a French consulate.

France Visa Processing Time

Generally, it takes approximately 15 to 60 days to process French Schengen visa applications.

For approved visa applications:

Applicants must ensure that the information on the visa is complete and valid upon collection.

Applicants who have received their Schengen Visa for France should remember the following things:

• Inform the French Consulate or visa application center of any change to your itinerary after submission is completed.
• The approval of a Schengen visa does not guarantee entry upon arrival to France or other countries in the Schengen area.
• Additional documents pertaining to your financial means or accommodation may still be required to gain entry to France or other Schengen areas.

For denied visa applications:

• If your application for a French Schengen visa was rejected, you have the right to appeal the decision within 2 months.
• Applicants will receive a standard-issued French Schengen visa refusal form containing the procedures of the appeal process and the reason why the visa application was denied.
• The Schengen visa appeal must be in writing in the French language and must be signed.
• The appeal must be lodged to the Commission de Recours Contre les Decisions de Refus de visa.
• Applicants may also take further action at the French administrative court, depending on the nature of the visa rejection.
• A non-refundable appeal fee may need to be paid for the appeal to be processed.