France Tourist Visa for Indian Nationals: A Guide

France Tourist Visa is a short-term visa issued for tourism purposes. The visa permits your stay for up to 90 days. However, you cannot use this visa to engage in professional activities. France is the most visited country in the world due to its history, culture, and art. The country grants tourist visas to non-EU nationals. To apply you need to know the visa requirements, application process, and fees in detail. Keep reading to know more about them.

France Tourist Visa: An Overview 

To visit France for tourism you need to obtain a short stay visa. France is a part of the Schengen area. Therefore, the France tourist visa mentioned here is the Uniform Schengen visa. The Uniform Schengen visa is given to travel to a Schengen state for up to 90 days in 180 days. However, you can only travel to the state mentioned on the visa sticker. In this case, France. To travel to Mainland France apply for a short-stay Uniform Schengen visa.

On the other hand, if you want to visit a non-European territory or French Overseas territory you apply for a short-stay visa or national visa. Similarly, for transiting through the French airport without leaving the international zone apply for an A -airpost transit Schengen visa.  

France also grants a long-term visa (National Visa/D visa) for applicants wanting to stay for more than 90 days. This visa is for study purposes, working purposes in France, etc. The long-term visa comes with a residence permit that you can apply for within 2 months of reaching France. This blog only covers details about the short-stay Uniform Schengen visa/France tourist visa.

How Do I Get a Tourist Visa for France?

France grants Indian nationals visas to travel for tourism. To get a France short-stay visa/France tourist visa you can follow the steps below:

• First, ensure that your intention is solely tourism, Professional activities are not permitted with this visa. Also, you need to plan your trip within 3 months. As the visa is only given for a maximum period of 90 days in 180 days
• Next, provide your supporting documents, and start the application process by visiting the official website of the France government. Documents required will vary based on your nationality. 
• Lastly, pay the visa fees, and wait for the outcome of your application

Documents Required for France Tourist Visa 

To apply for a France tourist visa you have to submit relevant documents. The documents are sought to check your identity and verify your financial status. Below we have provided the France tourist visa requirements for Indian nationals.

• Prerequisite: Must have a travel document (granted in less than 10 years). The travel document must consist of 2 bank pages and must be valid for 3 months beyond your duration of stay. You also need to provide an ID photograph. If you are not an Indian national provide proof of residence in India. A travel document can be your passport.
• Reason for Stay–  Attach your travel itinerary (if it is a packaged tour), and show your return ticket
• Proof of socio-professional status: You can submit a certificate of employment, employment construct, school attendance certificate, pension proof, etc.
• Proof of Income: Submit bank statements of the last 3 months, copy of ITR + ITR V acknowledgement of the last year. If you own a company provide the company’s certificate of registration.
• Proof of accommodation: Proof that you have a hotel reservation or have enough resources to cover your hotel expenses. That is EUR 120 (a day). You can also show your certificate of ownership or tenancy agreement.  Applicants staying with a private individual need to complete a Cefra form as accommodation proof.
• Proof of medical insurance: Lastly, you must have medical insurance that is applicable in all the Schengen countries. The medical insurance must be of at least EUR 30,000.

How Much Bank Balance is Required for a France Visa?

To apply for a France tourist visa a minimum bank balance. The amount consists of your overseas medical insurance cost (EUR 30,000), medical reparation and expenses in case of death and hotel expenses. You also need a minimum amount per day for your stay in a hotel.. In France, the amount required would be:

Particulars	Amount Required Per Day
You have a hotel booking	EUR 65 per day
You do not have a hotel booking	EUR 120 per day
You have a partial hotel booking	EUR 65 per day for the days of stay in a hotel. Additional cost of EUR 120 per day for the rest of your stay
An individual in France is hosting your stay	EUR 32.50 per day

France Tourist Visa Application Form 

The France Tourist visa application form is available on the official website of the French Government- France Visas. You can visit the homepage, and click ‘start your application’. You will be redirected to another page where you again have to click on ‘start your application’. At this stage, you will be redirected to the login page. Create a new ID (if you do not have one already), and log in to the page. 

You will be asked a few questions that you need to answer. The visa application form is automatically filled out on your behalf. You can print out the same.

France Tourist Visa Application Process 

To start the France tourist visa application process visit the France- Visas Website. Note: this is the only website that accepts your tourist visa application.

• Choose the option ‘start your visa application’ and go to the login page 
• Create a new account (if you do not have one already) or login to the page 
• Answer the relevant questions to fill out your application
• Your visa application form is automatically filled out. You can print out the same.
• After the visa application form is filled you will get a list of supporting documents, and the fee required for the visa process. 
• You will also be invited to check out a page to receive information regarding your visa appointment 
• After the application process is complete, you need to book a visa appointment
• Your photo and fingerprints will be taken at the visa application centre 
• At this stage, you are required to pay the visa fee
• The visa application process is complete. You can track the status of your application online or by SMS/email.
• Receive a decision on your visa application, and collect your documents like your passport from the visa application centre.

To learn more about France tourist visas, watch the video below:

How much is a Tourist Visa for France from India?

To start the France tourist visa application process, payment of fees is necessary. Only children below the age of 6 are exempt from paying the visa fees.  The tourist visa fees for Indian applicants are provided below:

Visa Type	Visa Fee for Indian Nationals
France Tourist Visa	EUR 90 or INR 8372

You can pay the visa fee in the currency specified by the embassy or consulte. The amount provided is subject to fluctuations in exchange rates, and can even be changed.

Learn about the cost of living in France 

Processing Time for France Tourist Visa 

The processing time for the France tourist visa is provided below. Note: Under certain circumstances, the France visa processing time can be extended. For example, if they require more documents from you to process the application.

Particulars	Processing Time
General Processing Time	15 days
In case the processing time is extended	45 days

France Tourist Visa Validity

The France tourist visa validity is provided below. The visa validity period is not extended unless it is an emergency. For example, a medical emergency.

Visa Type	Visa Validity
France tourist visa (short stay uniform Schengen visa)	Up to 90 days in 180 days

Is a Paris visa easy to get?

The France tourist visa is easy to obtain if you meet all the requirements. It is also important to ensure you have sufficient finances to stay in France for the specified time. Also, ensure that you are submitting only accurate documents. Inaccurate documents are more likely to get rejected.

France receives some of the highest visa applications from Indian nationals. As of 2022, the country has the highest visa rejection rate for Indian applicants in all Schengen countries. 1 in every 10 applications are rejected. This means 10% of applicants are rejected and 90% are approved. 

Golden Tips To Successfully Study Abroad In France

Can I Apply Again if My France Tourist Visa is Rejected?

Yes. Reapplications are accepted for France tourist visas. To reapply, identify the reason for the visa rejection. The reason for the rejection is stated in your rejection letter. Identify the reason, and rectify it. For example, if you do not have sufficient funds for travel, ensure that you have funds to cover your expenses, and then reapply for the visa. 

There is one more option, in case of a visa rejection, and that is visa visa appeal. You can file an appeal if you feel the rejection has been unfair. You can contest the decision within 30 days of receiving the decision. The France visa appeal processing time is  between 2 to 4 weeks.

FAQs

We hope you now understood everything about France tourist visas. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!

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