Visitor visa for France
If you are not French or don’t hold an EU passport, you will need to apply for a visa to visit France (for a period of over 3 month Schengen visa). If you are planning to retire to France, you’ll also need a visitor visa.
What visitor visa should I apply for ?
There are different types of visas, but to visit or retire to France, you’ll need to apply for a « VLS-T » or « VLS-TS visiteur ». This stands for : Visa Long Séjour, Temporaire (T) or valant Titre de Séjour (TS).
The first isn’t renewable, whilst the second you apply for with the intent of becoming French resident and it is renewable.
What’s the process to obtain a visitor visa?
You can apply for a visa from your country of residence or country of citizenship.
The first step is to check with the visa wizard if you need a visa. Depending on your personal situation, it will let you know what visa you may need or if you need one at all.
You must then create your visa application on the official website, France Visas. For this you must first create an account.
Once your application is done, you’ll have to report it to one of the Visa centres within your country and book an appointment.
On the day of your appointment you must bring your complete file, with all supporting documents. The appointment lasts roughly 20 minutes and they’ll:
- check your file is complete ;
- collect the fee;
- collect your biometric details (photo and fingerprints)
They will keep the copies of all your supporting documents and your passport.
From there, you can follow your application on your account created with your Visa centre. It generally takes around 15 days for your application to be processed but can take up to 45 days. Bear in mind you will not have your passport during that time. Either you’ll have to pick it up at the Visa Centre or it will be sent to you by post.
What do I need to obtain a visitor visa?
This is a general list and is not exhaustive. You should check what information and documents you must provide depending on your personal situation.
Resources
To obtain a visitor visa, you must prove you have enough income to maintain yourself without being a burden to the French State. In 2024, this amount is €1,398.70 net per month.
Work
You must provide a sworn statement that you will not be working when on French soil. France doesn’t offer a digital nomad visa, you cannot work, even remotely, on a visitor visa. If you do want to work under the self-employed regime when in France, you may want to look into Entrepreneur Visas.
Health
You will need private health insurance covering the entire trip (max 1 year). In some situations, other documents are accepted (ex : UK, if the visa is for 6 months then valid EHIC/GHIC can do the trick, or an S1 Form for retirees).
Other supporting documents
- Proof of an address in France;
- 2 ID photos;
- Passport with at least two blank pages, valid for at least 3 months beyond the date on which you intend to leave the Schengen area or, in the case of a long stay, valid for at least three months beyond the date of expiry of the visa applied for (you must send every page with information on it such as visas, entries, exits, etc.);
- Other documents may be necessary, depending on your specific situation.
What happens once I receive my visitor visa?
Once you’ve received your visa, you are ready to go to France! Hurray!
VLS-T visitor visa
This visa doesn’t require validation. You have to leave France when it expires and cannot renew it from France. If you wanted to stay longer you’d have to go back to your country and reapply from there.
VLS-TS visitor visa
If you have applied for a VLS-TS, then you must absolutely validate this upon arrival, within 3 months. If you do not do this, your visa will not be valid and you’ll have to leave France. Two months before expiry date, you can renew your visa.
If you have applied for a VLS-TS and intend to become a French resident, then you’ll have to apply for French Healthcare, file a French tax return each year, swap your driving licence, apply for child or housing benefits, etc.
If you need assistance with any of this, I can help, please get in touch.
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