France Visa Requirements a Guide

France is one of the most visited travel destinations in the world and it’s easy to see why. With famous landmarks aplenty and amazing things to see and do, France is a wonderful destination for any would be traveller.

If you are thinking about travelling to France, however, there are some things you need to remember, most notably that you may need a visa to visit the country. If you do need one, then figuring out the requirements for getting it can be a daunting process. That’s where we come in. On this page you will find all the information you need to apply for a French visa as well as a list of the documents you will require.

General Information About French Visa’s

France comes under the Schengen area of Europe, so to visit the country you will need a Schengen visa. The beauty of a Schengen visa is that if your trip includes more than one country in the Schengen area then you will only need the one visa.

When applying for a Schengen visa, you have two choices based on how long your trip is and its purpose, a short stay visa or a long-term visa. Short-stay visas are for visits of no more than ninety days and are primarily for tourists. If your stay is longer than ninety days, for instance if you are a student or plan to work in the country, then you will need a long-term visa.

Requirements for both lengths of visa are similar meaning both have a similar application process.

French Visa Requirements

As with all visa applications an interview with the diplomatic office or embassy of the country you are visiting will be required so this is the first thing to arrange. Contact the embassy with plenty of time and book an appointment. On the day make sure you arrive 15 minutes prior to the meeting and have all the documents you need.  

The list of documents required will include:

·         A completed and signed Schengen Visa application form. This can be in paper format or pre-completed online.

·         Two recent passport-sized photographs with your face covering a minimum of 75% of the photograph. The background should also be light in colour.

·         A Passport that is valid for at least 3 months beyond your return date and its issue date should be no more than 10 years from the date of the application. It should also have at least two blank pages so the arrival and exit visa can be entered.

·         Proof of your address.

·         Evidence ofa round-trip flight.

  A no objection letter (NOC) stating that your employer, university, or school, does not object to you visiting France.

·         Proof of travel insurance. The embassy will want confirmation that you can afford to pay for medical expenses if necessary. Cover should be for a minimum of €30,000.

·         A document declaring you have civil status in your country. The document should include information about whether you are married etc. If you are married, you will need to hand over a copy of your marriage certificate.

·         A covering letter stating the reason for your visit. The letter needs to include full details of the visit, including duration and places you intend to visit and stay.

·         Evidence of a hotel reservation stating the length of time you intend to stay there. If you are staying at a relative or friends house, then a letter of sponsorship will be required instead.

·         Evidence that you have a means of subsistence while in the country. This can be in the form of bank statements from the past 3 months, or Income Tax Returns documents for the last 2 years.

All these documents will need to be submitted to the embassy with photocopies of important documents, such as your Passport etc. In some situations, the embassy ask you to provide additional documents.

There you have it. Our handy guide to applying for a French visa.