Tourist Visa In France
Getting a tourist visa in France can be a challenging task, especially if you do not concentrate on the right steps. In this guide, we are going to give you all the information you need to get a French Tourist Visa.
There may be some countries that allow visitors to enter the country and travel freely. If you are planning a vacation or just touring a specific destination, it is best if you get tourist visas. One of these visas is the France tourist visa which lets you enjoy your stay in the county as well as travel. There are several requirements you need to meet before applying for this visa. You should visit the embassy or consulate of France where they will scrutinize your application and make sure that you have all the required documents before granting tourist visas into France.
France is one of the most visited countries in the world, and it’s easy to see why: the country offers breathtaking scenery, delicious food, and a rich history that dates back thousands of years. But if you’re planning on visiting France, there are a few things you should know before you go—especially if you’ll be staying for a while.
If you plan on staying in France longer than 90 days, then you will need to apply for a tourist visa. You can apply at any French consulate or embassy in your home country. The process can take anywhere from two weeks to several months, depending on how busy your local consulate is at the time. Once approved, your tourist visa will allow you to stay in France for up to three months at a time with each entry into the country.
If you plan on staying longer than 90 days but less than one year (i.e., more than three months), then you’ll need to apply for an “autorisation provisoire de séjour” (APS). This temporary residency permit allows residents from non-EU countries who have been legally residing in France for less than five years (or have been legally employed there) to continue living and working legally in France for up.
How to Obtain a French Tourist Visa?
The application process for a French Tourist visa might seem complicated and frustrating, especially for people who have never had to obtain a visa before. However, if you make a list of the steps you have to take and follow them slowly, then you will easily achieve your goal and obtain the visa:
- Complete the French Tourist Schengen visa application form.
- Collect the required documents.
- Book an appointment.
- Pay the fees.
- Show up at the appointment.
Complete the French Tourist Schengen visa application form
You can find the France tourist visa application form at the website of the France embassy in your home country. If you do not, then you can require a form to be sent to you online through email by the embassy.
Fulfill the application form with honest and correct information. Keep in mind that the information you give in this form must comply with that in the other documents, otherwise, your application most probably will be rejected. Do not forget to print it twice, and sign both copies at the end.
Collect the required documents
After the completing application form, collect the required documents for a France tourist visa. Take care to have each document in original and copy. Do not miss even one document on the day of your appointment since that might result in the refusal of your application.
You should submit the following documents to apply for a Tourist visa for France:
- Completed French Tourist Visa Application Form. Make sure you complete the right form, and the information you provide is correct.
- Two passport-style photos. They must be no older than three months.
- Your valid passport. It must have been issued within the last 10 years and valid for a minimum of 3 months after the end of your planned stay in France. The passport must have at least two blank pages in order to be able to put the visa sticker on it.
- Copies of older visas. If you have ever held any visa to any country in the world, submit copies of those visas.
- Travel Medical Insurance covers a minimum of €30,000 for your entire stay in France and the Schengen.
- Certificate of criminal record of the home country– showing that candidate has no open crime case involvement
- Proof of paid visa fee.
- Travel Itinerary. This is a document that shows what you will be doing in France, when you will arrive and when you will leave, and includes proof of arranged transportation as i.e. plane tickets booking and hotel booking.
- Proof of Accommodation in France. It can be a hotel/ hostel booking, or a letter of invitation if you are planning to stay over at friends or relatives.
- Means of subsistence. Proof that you have the financial means to cover your whole stay in France and other Schengen countries if you are planning to. This could be: a bank statement no older than three days covering the last three months or a scholarship certificate stating how much you will be receiving during your whole stay.
Book an appointment
You will need to book an appointment for your interview with a consular officer of the French embassy. The interview is a must for every applicant over the age of 12. Book the interview online at the website of the France embassy or consulate in your country. If that option is not available in your country, then you will have to go to the embassy to schedule an appointment.
Pay the fees
You will have to pay the visa fee before you attend the interview on the day of your appointment, at the embassy, consulate, or visa application center. The fee for a French tourist visa is €80.
You will have to pay the fee in euros or the local currency, according to the exchange rates applied by the embassy.
On the day of the appointment
On the day of your appointment, show up on time at the France embassy, consulate or visa application center. Getting there late might result with the cancellation of your appointment, and then you will have to schedule another appointment and wait for your turn.
Wear something you will be comfortable with, but that looks a bit more official. Try not to be nervous. Arrange your documents prior to your meeting with the consular officer, so you will not have a mess in your hands during the meeting. The interviewer will ask some questions regarding your trip to France, the purpose of travel etc. In general, this interview lasts less than 10 minutes.
France Tourist Visa Validity
The validity of your visa depends on the French embassy that issued it to you. The maximal validity of a French tourist visa can be three months, within half a year.
Now the embassy may issue you a visa for the required period, i.e. ten days, three weeks, or even three or five days. On the other hand, you can still get a multiple entry 3 months valid visa, in particular, if you are a frequent traveler to the Schengen territory.
France tourist visa requirements
No matter under which of the Visitor Visa categories you are applying, there are some commonly required documents that you will have to submit at the embassy on the day of your interview.
- Completed French Visitor Visa Application Form. Make sure you complete the application form correctly.
- Your valid passport. The passport must have at least two blank pages in order to be able to put the visa sticker on it. The passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and should be valid for a minimum of 3 months after the end of your planned stay in France.
- Two photographs. You should submit two photos alongside with the other documents. They must be no older than three months and taken according to the Schengen Visa Photo Requirements.
- Copies of older visas. If you have ever held any visa to any country in the world, submit copies of those visas.
- Complete travel itinerary. A list of the things that you are planning to do while in France, including details about how you are planning to reach France. Attach supporting documents as a Round Trip flight, a railroad booking or a document of a booked organized tour (where transportation is included)
- Proof of financial means. The French authorities want to know how you will be financing yourself while in France. That is why you should submit the following documents that apply to your situation, as a part of this requirement:
- Recent bank statements.
- Employment contract stating your salary, if you will be working in France.
- Income from rented property.
- Retirement benefit plan.
- A letter of declaration from a sponsor stating the readiness to cover your costs for the period of stay, accompanied by documents that confirm possession of money of such sponsor (i.e. bank statements of last 3 months, other).
- Other documents that prove you have the means to support yourself for the whole duration of stay in France.
- Certificate of criminal record of the home country– showing that candidate has no open crime case involvement
- Proof of paid visa fee. The fee for a French visitor visa is €80. However you should check this article for more details about French visa fees. The family members of French citizens, as well as the family members of a citizen of another Member State of EU/EEA and Switzerland are exempt from the visa fee requirement.
On the other hand, there is a number of category-specific documents that you will have to collect and submit, as following:
Additional documents for the spouse of a French citizen
- Proof of nationality of the spouse living in France, which can be a passport or identity card
- “Livret de Famille” – which is a marriage certificate upon the French civil registry
Additional documents for the foreign child /spouse of an EU citizen
- Both biological parents’ passport
- Proof of Guardianship – in case the child applicant in under 18 and trusted to a third person, then this person needs to possess an official document in the form of an authorization signed by both parents
- Authorization by parent – if the child is traveling with only one parent
- Court decision – if only one parent, has the sole custody of the child
- Valid passport of the European citizen of the EU / EEA / Swiss National
- Proof of accommodation – This could be a hotel booking the EU/EEA/Swiss national, or a document called Attestation d’accueil – in case the visitors will be staying over at the French resident. This document issued by the local town hall off the host person residence, must confirm that the host has enough space for the visitor for their entire period of stay.
- A sworn statement – from the EU family member, which states that the visa applicant is their dependent
- Proof of relationship – between the child/spouse and the citizen residing in France
Additional documents for the foreign parent of a French child
- Proof of the family ties between the applicant and the French child, full birth certificate.
- Proof of the child’s French nationality, valid passport or CNIS.
- Proof that you travel along or join the French national in France.
Also, all French short stay Visitor Visa applicants must submit a document that proves they have obtained a travel insurance policy that covers their entire stay in France or Schengen Area.
Conclusion
In regards to obtaining information and advice to write this article, I was in contact with a business counselor who is specialized in communication for foreign companies in France and with various foreign chambers of commerce present in Paris. This process allowed me to be guided by French experts who know the ins and outs of French procedures.
