Do you want to visit your relatives living in France and you don’t know how to obtain your visa for France? Do you need to come to France for any other reasons? That is because you didn’t read this article ! Learn all there is to know to obtain a visa for France!
How to get a visa for France?
First of all, it is important to know that there are two types of visas depending on the length of the planned stay:
The short stay visa or type C visa: With a maximum duration of 90 days out of a total period of 180 days, this visa is mostly issued for reasons such as tourism, business or family visit. In addition, it can be used if necessary for people following a short training or conference course that meets the required duration.
The long stay visa: Between 3 months and 1 year, this visa is generally granted in case of tourism, business, studies or to join your spouse and family. Its duration depends on your application and the reason for your stay. If you wish to extend your stay in France, you will need to apply for a residence permit from the prefecture.
To obtain a visa for France, the conditions and documents to be provided will vary according to the type of visa requested. In both cases, you must first fill in an online form and attach it to your file, then compile your file with the required documents. You will then submit it to the French embassy closest to you. Be careful, make your appointment a few weeks before your departure date to avoid any delay. The Embassy will then study the application and decide whether or not to grant the visa to the applicant.
Please note that some people are exempted:
- EU member states.
- Member states of the EEA (European Economic Area).
- Switzerland.
Which visa to apply for to enter France?
To obtain a visa for France, we must first determine the type of visa that corresponds to our stay. Indeed, as we have seen previously, the type of visa varies according to the length of the stay and the reason for it.
If you wish to go there for a period of less than or equal to 3 months, the short stay visa is for you. If, on the other hand, you wish to stay for more than 3 months (less than or equal to 1 year), then choose the long stay visa. You will then be able to apply for a residence permit to extend your stay.
What are the requirements for obtaining a long stay visa for France?
In order to obtain your long-stay visa, the reason for your trip must correspond to those accepted:
- Tourist travel
- Business travel
- Travel for study purposes
- Travel to participate in a supervised internship
- Family reunion
With this visa, you will be able to travel throughout the Schengen area. If the reason for your trip corresponds, you will have to put together your file and make an appointment at the French Embassy in your country so that it can examine your application.
What supporting documents are required for a long stay visa?
To obtain a long-stay visa, you must first complete the online form mentioned above. Afterwards, your file will have to include certain necessary documents:
- A passport: must be valid for more than 3 months after your planned return date
- Two ICAO size passport photos
- Supporting documents relating to the reason for and conditions of your stay (e.g. invitation letter from a French person)
- Your biometric identifiers (photograph and fingerprints)
- A means of payment for the application fee (up to 80 € depending on the country of origin)
How to apply for a short stay visa?
As with obtaining a long-stay visa, to obtain your short-stay visa, the reason for your trip must correspond to those accepted by the Embassy:
- Tourist travel
- Business travel
- Travel for study purposes
- Travel to participate in a supervised internship
- Family reunion
*All for a period of less than three months.
Similarly, if the reason for your trip corresponds, you will have to compile your file and make an appointment at the French Embassy in your country so that it can examine your application.
Conditions to apply for a short stay visa
To obtain a short stay visa, you will need to provide a complete file to the French Embassy with these attachments:
- A passport: must be valid for more than 3 months after your planned return date.
- A short stay visa application form (CERFA n° 14076*02) to be completed online.
- 3 passport photos that meet the standards.
- Proof that you have sufficient financial resources for your entire stay.
- Proof that you have a repatriation guarantee and an insurance policy.
- Proof of the reason for and conditions of the stay (e.g. invitation letter from a French person).
- Proof of accommodation (hotel reservation or certificate of reception).
Once your file has been compiled, you must go to the appointment previously made at the French Embassy and wait for it to be revised. A word of advice: be meticulous when filling in your file, as the slightest missing document can delay your application by several weeks.
What to do if your visa is denied?
If you receive a visa refusal or have not received a reply within two months, you must reapply. If your refusal is implicit (no reply within two months), you can ask in the form of a letter for the reasons for this rejection. In the other case, it is indicated.
From the moment your application is refused, you can then contest this refusal within a maximum of two months. There are two possibilities: you can either lodge an informal appeal or appeal to the Commission de Recours contre les Décisions de Refus de Visa d’entrée en France. These two solutions are called administrative. If these appeals are unsuccessful, you will have no other solution than to reapply for a visa.
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