Schengen Visa for Travel to France
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Important Travel Document Information – Please Read
A France Schengen Visa allows travel to France and the whole Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days at a time. You should apply as soon as possible to avoid any complication due to wait times at the Embassy / Visa Centre.
France entered the Schengen area in 1995 after being one of the four initial signatories of the 1985 Schengen Agreement. Please keep in mind that Frances overseas territories are not included in the Schengen zone. This means that a Schengen visa will not grant you access to French overseas territories, which have separate visa requirements.
Business people, vacationers, specialized professionals, and students who want to stay in France for a limited time for specific travel purposes need a France Visa. Those applying for a Schengen visa must indicate that they intend to leave the Schengen Zone at the end of their temporary stay during their appointment at the Visa Application Centre (VAC).
When you submit an application, it will go through an 8-point review to confirm that there are no problems with your authorisation. We will confirm your availability for an appointment and try our best to accomdate your schedule. Once your appointment is booked a checklist will be provided to allow you to begin gathering the required documentation. Your completed application form will be sent with the final instructions.
When traveling to the Schengen area, you will need to apply for your visa and receive it before you travel. It can be hard to know when to start your application process.
This section aims to answer questions surrounding this. You can now apply for your Schengen Visa to France 6 months before you plan to travel. It is recommended that you apply within 3 to 4 weeks before your planned departure. France receives a high volume of applications; therefore, you may want to apply earlier, allocating extra time for Schengen visa processing. That said you may also want to consider applying earlier for your Schengen Visa to France within busy periods such as July to August.
Processing times will depend on case-by-case basis; however, you will have to wait a minimum of 15 days before processing. In specific instances, embassies can take 30 to 60 days to process a Schengen Visa in extraordinary circumstances. Therefore, if you deem your application to be more complex.
For instance, if you have many supporting documents, then allow for more time. By filling out our Schengen visa enquiry form in a clear and concise manner, you can limit any potential delays.
The documentation you will need is; fully completed and signed visa application forms, two recent passport photographs, a valid passport with more than 3 months left until it expires, older passports with past visas on them if you have them, as well as an itinerary of your trip – including dates, flight numbers, hotel reservations, or proof of accommodation. You will also need to provide proof you have a paid a visa application fee and supply proof of travel and medical insurance covering you for medical costs up to £30,000.
For you to meet your requirements to gain a Schengen visa into France, your visa application file must include this list of documents;
This will be influenced by the applicants past and present criminal convictions or acts. This could be because the individual is deemed a threat to the Schengen areas public policy, internal security, or public wealth (terrorism, drug/child abuse, addiction, or other major criminality). Fake travel documents will be rejected as well as have other consequences such as banning or criminal prosecution.
Insufficient explanation of the purpose and conditions of the planned travel, as well as failure to provide the travel schedule, might result in rejection. A visa denial might also be caused by a damaged passport or a passport that is no longer valid. Invalid passports are those that have fewer than three months left on them, don’t have two vacant visa pages, show a travel document book instead of a legitimate passport, or are more than ten years old.
A reference letter that is missing information will also lower your chances of getting your application approved. Lacking an official letter on original letterhead with the address and contact details of the company or author issuing it, failing to submit a formal letter issued within the past three months of the application date are all examples of this. On the formal letter, the authors stamp and signature must be clearly shown.
An insufficient means of financial resources to pay for your travel and time period within France, as well as an unsatisfactory birth or marriage certificate, such as one that does not match the name of the traveller. These are all causes for a visa application being rejected as well as having invalid travel insurance that does not cover you for the duration of your stay in France or upon your return. Failure to show proof of lodging (hotel, air b&b, host invitation), and unfavourable Schengen visa situations, such as a passport with an active Schengen visa application or a history of violating Schengen visa laws, will all result in a rejection.
The most popular questions that come up on Schengen Visa applications or interviews are as follows;
This depends on a number of things such as whether or not you have had a Schengen visa in the past or how many countries you intend to visit. Generally you first Schengen visa will be issued for the duration of your stay. Future applications may be granted for multiple entry for a number of years.
France is one of 27 Schengen member states in Europe. You can see the full list of countries further up this page. Generally, a Schengen visa issued for France is valid for entry into all Schengen countries.
You will require an appointment to lodge your French Schengen visa application. Appointments can be booked up for months at a time. The processing time of the visa is up to 15 working days from the day of your appointment.
According to the EU Agreement, you may not stay in France for more than 90 days. You could face a fine as well as deportation and denied re-entry into the Schengen area if this happens.
Yes, all applicants regardless of age will require a Schengen visa travel authorisation to visit France. Visa fees vary depending on the applicants age and applicants under the age of 6 can get a Schengen visa free of charge.
