France
Schengen Visa Application

Almost all nationalities outside of Europe except Australia, Canada, Japan New Zealand, and South Korea require a Schengen Visa to visit France.

If you are from one of the following countries you will need to apply at the embassy in person:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Burundi, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran , Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar, N. Korea, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Travel Document holders (1951 Convention), Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Yemen, and Zimbabwe (for France only).

This varies depending on which visa you are looking for but for the general France travel visa the following original documents need to be submitted:

• Application form completed and signed by the applicant in person;
• 2 recent passport-sized photographs. The photographs must be passport-size (3,5 x 4,5cm), in colour, taken against a white background with good contrast, clear, good quality, printed on normal photographic paper, unmounted and full face without sunglasses or head covering. (Glasses should not appear in the photo for the visa unless glasses appear in the passport photo too);
• Your passport or travel document valid for at least three months after the date of expiry of the visa applied for. The visa sticker will take up a whole page in your passport or travel document so please ensure that your passport has at least one blank visa page;
• Evidence that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your trip (a recent less than one month old bank statement stating your name and address). Cash is not accepted as proof;
• Proof of an accommodation booking to show where you are staying in France;
• Proof of medical insurance cover. Visa First can provide you with Schengen travel insurance.

If you intend to visit several of the Schengen countries without having one main destination, you should apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the first Schengen country on your travel itinerary that requires you to have a visa.

For Schengen Visa processing (including all embassy fees) we charge £110.

Schengen Visa processing usually takes just 48 hours, depending on how busy the embassy is. It is advisable to apply at least 3 weeks before you plan to travel just to be safe.

Visa First is the only company with an online visa status engine through which you can check the status of your France Visa application 24/7. Check your visa status here.

Although there have been a number of new countries including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic who have recently joined the EU, these countries have NOT yet joined the Schengen Agreement. As a result a Schengen Visa issued by a Schengen Country such as France will NOT currently cover these new EU members and a visa from these new members will NOT cover you for travel to the Schengen countries.

A single entry visa allows you to enter a country once during the validity of the visa. When you leave the country the visa is no longer valid and you would be required to re-apply for another visa if you wish to visit that country again. A multiple-entry visa will allow you to enter/leave the country several times during the validity of the visa. In the case of a Schengen Visa you would be able to use a multiple-entry visa to visit other Schengen countries.

Tourist visas are generally issued for the purpose of leisure and recreation, while a business visa permits you to engage in normal business-related activities. The visa requirements for tourist and business visas may vary. Many countries that do not require tourist visas for UK passport holders may require a visa for business purposes.

Most visas are stamped, or affixed, in your passport on the pages specifically marked for them, and foreign consular officials require that visa stamps be placed on pages that do not contain any other stamps or marks.

Having indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom does not affect whether you require a visa or not as visa requirements are based on the passport that you travel on.

Talk to Visa First live online about whether you need a visa for Europe.

Visa invitations/confirmations are documents, often directly approved by the Foreign Ministry of the country to be visited, that authorises you to visit that country. They typically state the dates and cities you are visiting, the name of a hosting organisation, as well as an "official" reference number and seal of approval. This is particularly prevalent for Russia and many Schengen countries. Required formats for invitations and confirmations vary by country.

Each embassy has its own stance on how long a visa will be issued for. Some are issued for the specific dates that you are travelling (usually single entry), others may be multiple-entry, some are valid from the day you apply while others are valid from the date of expected first entry.

The decision to grant a visa is at the sole discretion of the Embassy/Consulate. We are not responsible for any decision made by the consulate. Please consult our Terms & Conditions for more info.

Most people travel to a country once and so the embassies provide a single entry visa.

Thousands of customers every year choose Visa First to organise their visas because:

• We make getting the visa you need fast and hassle-free.
• We are the only company with an online visa status engine which allows you to check the status of your visa 24/7. Check your visa status now.
  
• We’re visa experts and have organised over 130,000 visas for people like you.
• Our visa guarantee means no visa – no fee!*

No, you need to apply for a French Schengen visa. However, you need to cancel your German visa first.

Yes, you can apply for the visa. You will just need to present both your passports – the new and the old one.

Before we actually apply for your visa a visa specialist will advice you what are the chances of getting your visa approved. If we think that the risk of refusal is too high we will not process it. Once processed, if the visa is refused by the immigration authorities, no refund is possible. If everything is fine with the application it might be even just a couple of days before the visa is issued. If there is any delay because of the immigration authorities, it may take couple of weeks for the visa to be granted.

As you hold a Malaysian passport you are not required a visa to go to France, as long as your stay does not exceed 3 months (90 days). However you may be asked, either at the borders of entry or within the Schengen space, to produce proofs of financial means of support, hotel bookings or return tickets to your country of residence.

It doesn't matter how you pay for your trip as long as you provide the Immigration authorities with the required documents.

If your French visa is still valid, it will be the best if you cancel it with the French High Commission as in the future you might have problems if you wish to apply for another French visa.

If your visa was granted as a Single entry one, when you're back from your holiday in France it will ne longer be valid. That's why, when travelling to India through Belgium, you will need to obtain a transit visa for Belgium

Basically there is no certain period that you need to wait before you submit another visa application. As long as your visa has already expired, you can apply once again.

If your Italian visa was granted as a Multi Entry one, then you will be able to use it to travel to France (or to any other Schengen country) within its validity. However if the Italian visa is a Single entry one and you’ve already used it, then you can’t apply for another Schengen visa while the Italian once is still valid. You have 2 options:

1. wait for the current visa to expire and then apply for a new one
2. cancel your Italian visa and apply for a French one after that

It’s advisable to contact us as soon as you cancel the Italian visa to book an appointment for the French one as there is limited number of available appointments with the French consulate.

If the Travel insurance that you have covers you for Europe and is valid for the validity of your trip it should be OK. It also needs to cover medical expenses and repatriation according to the requirements. As long as you can produce a certificate in English, you ill be able to use this travel insurance.

Unfortunately as you're on a refugee status you are required to apply with the relevant consulate in person. If you're travelling to France you have to contact the relevant French consulate.

If you have a French Schengen visa, you are allowed to travel to Denmark but you need to go to France as well straight after your trip to Denmark and before you come back to the UK. It's obligatory that you spend more time in France than in Denmark (at least one day more).

If you're granted a Schengen visa and you never use it there should be no problem to apply once again when the visa expires. If you need to travel before that to another country or for a period that is beyond the visa validity, you will have to cancel the current visa and apply for a new one.

If you have applied for the visa with a registered agency there should be no problem. The only way to check if the visa is an original one is with the French Consulate.

I checked with the French consulate and Sri Lankan passport holders are required to obtain a visa before arriving in the country. There is an Airport Transit visa which is the one that the Sri Lankan Airlines require. However you are required to apply in person with the French consulate. See the basic requirements below and contact the consulate at your earliest convenience:

Documents to be submitted (in both originals and copies):

1. Application form completed and signed on the spot by the applicant in person.

2. Recent passport sized photograph.

3. Passport or travel document valid for at least three months after the date of expiry of the visa applied for. The visa sticker takes up a whole page in your passport or travel document. Please ensure that your passport has at least one blank visa page!

4. Irish re-entry visa (valid at least three months after the date of expiry of the visa applied for). Exceptions may apply.

5. Irish certificate of registration (GNIB card also called Garda / Green card), valid for at least three months after the date of expiry of the visa applied for. Exceptions may apply.

6. Return ticket. Upon application: itinerary / reservation print out flight / ferry / rail / bus), if possible. When collecting your visa : confirmed and non transferable / non refundable return ticket.

7. Visas for onward journey / destination, if applicable.

As you're on a valid visa in the UK as dependant on your husband's visa there is no problem to apply for a Schengen visa. Please advise what passport you hold and which country you wish to visit. If you provide me with a contact number I will ask a colleague of mine to get back to you!

If you hold a Nigerian passport, even though you're married to EU citizen, you are required to have a visa to travel to France. Unfortunately we are not able to assist as Nigerian passport holders are required to apply in person with the French consulate.

As we did not submit the application, we are not allowed to investigate the case. The best thing to do is to contact the French consulate to check if there is a problem with your visa application or with some of the documents you provided.

If you intend to travel to France in January 2010 the earliest you can apply for the French Schengen visa is 3 months in advance. However you will need to provide confirmation for booked tickets, accommodation, travel insurance etc. The visa will start from the date you provided as leaving date from the UK. If you decide to travel somewhere else in advance you won't be able to because you can't travel to France before the visa's start date and you can't apply for another Schengen visa while you will have a valid one.

As you hold a Vietnamese passport, you are required to apply in person with the Immigration Authorities. If you are travelling to both countries on one trip you should apply for a visa with the embassy where you will be spending more time – i.e. if you are spending 5 days in France and 4 days in Italy you must get a French Schengen visa and vice versa. Please contact the relevant embassy for further assistance.

There is no problem to print off the confirmation email that was sent to you from the hotel. It only needs to state your name and the dates that you will be staying in the hotel and it must clearly states the details of the hotel – i.e. address and contact numbers.

It depends when we’ll organize an appointment with the French consulate for your application to be processed. Once you have an appointment, the visa will be ready on the next day.

If you’re interested in applying with us please get back to me with your name and contact number and a colleague of mine will call you back with more information.

You won’t be able to apply using your husband’s bank statement even if you are in the UK as a dependant on his visa. If you are using a bank statement to show proof of funds the bank account MUST be on your name. Alternatively you can use travelers’ cheques.

As long as you have confirmation from the hotel stating your name and the period you will be staying in the hotel there should be no problem at all. Please make sure that the confirmation comes directly from the hotel, otherwise it won’t be acceptable.

If you’re currently in the UK as a dependent on your husband’s visa you will need to provide apart of all the required documents the marriage certificate and your spouse’s passport as well.

If you have a valid student visa for the UK there should be no problems to get a Schengen visa from UK.

If your daughter holds a South African passport she will definitely need a visa to travel to France. Still as she’s a minor she must travel with her parents or on a school trip. The process of obtaining a visa is that we must book an appointment with the French consulate to process your daughter’s application. You will need to provide us with the necessary documents at least 3-4 days before the appointment day to check if all the documents are OK.

Your parents will be able to apply from London but they must contact the relevant embassy in person because they will be on visitor’s permit and no agency will be able to help and get the visa on their behalf. Your parents will have to go and attend an interview to process their visas.

If you are spending more time in France than in Italy there will be absolutely no problem to enter Rome first and then travel to France. Please be advised that you must visit both countries on one and the same travel before travelling back to the UK.

For a Schengen visa you must show proof of sufficient funds. For such proof is acceptable either a bank statement on your name or traveler’s cheques.

The price for the travel insurance is £40. The travel insurance is annual multi trip insurance with validity for 1 year and coverage for Europe and is acceptable if you’re applying for a Schengen visa. If you have valid travel insurance you should check if you’re covered for trips to Europe and when will the insurance expire. Please bear in mind that if the travel insurance expires soon it won’t be possible to obtain a multiple entry visa.

If you have a valid French Schengen visa and you have already visited France, then there should be no problem to visit any Schengen country for leisure within its validity.

As your visa is still valid and you have already visited the Netherlands, there should be no problem at all to visit any other Schengen country within the visa validity. Make sure that you check how many days in total you are allowed to stay in the Schengen countries for your visa validity.

As you hold a Mauritius passport you are allowed to travel to France without a Schengen visa if your stay does not exceed 3 months.

To apply for a French Schengen visa you must hold a valid visa for the UK. If you’re overstaying your visa in the UK not only that you won’t be able to get a visa for France but you might have problems with the Immigration Authorities. I’d advise you to get in contact with the UK Home Office to arrange your current status in the UK.

Unfortunately we as an agency won’t be able to help because people married to French passport holders must apply in person with the French Consulate. This is a basic requirement – no agency will be able to assist in this case.

The Schengen visa is granted only for short visits. If you need to study in France or if you wish to get married, you must apply for a different type of visa with the French Consulate.

If you will be travelling to Poland first, then you need to get a Portuguese Schengen visa. If you’re granted a multiple entry Schengen visa which will cover your stay in France there will be no problem to travel with the same visa. If your visa expires before your travel to France or while you’ll be there, you should apply for a French Schengen visa in advance.

Mauritius passport holders are no longer required to have a visa for France if their stay does not exceed 3 months.

The required minimum of funds per day spent in France is £55. This must be proved either by a bank statement or by traveler’s cheques. Please be advised that if you have available funds for 5 days the visa will be granted only for 5 days. The more money you have, the better possibility to get a multiple entry visa you’ll have.

If you’re on a Work visa in the UK you won’t be able to get a French Schengen visa as a letter from your employer will be required to prove your status. If you’re on a Student visa – a letter from the college or university will be necessary. With regards to the proof of funds you must have at least £55 per day spent in France and the money needs to be either in a bank account on your name that you will have to provide a bank statement from or to have the funds available in traveler’s cheques. Please be advised that if you have available funds for 5 days there will be no way to get the visa granted for a longer period.

The French visa is valid only for France. Still if you have a New Zealand passport you won’t be required to have a visa if your intended stay does not exceed 3 months. You will be able to travel only with your passport, however you may be asked, either at the borders of entry or within the Schengen space, to produce proofs of financial means of support, hotel bookings or return tickets to your country of residence.

The required minimum of sufficient funds is £55 per day spent in France. There is no requirement for how long the money should have been in your account. I don’t think that it’s a good idea to withdraw the funds once the visa is issued because you might be required to show proof of sufficient funds upon arrival in the country

You need to get a visa from the embassy which country you will be visiting or from the country where you will be staying longer. Please check carefully your travel arrangements and contact the relevant embassy as you must apply in person for such type of visa.

If you’ll be travelling to Germany your husband must apply for a German Schengen visa. At the moment we are organizing French and Portuguese visas. In your case I’d recommend the French Schengen visa as it is a multiple entry visa BUT you will have to go to France either before your trip to Germany or you will have to visit France and Germany on one and the same travel before coming back to the UK.

If you will be able to travel to France as well, we’ll organize the visa for your husband without any problems. If you’ll be going only to Germany, then you must contact the German embassy to obtain the relevant visa.

You will need to apply for a French Schengen visa even though you have Indefinite Leave to Remain for the UK. As you hold a Moroccan passport you are required to apply in person with the French Consulate.

In order to obtain a Schengen visa to France you will need to provide hotel booking confirmation. We can book an appointment with the French consulate to process your application but you will still need to provide us with the required documents at least 4 days before that so that we could check them and make sure that everything is OK. You won’t need to go to the consulate in person or meet any one – you can simply post us the documents to the London office.

The Schengen visas are granted with certain period that you are allowed to stay in the Schengen space. The period that you spend outside of the Schengen space is deducted from the allowed time. Please check your visa terms and conditions to be sure how long you’re allowed to stay.

If you’re an Indian resident you must obtain a Schengen visa from the country of your residency unless you have “EEA endorsement” placed in your passport. As your wife is Polish you must apply with the Polish embassy in India if necessary.

We are organizing Schengen visas only for France and Portugal. Malaysian passport holders are not required to have a visa for these countries, if their intended stay does not exceed 3 months. I presume that this will be the same for the rest of the Schengen countries but you should better check with your travel agency or with the relevant embassies.

If you have a valid Hungarian Schengen visa there will be no problem to travel through Paris as long as your main destination is Hungary.

If you will be applying together with your husband for the French Schengen visa there will be no problem to provide only one bank statement with both your names on it as long as you have sufficient funds for both of you. You will also need to provide your marriage certificate which must be either in English or translated and certified by the relevant embassy.

There is absolutely no problem to travel to France first as you’ll be going to Italy straight after that and you’ll be spending more time there.