France is one of the top tourist destinations! 89 million travelers visit France every year. Starting from Paris which is called a “city of love”, it invites many people from around the world to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, eat a croissant from the unique, French cafes to finally deep into the art of Louvre to end up on the Champs-Élysées with its beautiful architecture.
However, going there is not a piece of cake for everyone. Depending on your country, you may be required to obtain a Tourist visa to France before visiting this country for a duration of fewer than 90 days. If you want to find out if you are eligible for the French Tourist Visa, how to apply and what are the general requirements – read on!
The French tourist visa allows you to stay in France for a maximum of 90 days during a 180-day period for tourism purposes. If you do not have a Limited Territorial Validity visa, you are generally allowed to travel to other Schengen countries.
It all depends on your nationality whether you require a short-stay visa to visit France or its overseas territories, collectivities, departments, and regions. Any of the European Union or European Economic Area member states, do not require a visa to visit and stay in France as a tourist. However, the list is much longer. Check the visa-exempt countries below.
Schengen Visa Exempt Countries
If you are a national of one of the nations listed below, you will not need to obtain a French tourist visa.
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- North Macedonia
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Vatican City State
- Honduras
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Seychelles
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- St Kitts And Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent And The Grenadines
- Trinidad And Tobago
- Tuvalu Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States Of America
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- United Kingdom
If you do not belong to one of the nations indicated and listed above, you will almost certainly need to obtain a visa to enter France.
Submitting a Tourist Visa Application to France
You may be required to submit your application depending on the French authorities in your country of residency and how they have controlled visa admission, you may be required to submit your application at:
- The French embassy’s consular section in your country.
- A French consulate in your country.
- A third-party visa processing centre.
- French embassy/consulate/visa processing centre in a neighbouring country.
Bear in mind that you must submit the application file on time. According to the criteria for obtaining a tourist visa in France, you must apply at least six months prior to your scheduled flight. On the other hand, you must do so at least two weeks before your chosen vacation date.
How can I get a tourist visa in France?
For those who have never had to seek a visa before, the application process for a French Tourist visa may appear confusing and frustrating. You may easily receive the visa if you develop a list of the tasks you need to do and follow them carefully:
- Fill out the application for a tourist Schengen visa in French.
- Gather the necessary paperwork.
- Make a reservation.
- You must pay the fees.
- Arrive on time for your appointment.
- Fill out the application for a tourist Schengen visa in French.
The application form for a tourist visa to France can be found on the website of the French embassy in your home country. If you don’t have access to the internet, you can request that the embassy send you a form via email.
Complete the application form with accurate and truthful information. Keep in mind that the information you provide in this form must match what you provide in the other documents; otherwise, your application will most likely be denied. Remember to print it twice and sign both copies when you’re done.
Gather the required documents
Collect the essential documents for a France tourist visa after completing the application form. Make sure you have both the original and a copy of each document. On the day of your appointment, do not forget to bring any documents, as failing to do so may result in your application being denied.
To apply for a tourist visa in France, you must submit the following documents:
- Completed application for a tourist visa in France. Make sure you’re filling out the correct form and providing accurate information.
- Two photographs in the French passport format and style which are no older than three months.
- A passport which has been issued within the last ten years and is valid for at least three months after your planned stay in France. To be able to affix the visa sticker on the passport, it must have at least two vacant pages.
- Copies of older visas you have ever held for any country in the world.
- For the duration of your stay in France and the Schengen Area, you must have travel medical insurance that covers a minimum of €30,000.
- Certificate of the candidate’s home country’s criminal record – demonstrating that the candidate is not involved in any open criminal cases.
- Itinerary for travel – details what you’ll be doing in France when you’ll arrive and go, and proof of pre-arranged transportation, such as aircraft tickets and hotel reservations.
- Proof of a place to stay in France. It could be a hotel or hostel reservation, or a letter of invitation if you’re staying with friends or relatives.
- Proof of your financial ability to cover your entire stay in France and other Schengen countries, if you want to do so. This might be a bank statement from the last three months that’s no more than three days old, or a scholarship certificate showing how much money you’ll be getting for the duration of your stay.
- You must make an appointment with a consular officer of the French embassy for your interview. Every applicant over the age of 12 is required to attend an interview. On the website of the French embassy or consulate in your country, you can schedule an interview. If that option isn’t accessible in your nation, you’ll have to make an appointment with the embassy.
- Proof of payment of the visa fee.
How much does the French Tourist Visa cost?
You must pay the visa cost before attending your interview at the embassy, consulate, or visa application facility on the day of your appointment. A tourist visa in France costs €80. You’ll have to pay the cost in euros or the local currency, depending on the embassy’s conversion rates.
How long is the France Tourist Visa valid for?
Your visa’s validity is determined by the French embassy that issued it to you. A French tourist visa has a maximum validity of three months and must be used within six months. The embassy may now offer you a visa for the time period required, which may be ten days, three weeks, or even three or five days. On the other hand, if you are a frequent visitor to the Schengen area, you can still obtain a multiple entry three-month valid visa.
Is it possible for me to go to other European countries?
If your visa stamp in your passport says “The Schengen States” or “États Schengen” or similar phrases in another EU language, you can travel within the Schengen area as soon as it becomes valid.
If your visa says “Schengen states (-the acronym of a nation)” it implies you can only visit that country, whereas “Schengen states (-ES)” suggests you can visit all Schengen countries except Spain. You can also get a visa that simply has the acronyms of the countries you’re allowed to visit, such as “PL, F, DE” which says you’re only allowed to visit Poland, France, and Germany.
Travelling in Schengen Area while on the French Tourist Visa
If you plan to go to the Schengen Area to visit countries other than France, you may need to apply at a different embassy than the one in France. Many people may find this confusing, but it is actually straightforward.
To begin, make a list of the countries you intend to visit and the number of days you plan to stay in each. Apply at the embassy where you want to spend most of your time. For example, if you are visiting Germany and France and plan to spend three days in the former and five in the latter, you must apply at the embassy of the country where you plan to spend the most time, in this case, France.
If you plan to spend an equal number of days in two or more countries, such as two in France, two in Germany, and two in Switzerland, you must apply at the embassy of the nation where you will be landing first.
