Just like in most countries, if you want to visit France, you need to get a visa depending on your purpose. In this article, we will talk about the French business visa. But firstly, you need to know whether you need that visa or not? In order to explain the French business visa process, I will go step by step by answering these kinds of questions: What are the France business visa requirements? How long is the France business visa processing time? What are the documents required for France business visa? What are the important France business visa documents? How much are the France business visa fees? Besides answering these questions, I will also mention some key points about the France business visa interview questions, the France business visa checklist, and the France business visa covering letter format.
Let's say that you are planning to go to France for business purposes. The first question here is that "Do you need a business visa or not?". France is included in Schengen Area, and there are some countries that its citizens do not need to get a visa for coming to France. Below you can find those visa-free countries:
Countries under the Schengen visa-free regime, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Honk Kong, Ireland, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaca, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, South Korea, St-Martin, Switzerland, the Holy See, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
France business visa requirements
How to get a visa for France? For a French business visa, you need to gather the following France business visa documents:
- A completed application form
- Two passport-style photographs that meet the Schengen criteria (cannot be more than three months old)
- Your passport must be valid. It must be valid for at least 3 months after your planned stay in France ends. To be able to affix the visa sticker on the passport, it must have at least two empty pages
- Copies of previous Schengen visas
- Travel medical insurance for the duration of your stay in France. With a minimum of €30,000, it should cover not only France but also the whole Schengen area
- Itinerary for the entire trip. A list of the activities you want to undertake while in France, as well as information on how you intend to get in France. Attach supporting papers such as a round-trip flight, a railroad reservation, or a document from a scheduled, organized tour (that includes transportation).
- Evidence of financial capability. The French authorities are curious as to how you plan to fund your stay in France. As a result, as part of this obligation, you must submit the following papers that pertain to your situation:
-Bank statements from the last few months
- Earnings from a rental property
- A retirement savings plan
- A letter from a sponsor indicating that they are willing to cover your expenses for the duration of your stay, together with papers confirming the sponsor's availability of funds (i.e., bank statements of last 3 months, other).
- Other papers demonstrating your ability to sustain yourself in France for the duration of your stay.
- Evidence of accommodation in France. Proof of where you will be residing in France is another crucial document you must submit. At least one of the following should be provided, depending on the purpose of your trip:
- Reservations for a hotel or a hostel.
- Attestation d'accueil (reception certificate) signed by the city hall (for private visits)
- If you'll be staying in a rented place, you'll need a rental contract called a "bail de location" in France.
- A certificate of the candidate's home country's criminal record, demonstrating that he or she has no outstanding criminal cases
- Proof of payment of the visa cost
- A letter of invitation from the French firm you will be visiting, with their complete address and the dates of your stay
- A letter from your boss stating/approving your business trip, detailing the activity, purpose, duration, and location of your meeting, seminar, or conference
- If relevant, proof of past business connections between the two firms
- Either the employer or the partner firm must indicate covering of expenditures on the letter of invitation for the applicant's expenses while in the Schengen zone
- Entry cards for fairs or conferences, if applicable
Besides the documents from the France business visa checklist, you may be requested to provide extra papers based on your case and the embassy of your country. Make sure you submit them all according to the French business visa requirements.
France business visa processing time
All French embassies are required to notify visa applicants who intend to visit France for business purposes within two weeks of their application. In some circumstances, especially if the authority in charge of processing your application is receiving too many applications at the moment, this period may be extended for a few more days. In general, France business visa processing time is changing between 5-20 calendar days.
France business visa interview questions
Here are some France business visa interview questions that can help you prepare:
- What is the purpose of your trip to France?
- Who is your employer?
- How much do you get paid?
- Do you have a spouse?
- Do you have medical insurance that covers this trip?
- Do you have a letter of recommendation from your boss?
- Have you ever gone on a trip outside of your country?
- What do you intend to do when you return to your homeland?
- What is your knowledge of French?
- Are you going anywhere else in the Schengen area outside of France? What's your educational background?
- What does your job entail?
- What guarantee do you have that you will return to your own country?
- What are your plans for France?
- Have you purchased your tickets yet?
- How long are you planning on staying in France?
- What is your company's address?
- Who will look after your belongings in your home nation while you are away?
- What is your total number of children? What exactly do they do? Are they married?
France business visa fees
You must additionally pay a visa fee on the day of your appointment. The fee is necessary to pay the costs associated with the processing of your visa application.
- The cost of a business visa for France is €80
- For entrances and stays in France and other Schengen countries, these countries' citizens pay 35 euros because of the agreement with the European Union (EU): Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine.
The following groups are not required to pay France business visa fees:
- All children under six years
- Members of a family who are citizens of another EU/EEA member state
- French citizen's spouses, same-sex partners in a civil union, and minor single children
- Diplomatic or service passport holders
- Parents of minor France citizens
- A scientific researcher
- Representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years (or less) participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations
- School pupils, undergraduates, postgraduates, and accompanying teaching staff who undertake trips for the purpose of study or training
France business visa covering letter format
Apart from the normal paperwork, you must also work on drafting a cover letter that you can submit to the embassy with the rest of the documents to describe the purpose of the trip and your itinerary fully. You can find the France business visa covering letter format here.
