Tourist visa for France: documents, fees and steps

Good to know

• Filing periodConditions and details

  A short-stay visa application must in principle be submitted at least 15 days before the visit and cannot be submitted more than 6 months before it begins. Processing times vary according to nationality, purpose and local conditions; it is up to the applicant to take the appointment system into account.
• France, sole or main destinationConditions and details

  The French authorities process the application when France is the sole destination of the trip, when it is the main destination in terms of duration or purpose, or, in the absence of a main destination, when the first entry into the Schengen area is through France.
• Photograph formatConditions and details

  The photograph must be recent and a true likeness, measure between 35 and 40 mm in width, with a face of 32 to 36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the top of the skull (excluding hair), and comply with the ICAO standard.
• Reuse of biometric dataConditions and details

  A person who has obtained a Schengen visa with biometric enrolment is exempt from a new enrolment if their data were collected less than 59 months ago and they present a photocopy of their previous visa. An identity photograph in ICAO format is still required in the application file.
• Resources to be justified at the borderConditions and details

  For France, the amount of resources to be justified is 65 euros per day with a hotel reservation and 120 euros per day without a reservation; in the case of a partial reservation, 65 euros for the period covered and 120 euros for the remainder. A person hosted by a private individual, holding a host certificate (attestation d'accueil), must justify at least 32.50 euros per day.
• Documents to present on arrivalConditions and details

  At the request of the border police, the traveller presents their passport, their visa, proof of accommodation covering the entire stay, namely a hotel reservation or a host certificate (attestation d'accueil) validated at the town hall (mairie), sufficient resources, their return ticket or the means to buy one, and an insurance certificate covering medical, hospital and death expenses, including repatriation for medical reasons.
• The visa does not confer a right of entryConditions and details

  Holding a visa does not give an automatic right of entry: at the border, the traveller must be able to present the same supporting documents as at the time of application (purpose of the stay, means of subsistence).
• Duration of stay and validity of the visaConditions and details

  The maximum duration of stay is the one shown on the visa sticker. You must leave the Schengen area no later than the day the visa expires and not exceed 90 days over a 180-day period. Compliance with these durations is checked at boarding or on entry.
• Frequent travellers: circulation visaConditions and details

  A person who makes several short stays in France each year may, under conditions, obtain a multiple-entry visa valid from 6 months to 5 years, within the limit of 90 cumulative days per 180-day period. The administration decides on its issuance and its duration.
• Overseas territories excludedConditions and details

  A Schengen visa does not allow access to the French overseas territories. A person whose nationality is subject to a visa there must apply for a specific visa; a stay that includes one of these territories and the European territory of France then requires two separate visas: a Schengen visa and a national visa valid for the territory or territories concerned.
• No visa on arrivalFrance does not issue a visa on arrival: a traveller subject to a visa must have obtained it before departure.
• Fees not refunded and exemptionsConditions and details

  Visa fees are not refunded, even in the event of a refusal or withdrawal of the application. A fee waiver or a partial exemption may apply to certain categories of applicants, for example spouses of French nationals.
• Service provider feesConditions and details

  When the collection of applications is entrusted to an external service provider, it collects a service fee, which varies from country to country but is capped at 45 euros per application. It may also offer paid optional services.
• Refusal and appealsConditions and details

  Refusals are reasoned. A short-stay visa refusal can be contested within 30 days by a reasoned prior appeal, drafted in French and signed, sent by post to the Deputy Director for Visas (BP 83609, 44036 Nantes Cedex 01); this appeal is mandatory before the administrative judge. Without a decision within two months of filing, the application is implicitly refused.
• Renewal or extensionConditions and details

  A person already in France who wishes to renew or extend their visa should contact the prefecture of their place of residence; from their country of residence, they contact the consular services or the competent service provider.
• Reception certificate: steps for the hostConditions and details

  A person hosting a non-European visitor in France for a tourist stay of less than 3 months applies for the reception certificate from their town hall and pays a fee of 30 euros in the form of a tax stamp. The certificate must be validated by the town hall before the visa application, then sent to the visitor before their departure. Some visitors are exempt, for example holders of a Schengen circulation visa.
• Entry/Exit System (EES)Conditions and details

  Nationals of non-EU countries who come for a short stay are registered in the Entry/Exit System each time they cross the external borders of the 29 countries that use it, whether or not they need a visa: travel document data, dates and places of entry and exit, facial image and/or fingerprints.
• Caution regarding fraudulent websitesFrance-Visas invites applicants to be cautious in all transactions with companies claiming to offer assistance in obtaining French visas.