FRENCH VISA SERVICES

SCHENGEN VISAS FOR FRANCE

WQ Associates are officially registered with the French Consulate General in London. Our registration allows us to attend the French Embassy on your behalf (subject to nationality). The standard Embassy processing time is currently 24 hours. Before contacting us to reserve one of our slots at the French Embassy, please ensure that you have read all of the information below carefully.

VISA TYPES & SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

Business Visa For France

French Schengen Business visas are required when travelling to France for the purpose of attending business meetings and/or seminars. It should be noted that a tourist visa is required when attending a conference. All of the French Schengen Visa Requirements as listed below need to be met.
> Business Schengen Visa Application Additional Requirements

Tourist Visit Visa For France

Tourist visit visas for France can be applied for no earlier than one month prior to the proposed trip. We can obtain tourist visas at very short notice. The French Embassy does not generally issue visas on the day of travel. We therefore need to file your visa application at least two days prior to your proposed departure date from the UK
> French Schengen Tourist Visa Application Requirements

Transit Visa For France

This type of visa is issued for the purpose of transiting through France en route to a non Schengen country. This type of visa will be required if driving through France, transiting via train or if your flight sets down in a French airport whilst en route to a non Schengen country
> French Schengen Transit Visa Application Requirements

FRENCH SCHENGEN VISA REQUIREMENTS

• The applicant must be resident in the UK. Foreign nationals residing in the UK will have been granted leave to remain for more than 6 months as a Student, working holiday maker, work permit holder, HSMP, Tier 1and 2 etc...
• The UK residency permit must be endorsed in the applicant's passport. Home Office stamps or vignettes that have been endorsed on separate documents will not be accepted by the embassy. – If the applicant is in the UK as a dependant s/he will be required to produce his/her original marriage/birth certificate along with the original passport of the person they are depending on
• The applicant's UK visa must exceed the return date of the proposed trip by more than THREE months
• The applicant's passport must exceed the return date of the proposed trip by more than THREE months and must have a full blank VISA PAGE for the visa vignette to be endorsed. (the spouses' passport must be valid for at least three months where applicable)

• MANDATORY VISA SUPPORTING DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS:
  • A Schengen application form duly completed and signed by the applicant along with the Embassy's Insurance/Assurance declaration sheet


• TWO recent identical passport photos are required with each application
  • The 'passport photographs' (3,5 x 4,5cm) must be colour, taken against a white/pale grey background with good contrast clear/good quality image, printed on normal photographic paper, full face without sunglasses or head covering, the size of the face must not exceed 30mm. Scanned images will be rejected by the French Embassy
• Letter from your employer along with your ORIGINAL pay slips covering the last three month immediately preceding the filing of your application or if self employed an original letter from your accountant or if a student a letter from your university. For school trip/student, the letter MUST include a statement of responsibility for applicant while in France and the full itinerary - Letters MUST
  • an original letter printed on official letter headed paper addressed to the French Embassy
  • be dated less than 1 month old at the time of the application
  • state your current job title/name of your course
  • be hand signed by your employer, accountant or your college/university
  • indicate the job title of the signatory and his/her full contact details
  • College/University letters must be officially endorsed/stamped by the college
    (we offer £20 refund to certain student categories)

• Applicants residing in the UK as the Husband/Wife/Unmarried/Same Sex partner/ Civil partnership of someone with limited to remain are required to produce their partner's passport and their original marriage certificate if applicable. The marriage certificate must be in French or English. Marriage certificates in other languages must be translated into either French or English. The translation and in some cases the marriage certificate itself must be authenticated by the Embassy of the country issuing the certificate

• Confirmed return ticket to France or confirmation from travel agent showing proof of payment. No open ticket itinerary will be accepted. When travelling by car via Ferry/Euro tunnel, a passenger list is required along with original documentation such as proof of vehicle ownership/rental and insurance to drive in Europe

• Proof of Hotel reservation confirmation MUST come from the actual hotel. The confirmation must state your full name, your dates of check in and check out, the hotel address and contact details. Bookings made be reservation agents are no longer accepted. If Visiting Friends/Relatives or attending short study courses, a French certificate of board and lodgings ( Attestation d' Accueil ) must be obtained from local French Town Hall or Police Station - It should be noted that the Embassy will only issue a visa valid for the duration of the stay with friends/family – the maximum stay with an Attestation d' Accueil is 3 months

• Proof of financial means of support for the duration of your stay in France (a minimum of £40 per day). This must be evidenced by way of original travellers cheques, signed by the applicant (ideally with purchase receipt) OR your original bank statement (internet prints are not acceptable) covering the current month or the month immediately preceding the filing of your application. Only current/checking accounts are accepted. Your closing balance date must be less than ONE MONTH old on the day your application is submitted. If it is not, an additional current balance printout must be provided to corroborate the accounts' current balance. Overdrafts are not accepted, nor are credit card statements. If you bank online, you are required to get your online statement stamped by your bank's local branch

• Travel insurance cover including repatriation. The documentation must show your full name, the policy number and the covered period. The policy must cover the duration of the visit (6 - 12 months cover will improve the chances of the French Schengen visa being issued for multiple entries and a longer term). Single trip insurance WILL result in a single trip French Schengen visa

• For minors travelling to France with their parents their full birth certificate (showing both parent's names) and both parents' passports must be provided. The birth certificates must be in French or English. Certificates in other languages must be translated and the translation must be authenticated by the embassy of the issuing country. Non UK birth certificates may also require authentication at the embassy of the issuing country irrespective of language it has been issued in. Parents MUST be blood related or have official adoption papers. Please do note that Solicitor/Home Office correspondence is not accepted by the French Embassy as proof of guardianship.

Spouses of UK Nationals that require a visa (see below) only require a duly complete and signed application form, two passport photos, their original passport and that of their UK spouse (in accordance with passport requirements as listed above) and their original marriage certificate. Spouses of a non UK Nationals whose country is part of the Schengen Agreement should apply at the embassy of their spouse.

From March 2009, foreign spouse of an EU national (with the exception of those married to French nationals) may enter France without a French Schengen visa if they meet ALL the following conditions:

1. they hold a valid travel document
2. they have a valid UK residence permit with the endorsement 'family member of EEA national'
3. they are meeting up or travelling with the EU spouse.

If these requirements are not met, you will need a French Schengen visa. This will apply for instance if your residency in the UK is not explicit (ie it does not show that you are in the UK as the spouse of an EU national) OR if you are travelling to France on business.

Note that children and parents of EU nationals are still required to obtain a French Schengen visa to travel to France.

BUSINESS VISAS

For Business Visas all the documents listed above will be required along with a letter of invitation from the French entity. The invitation letter should corroborate the content of the UK > employer's letter. The letter can be a fax or email providing that it shows full contact details of an officer of the French company.

PLEASE NOTE:

The issue of a visa or a visa's validity period is ENTIRELY at the discretion of the French Embassy. Complete supporting documentation and annual travel insurance can increase your chances of obtaining a longer term visa

The French Schengen Visa Requirements list above is not exhaustive and on rare occasions the embassy may require additional documents to be supplied. In such instances, the standard visa processing time will be extended.

> Make A French Visa Application Booking Request