Get a Tourist Visa for France
Approximately 79 million people toured France in 2010, making it the most visited country in the world. Its rich culture, food, wine and scenery make it a great place to visit for a few weeks to a few months. 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. This article will tell you how to get a tourist visa for France.
Contents
Steps
Select a French Visa
- Identify the specific French tourist visa requirements for your country. Depending upon your home country you may or may not need a tourist visa for a 3-month or long-term stay.
- If your native country is Andorra, Monaco or Switzerland, or it is part of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), then you do not need a tourist visa to France for any length of time.
- You will not need a 3-month tourist visa, if you hold a passport from 1 of the following countries: United Kingdom, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, or the Special Administrative Region of Macao of the People's Republic of China.
- If your country is not listed, then you will most likely need to apply for a 3-month Schengen visa to visit France. Countries that require a Schengen visa include South Africa, India, Algeria, Philippines, Ukraine, China, Thailand, Russia, Zimbabwe and Pakistan. The Schengen visa is based on an agreement between 25 European countries that allows tourists to enter 1 of the 25 countries and go between other Schengen countries without showing their passport.
- 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.
- If you need to stay longer than 3 months, apply for a long-term stay visa. This is required for any nationality outside of the EU and EEA. Most often, the applicants for long-stay visas are applying to work, study or attend a family reunion.
Apply for a French Visa
- 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. Your visa may not be accepted if you plan to depart less than 3 weeks after your appointment.
- Allow extra time if you are apply from 1 of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burundi, Guinea, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Palestine, Rwanda, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen, Algeria, Belarus, Congo, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Niger, Oman, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Suriname, United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe, Bahrain, Burma, Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, Syria, Vietnam, or US Refugees.
- Fill out 2 copies of a Schengen Visa application form or a Long-Stay Visa application form. These free forms are available online under the "Getting a Visa" Section of the Diplomatie.gouv.fr website. The extra copy is required by most, but not all, countries.
- Both applications include sections for personal, address, traveling, passport, insurance and return information. Fill it out completely and legibly. Print in black ink or use a typewriter.
- Check your passport expiry date. The date must be valid for at least 90 days after your departure date from France. Your passport must also have 2 blank pages, be issued within the last 10 years, be in good condition and match your profile.
- Make 2 copies of all of the identification pages in your passport.
- Acquire the following supplementary documents to be included with your application.
- 3 1.4 by 1.7 inch (3.5 by 4.5 cm) passport photographs. Your face must take up approximately 80 percent of the picture and it must show your ears and hairline.
- Your hotel or tour reservations and your departure and return flight information. These should be separate and detailed documents.
- Proof of medical insurance coverage while you are traveling in France. The minimum coverage for medical expenses shall be EUR 30 000.
- Original bank statements from the last 3 months, to show proof of funds while you are traveling in France.
- Proof of residence in the region where you are applying. A utility bill and an identification card with that address listed may work as proof of residence.
- Bring the application fee to your appointment in cash. The application fee for a short term visa is currently $83 (60 euros, 53 pounds). The application fee for a long term visa is $138 (99 euros, 87 pounds).
- 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.
Tips
- If you have already visited France for 3 months, you must leave for 90 days before entering without a visa again. You must also leave for 90 days before applying for a 6-month tourist visa.
- You may also be able to use a credit card to make your visa payment; however, this is not guaranteed.
- If you are a minor, then you must also provide a copy of your birth certificate and a notarized parental authorization letter. If you plan to study, you must have a copy of your French school registration.
Warnings
- The visa fees in dollars or pounds may change according to exchange rates.
- There are a number of private companies who submit your Schengen visa for you. You do not need to use a company or pay for an application in order to get a Schengen visa.
Things You'll Need
- Long-term visa application form
- Schengen (short-stay) application form
- Passport photos
- Airline reservations
- Hotel or tour reservations
- Proof of residence
- Proof of funds
- Proof of medical coverage
- Payment
- Appointment for Biometric at the French consulate
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