IT is possible that you may need a visa if you are visiting France for an extended time, especially if you are from outside the European Union.
Whilst there are no restrictions on foreigners buying French property you want to make sure that you can enjoy it whenever you want.
The French foreign ministry has a useful service on its website that allows you to find out which official papers you may need.
It is a simple process of highlighting your home country, the length of time you are likely to be staying and the reason of your visit.
Then the results are returned outlining the forms you will be required to complete and any other things you may need, for example a number of passport photographs.
To test the service I clicked to say I was from Australia, would be visiting for more than three months and that I was on a private visit/tourism.
I was told that I would have to apply for a long stay visa and provide amongst other things details of accommodation for my stay and how I would financially support myself.
Then you click on a link at the bottom of the results page, which will take you through to the contact details of the embassy relevant to your country so you can apply for your visa.
UPDATE (26/11/07)
Again the Foreign Ministry has updated its pages without properly forwarding people on, and I can only find these pages in French covering applications for a visa to France.
UPDATE (12/04/07): The powers that be seem to have moved the page I mention above and I couldn’t find where it has been moved to.
The closet replacement I could find is Getting a visa.
Comments
29 responses to “Applying for a visa to France”
You almost said “French ministry” and “simple process” in the same sentence. Be careful what you promise 😉
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a visiting fellow in Cardiff University of UK
from China. I’d like to consultate things about
applying tourist visa to France. My UK visa is 1 year,
and both of my husband and my son’s are 6 months. We
plan to spend our summer holiday in Paris, but I am
not sure if we could apply French visa. Could you
please let me know about this?
Thank you so much!
Yours Sincerely,
Li Fang
Hi
I think the best place to head to would be the website of the French Embassy in the UK, please see:
http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/
Regards
Craig
Hi, i am a overseas student in uk. iwant to enjoy my summer holiday in Paris, France. so, i dont know how i have to apply for that kind of visa and what is the requirments for geting visa.
I look forward to your kind co operation.thans very much.
Nasir uddin
im a british citizen and planning a overnight trip to france, but i won,t to take along my sister in law who has an indian passport and as only been over here since april what do i need to do
Hi my name is Violet and i am looking into moving to Paris within a year or so. I plan to teach English as a second language and i will be looking for my own accomadation. I am not part of the european union so i am an Australian Citizen i don’t know how this will affect me. I am now in the process of studing for my TEFL certificate and i have been studing French for the past for months. I am hoping to learn enough French to be able to commute before i go there. Can you please give me some information as to what i need in my situation.
hello
i need a visa to visit paris on student trip on the 26 of april please i need visa .
i want to see my uncle and i want see paris.
hi i am professional cricketer and come to play cricket on workpermit in uk.and i got just 2 matches in week which i have to play on week ends so i wana go to visit to france just for 3 or 4 day i need an information about the france visa if u can give me please that i can apply or not.
Hi Alamgir, many thanks for your comment. I think you should contact your country’s embassy in Paris to see if they can help out, or follow the link above to the French embassy website in the UK.
Hope this helps, Craig
I am 56 yr old and would like to live and work in France and practice/use all the theory on the French language I’ve already learned. Would you please indicate some web addresses on the net to get info? THX
Hi Yiya Galimany, I would suggest you contact your country’s embassy in France to see if they can help, or follow a few of the links mentioned in the article as these my be able to point you in the right direction.
All the best, Craig
hi,i need a visiting visa for my french boyfriend,i am a filipina.what will i do?please help.thanx.
waiting for your reply,
catherine
Good day,
I am studying in the UK at the postgraduate level, and i would like to see Paris. I would like to know if it is possible to use my UK student visa for entry into Paris for about five(5) days.
Thank you for your anticipated response
Hi Tomi, I’m not too sure where you are from but you might want to contact your own embassy in France to see what they say.
All the best, Craig
Hi ,
I am living in Uk on Work Permit VISA and planning to visit Paris for a week.I would like to know what I have to do to enter into Paris. Do I need to do any Visa stamping?
I’m looking forward to your kind co operation.thanks very much
hi,
I am a an Managing Director of a Travel agency,i have heard a lot of things about france hence a strong desire to visit on a short term visa, so could u please let me know how can i visit france and what paper work is require.
thank you waiting for your early reply.
hi,
i am currently serving in the british army and living in the uk but i am a nepalese and i have got a nepalese passport. also i have got a section 8 stamp on my passport from immigration department, home office. my wifeis living with me and she has got a uk visa.
we want to got to paris for a holiday. do we need a visa as me being in the army? if we do need then what do we need to do?
your help on this matter will be appreciated. thankyou.
Dear All,
I am Indian passportholder am on EEA family permit parents got Portugueses passportt need to go to France for 3 days on holidays and I need a visas what are the formalities.
Thanh you.
TO CRAIG MGGINTY:
Like you I am a filipina also. First surf the net and find french embassy and youll see everything you need there, yet its much better if you get married in the phils also because visiting france isnt easy.. hope it can help
Hi Lovenia
Many thanks for your message, and as you say a quick search online or following the links at the foot of the piece will get people off on the right foot when looking to register for a visa.
All the best
Craig
Hello Sir/Madam,
I am staying in epsom, UK and i am having a business visa. I would like to visit paris once in the weekends, could you please assist me how can i get the visa formalities done or from where this will be done. Your instant reply will be highly appreciated.
Thanks & Regards,
Nitin Dhasmana
nitin.dhasmana@gmail.com
Dear Nitin, I think it will be best to contact your embassy in France to see if your UK visa is recognised as well.
Regards, Craig
Hi,
I am an Indian citizen visitng UK on a business visa. I wanted to visit Paris on a weekend. Do I need to apply for a Visa? Can I get in UK itself during my visit? Could you guide me with the visa proceedings.
Thanks,
Shilpa
i am indian citizen .i have 2 year work holliday maker visa of uk and i am in uk now. i wanted to visit paris on weekend.do i need to apply for a visa? could you guide me with the visa proceedings. thankx aman
I am a overseas UK student living with my student dependent family in London, we would like to visit my friend in Paris for 2-3 days during my summer holiday. What kind of visa we need to hold? Thanks a lot
Hi my name is jackson, i live in london with my wife and two children.my wife and children are all british citizenbut i got two years visa to renew and i need a visa to france because we all want to travel to france for two weeks. where or how can i get the visa.
hi,im a pakistani student studying in eNGLAND.I want to go to france for a trip for abt a week.i would like to know what the process is for getting a visa
Dear bia, I think it will be best to contact your embassy in France to see what steps you need to take.
Regards, Craig