France Visa Appointment

Visa Appointment France: Key Highlights

A part of the Schengen Zone, France has some entry requirements for Indians and other non-EU nationals. In India, France visa appointment booking can be done online through official channels. French authorities have outsourced their visa application process to VFS Global. Only after applying for a French visa through VFS can Indians book an appointment to submit their visa application for France.

Take a look at some quick facts related to the France appointment process:

How to Book an Appointment for France Visa?

Like other Schengen states, you need to book an appointment for a France visa online via VFS Global to submit your France visa application. France visa appointments are not available at the French embassy or consular. You can apply through VFS Global, who will assist you with the application and forward it to the concerned France missions in India.

After filling out the visa application form online through VFS Global in India, you need to print it out. After this, you can book a VFS appointment for a France visa by following these steps:

Step 1: Go to the official VFS Global website. You can also search ‘VFS appointment for France visa’ and click on the official website.

Step 2: You will be directed to the service provider's homepage. You will see options to apply for or book an appointment for a France visa you plan to visit.

Step 3: Sign in to your VFS account using the credentials you used to apply for a visa. Log in to the account.

Step 4: Click on the option 'Book an appointment' for the France visa you need.

Step 5: Now click on 'Start New Booking' and fill in the appointment details. These will include:

• The closest visa application centre (VAC)
• Appointment Category
• Sub-categories such as short-stay or long-stay France visa

When applying through VFS, you will also see a notification about the earliest available slot when booking an appointment for a France visa submission. After filling in all the details, proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Next, you will be directed to 'Your Details' section. It consists of the following:

• You full name
• Passport number
• Date of birth
• Gender
• Passport expiry date

You can proceed further by providing the relevant information and then saving it. Next, you will see an option to add another application if you have dependents.

Step 7: Now click on 'Book an Appointment' and select the appointment slot for a France visa. You can select the France visa appointment date and appointment time as per your convenience. Continue to the next step.

Step 8: VFS Global also offers some additional services to ease your appointment procedure. You can add them by clicking on the 'Add Services' option, as per your requirement.

Step 9: Review your details and proceed to the payment. It is very easy to make the payment online for your France appointment booking. After you have finished the payment, you will get an acknowledgement receipt. You must print this receipt for your future use.

Step 10: Prepare the documents required for the France visa, the acknowledgement receipt and any other supporting documents before your visit to the designated VFS centre.

Note: Depending on the type of French visa for Indians, these steps may vary slightly.

What Happens During a France Visa Appointment?

Indians who plan to visit France must book an appointment at the nearest VFS Global Centre. Once all the details and documents are in order, their visa application will be submitted to the designated France mission. Applicants also need to carry along the required documents for their France visa appointment. This includes important travel documents, including their passport, supporting documents like bank statements, ITR etc. and other required documents specific to their visa category.

As biometric information is necessary, Indians also submit them during the French visa appointment. Visa applicants must also submit two recently taken identity photos. Please note that these should be clicked as per the specified background and other Schengen photo rules.

A France visa interview may be needed depending on your visa category. Generally, no interview is needed for a France tourist visa unless you have been specified. However, you may need to give a visa interview if you have come for a student visa appointment for a France visa.

In the case of an interview, there is no need to be stressed out. An interview is only meant to understand your intentions for visiting France.

Documents Required for France Visa Appointment

Those applying for a France visa must prepare the required documents on the day of their appointment. Documents needed for an appointment for a France visa in India are given below:

• Duly filled Schengen visa application form for France from India
• Valid Indian passport (should have a minimum 3-month validity period after the date of your planned departure from France)
• A printout of the appointment acknowledgement
• 2 or more recent photos, as per the France visa photo rules
• Schengen travel health insurance of a minimum of 30,000 EUR
• Proof of accommodation
• Flight itinerary (round-trip), including any internal flights
• Cover letter explaining your reasons for applying for France visa
• Proof of parental consent if the minor applicant
• Copies of any previous Schengen visas
• Proof of sufficient funds of a minimum of EUR 120 per day
• Other supporting documents specified in your France visa application

Waiting Time for a France Visa Appointment in India

It is strongly recommended that you schedule a France visa appointment at least 4-6 weeks in advance. As there is a very high number of France visa applications in India, you should book an appointment at least 3 weeks and not less than 15 days before your departure from India. If you are applying for a student visa to France, book a France student visa appointment at least a few months in advance as the waiting time for France appointment may be longer.

For those applying for a tourist visa, there is significant waiting during the holiday season or peak tourist season. Don’t forget to arrange all documents before reaching the visa application centre. Also note that there won’t be any refund in case of visa rejection. Given that there are many cases of Schengen visa rejections, prepare well for your upcoming visa appointment for France visa.

Tips to Prepare for France Visa Appointment (2024)

Applying for a France visa can be pretty confusing, given that the Schengen zone has strict rules that you should follow. The following notes will be useful for your upcoming France visa appointment:

• As there is no provision to get an e-visa for France as you can only submit an online filled Schengen visa application for France. For this, a France visa appointment must be scheduled timely in India through VFS global.
• You can apply for a France visa appointment online. It is important to book a slot at your earliest convenience to avoid delay.
• Indians can’t visit any France mission without scheduling an appointment.
• VFS Global also offers home collection services in case you’re unable to visit the visa application centre.
• Make sure to buy Schengen travel insurance, as it is going to save you a lot of financial expenses in case of an emergency.
• If slots for VFS appointments for France visas are fully booked, you can register on a waiting list through VFS. Registrations on this waiting list will get a notification once new slots are available.