France has some of the most magnificent landscapes in the world, from the boulevards of Paris to the famous resort areas of the Côte d'Azur. Romantics are enchanted with fairytale castles, magnificent cathedrals, and picture-perfect villages. At the same time, the country's modern landmarks and quick train travel shock visitors out of their fairytale settings and into the 21st-century atmosphere. Begin with the Eiffel Tower, France's contemporary symbol. Then visit the Louvre Museum to see great works of art. At the magnificent Palace of Versailles, spend a day pretending to be royalty. Traditional French food has been placed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, so make time for slow gourmet dinners. If you want to become one of those tourists and visit the country, you need to get a France tourist visa. In order to help you with the process of getting a visa, I will answer these questions: What are the France tourist visa requirements? (Which documents are included in the France tourist visa checklist) How much are the French tourist visa fees? Which documents are required for France tourist visa? How to get a tourist visa for France? Do I need a tourist visa for France? How to get a long stay tourist visa for France? Also, you will know how much tourist visa to France and how long do you have to wait to reenter France on a tourist visa?
Let's start with the first question:
Do I need a tourist visa for France?
Besides all, firstly, you need to know that whether you need a France tourist visa or not? Your nationality and length of stay determine the sort of visa you will need to enter France. For three months, France permits people of numerous nations to come without a tourist visa. If you require a Schengen or long-stay visa to enter France, book an appointment with your local French consulate and bring the necessary papers with you. You do not require a tourism visa to visit France if your home country is a member of the European Union or the European Economic Area. If you have a passport from one of the following countries, you will not require a 3-month tourist visa:
Argentina, Andorra, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Monaco, Mexico, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela.
If your nation is not eligible, you have to apply for Schengen visa to visit France. As you all know, the Schengen visa is based on a 25-country agreement that allows visitors to enter one of the 25 countries and travel between them without having to present their passports.
Apply for a long-term stay visa if you want to remain longer than three months. This is necessary for anyone who is not a citizen of the EU or the EEA. The majority of those who apply for long-stay visas do so to work, study, or attend a family reunion.
How to get a tourist visa for France?
Now, let's answer our question, "How to get a tourist visa for France." In order to get a French tourist visa, you need to make an appointment with the French consulate in your area. This appointment should be arranged one to three months before your departure date but after you have purchased your flight tickets and made travel arrangements. If you plan to leave fewer than three weeks following your appointment, your visa may not be granted.
How to apply for a tourist visa to France?
Let's make a list of these steps so you will easily understand the application process:
1. Fill out the application for a tourist Schengen visa in French or English.
2. Gather the documents required for France tourist visa.
3. Book in advance.
4. You must pay the fees.
5. Arrive on time for your appointment.
Details about the visa application:
- A short-term visa will take roughly 2 to 3 weeks to arrive.
For a favorable conclusion on your France Tourist Visa application, you must submit the application file on time. According to the requirements for obtaining a tourist visa in France, you must apply at least six months before your scheduled travel.
On the other hand, you must do so at least two weeks before your desired travel date.
- You can send your application to the French embassy or consular division in your country. France has outsourced visa filing in your nation to a third-party visa processing facility. French authorities in your country of residence have outsourced visa submission to a French embassy/consulate/visa processing center in a nearby country.
- If you want to go to the Schengen Area to visit countries other than France, you may need to apply at a different embassy.
What are the France tourist visa requirements?
In order to apply for a visa, you need to know all the France tourist visa requirements. Below you can find the documents required for France tourist visa (France tourist visa checklist):
• 2 copies of an application form for a Schengen Visa. These free forms may be found on the official website under the "Getting a Visa" section.
• In addition, your passport must have two blank pages and be valid for at least 90 days following your departure from France.
• 3 passport photos, each measuring 1.4 by 1.7 inches (3.5 by 4.5 cm).
• Your departure and return flight details, as well as our hotel or tour bookings.
• Proof of medical insurance coverage for the duration of your stay in France.
• Original bank statements from the previous three months are required to demonstrate evidence of money while in France.
• Proof of residency in the area where you are applying is required.
• Bring cash to your appointment for the application cost. A short-term visa application costs 60 euros at the moment.
How to get a long stay tourist visa for France?
If you want to stay in France for more than 90 days, you must apply for a long-stay visa in advance. Your nationality does not free you from the obligations in this case.
Your long-stay visa must be for a period of three months to one year, regardless of the length of your anticipated stay. You must apply for a residence permit at a prefecture in order to prolong your stay beyond the term of your visa.
The long-stay visa is equal to a Schengen visa throughout its validity term, allowing you to travel and remain in the Schengen Area outside of France for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, under the same restrictions as if you had a Schengen visa.
How much is the tourist visa to France?
Below you can find the current visa fees for France:
Type of the visa - Fees - Fees in Dollars
Airport Transit - 80 - 88.43
Short Stay - 80 - 88.43
Short stay visa for French Overseas Department or Region - 80 - 88.43
Short stay visa for French Overseas Territories - 15 - 16.70
Other Long Stay Visas - 99 - 110.10
Children applying for short stay visas - 40 - 38.90
Candidates must pay a charge in addition to the usual French visa cost for providing their biometric details. Furthermore, if private subcontracted firms are in charge of receiving visa applications, an extra administrative fee may be charged.
Short-stay visas are available for children aged 6 to 11 years old for entry into all other French territories, independent of TAAF – 40 euros.
For entrances and stays in France and other Schengen countries, short-stay visas for inhabitants of the following countries under a facilitation agreement with the European Union (EU): Georgia, Kosovo, Russia, and Ukraine (holders of biometric passports only) cost 35 euros.
The following groups are not required to pay the France tourist visa fees:
- Members of a family who are citizens of another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland a Frenchcitizen'ss wife or husband
- Diplomatic or service passport holders
- Children under the age of six years old (not including New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, and French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
- A foreigner who has benefitted from a youth mobility agreement between France and Canada.
- A foreigner who has taken a working holiday as a result of a France-Japan, France-Korea, France-Argentina, or France-Canada agreement. Columbia has reached a deal.
How long do you have to wait to reenter France on a tourist visa?
Unfortunately, there is no legal method to extend a tourist visa; if you don't already have one, you'll need to return to your home country and apply for one through your consulate. If you remain longer than the 90-day tourist visa, you will become a "sans papier" (illegal immigrant) with its own set of problems. There's no way getting around it, and if you overstay, you face fines or a temporary ban from not only France but all of Schengen.
When it comes to the "How long do you have to wait to reenter France on a tourist visa" question, there is no limited time for that. As we mentioned above, you just need to return to your home country and apply for France tourist visa whenever you want.
