France Visa Application Requirements, Fees and Guidelines
Depending on the purpose of your travel to France, there are different types of visas that will apply to the occasion.
Whether you are planning to go on a visit, study or work and reside in France permanently, you will have to apply for a different France Schengen Visa, accordingly.
You can apply for the France Visa since 1997 when France, as a Member of the European Union, also became a member state of the Schengen Area.
Monaco – a European microstate/city-state located within France – is considered part of the Schengen Area although it did not officially sign the particular documents of the agreement. Besides, no border control is performed for the Schengen countries surrounding it!
On the other hand, Andorra as another microstate located between France and Spain performs border controls, therefore to enter it you should obtain a multi-entry Schengen visa since you should enter the Schengen Area while going or leaving Andorra.
Stat: As per 2017, France has issued a total of 3,161,274 uniform Schengen visas from 3,684,404 visa applications received at French consulates and embassies around the world. The Visa rejection rate was 13.64%.
Who does and who don’t need a Visa to enter France?
Not to every foreigner and not for every territory of France applies the same visa policy. As such, visa exemptions are greatly influenced by dissimilar factors, where the major ones are: foreigner’s nationality, the territory of the France that the applicant seeks to visit, foreigner’s residence status in Schengen Area or specifically in France, the purpose of visit, as well as duration of stay.
Speaking of France territories, the law separates them into three following parts, subject to dissimilar visa policies:
- French European Territory
- French Overseas Départments or Regions (DOM)
- French Overseas Territories (TOM)
Who Needs a French Visa to Enter and Stay in French Overseas Départments or Regions?
The following foreign nationals are FREE to travel WITHOUT French Visa for a short stays (up to 3 months) to Guadeloupe (and its dependencies: Saint Martin, Saint Barthélémy), French Guyana, Martinique, Réunion:
- Schengen Area member countries,
- Andorre,
- Argentina,
- Australia,
- Bolivia,
- Brunei,
- Bulgaria,
- Cyprus,
- Canada,
- Chile,
- Costa Rica,
- Croatia,
- El Salvador,
- Guatemala,
- Honduras,
- Hong-Kong (titulaires du passeport de la Région administrative spéciale seulement),
- Ireland,
- Japan,
- Macao (titulaires du passeport de la Région administrative spéciale seulement),
- Malaysia,
- Mexico,
- Monaco,
- New Zealand,
- Nicaragua,
- Panama,
- Paraguay,
- Singapour,
- South Korea,
- St-Marin,
- Switzerland,
- The Holly See,
- United Kingdom,
- United States,
- Uruguay and
- Venezuela.
*Note: Nationals of the above listed countries CAN enter and stay in French Overseas Départments or Regions WITHOUT a French Visa, except for the following categories of foreign nationals, who MUST have a French Visa to stay in those territories:
- Nationals of the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Venezuela or Singapore who aim to work in these territories,
- Nationals of the United States who: aim to study there, hold a diplomatic or official or other service passport and aim to stay in these French territories in a diplomatic or official mission there, as well as those who aim to stay there for journalism purposes
All other foreign nationals of the excluded countries from the above list, CANNOT enter or stay in French Overseas Départments or Regions WITHOUT undergoing the French Visa Application procedure and getting the appropriate French Visa.
Who Needs a French Visa to Enter and Stay in French Overseas Territories?
The following foreign nationals are FREE to travel without a French Visa for a short stays (up to 3 months) in French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and its dependancies, (Terres Australes et Antarctiques françaises (TAAF)), Mayotte, Saint Pierre et Miquelon:
- Argentina,
- Australia,
- Bolivia,
- Brasil,
- Brunei,
- Croatia,
- Canada,
- Chile,
- Costa Rica,
- El Salvador,
- Guatemala,
- Honduras,
- Hong-Kong * (passport holders of the special administrative area exclusively),
- Japan,
- Macao* (passport holders of the special administrative area exclusively),
- Malaysia,
- Mexico,
- New Zealand,
- Nicaragua,
- Panama,
- Paraguay,
- Singapore,
- South Corea,
- United States and
- Uruguay.
Nationals which can enter in the French Overseas Territories WITHOUT a French Visa but CANNOT stay more than three (3) months or ninety (90) days there, come from the following countries:
- Schengen Area member countries,
- Andorra,
- Bulgaria,
- Cyprus,
- Ireland,
- Monaco,
- Norway,
- Netherlands,
- Saint Marin,
- The Holly See and
- United Kingdom.
*Note: Nationals of the above listed countries CAN enter and stay in the French Overseas Territories WITHOUT a French Visa, except for the following categories of foreign nationals, who MUST have a French Visa to stay in those territories:
- Nationals of Brasil, Canada, South Korea, United States, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore meaning to get a gainful job in these territories,
- Nationals of the United States if they: aim to get a job there, or, entering and staying there for journalism purposes
- Nationals of Hong-Kong and Macao will need a French Visa to enter and Stay in Overseas French Territory of New Caledonia.
All other foreign nationals of the excluded countries from the above list, CANNOT enter or stay in the French Overseas Territories WITHOUT undergoing the French Visa Application procedure and getting the appropriate French Visa.
General required documents for a France Visa Application:
- Download the France Visa Application form, fill it completely and with sincerity. You can also fill the France Schengen Visa application form electronically and then print a hard-copy.
- 2 photos must be attached; the photo should be of passport format – a recent whole-face capture with a light background. Learn more about photo requirements and specifications for a French Visa.
- Your passport and copies of your previous visas – valid for at least 3 months beyond return date – are required. Your passport must have at least two blank pages.
- A copy of your return-ticket reservation. It is not recommended to purchase the ticket before obtaining the visa – if not otherwise required
- Travel visa insurance confirmation of minimum 30,000 € coverage within France and the entire Schengen area. In order to apply for a French visa, the French embassy/consulate requires a Schengen travel insurance policy that is valid in all Schengen countries. French embassy/consulate also requires the confirmation of coverage letter as the proof of coverage to be submitted along with other requested documents and France visa application.
- A cover letter stating the purpose of a visit to France and itinerary
- Flight ticket reservations. Find out how to get a flight reservation for France Visa Application without paying the actual flight.
- Proof of accommodation for your entire stay in France. Book a hotel in France online!
- Proof of civil status (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, ration card if applicable)
- Means of subsistence – Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay. As the European Commission specifies, any foreigner seeking to enter France, since 19 June 2014, when applying for France Visa must be able attesting to the France Embassy or Consulate possessing the daily money amount of 120€ if holding no proof of prepaid accommodation. If the applicant has a prepaid hotel, then this amount reduces to 65€/daily for the period of covered hotel accommodation, while the rest is 120€. Also, in case the applicant proofs cheaper forms of accommodation the amount decreases to 32.25€/ day.
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