Schengen visa

Tourist Visa Requirements

The required documents that you need to have with you when you apply for a France visa are as follows:

• Completed France Visa Application Form. Make sure you complete the right form, since there are two types of France visa application forms, one for short stays and the other for long stays.
• Two recently taken passport-style photos. You should submit two photos alongside with the other documents. They must be no older than three months and takenaccording to the France Visa Photo Requirements.
• Your valid passport. Before you apply, check your passport for its validity and date of issuance. It must have been issued within the last 10 years and valid for a minimum of 3 months after the end of your planned stay in France. The passport must have at least two blank pages in order to be able to put the visa sticker on it.
• Copies of older visas. If you have ever held any visa to any country in the world, submit copies of those visas.
• Travel Medical Insurance. You will need to provide proof that you have medical insurance that covers any health problems that you encounter while in France. It should cover not only France, but also the whole territory of Schengen with a minimum of €30,000.
• Proof of financial means. The French authorities want to know how you will be financing yourself while in France. That is why you should submit the following documents that apply to your situation, as a part of this requirement:
  • Recent bank statements.
  • Employment contract stating your salary, if you will be working in France.
  • Income from rented property.
  • Retirement benefit plan.
  • A letter of declaration from a sponsor stating the readiness to cover your costs for the period of stay, accompanied by documents that confirm possession of money of such sponsor (i.e. bank statements of last 3 months, other).
  • Other documents that prove you have the means to support yourself for the whole duration of stay in France.

• Complete Itinerary. A list of the things that you are planning to do while in France, including details how you are planning to reach France. Attach supporting documents as a Round Trip flight, a railroad booking or a document of a booked organized tour (where transportation is included)
• Proof of accommodation in France. Another very important document that you need to submit is proof where you will be staying in France. According to the purpose of your trip, at least one of the following should be submitted:
  • Hotel or hostel reservations for the places to visit.
  • Certificate of reception “Attestation d’accueil”, issued by the person to accommodate the visa candidate, stamped by the city hall (for private visits)
  • Rental contract – “Bail de location” in France if you will be staying in a rented place.
  • Certificate of title for a property in France, if you are the owner of a house/apartment in France.
• Certificate of criminal record of the home country–showing that candidate has no open crime case involvement
• Proof of paid France visa fee.