France Tourist Visa from UK

If you are a UK citizen planning on visiting France as a tourist for a stay of up to 90 days, you will not require a visa to do so. If you are a non-citizen resident of the UK, however, whether or not you will require a Tourist visa in order to visit France will depend on your particular nationality.

In the event that you do require a visa, you will generally need to apply for a Schengen Short-Stay visa. This visa allows you to enter France for tourism, business, or to visit family and friends. It can also be used in order to attend conferences and corporate meetings.

If you are granted a Schengen Short-Stay visa, you can also use it to visit other Schengen countries, such as Italy and Portugal. You should apply for your Schengen visa via France if France will be your main destination during your travels, even if you intend to visit other Schengen countries on the same trip.

In the event that you are spending the same amount of time in each of the Schengen countries which you are visiting, you should instead apply for your Schengen visa through the first Schengen country which you will visit.

Schengen Short-Stay visas generally allow stays of up to 90 days. In the event that you visit more than one Schengen country during your travels, your overall trip still should not exceed 90 days. If you wish to remain in France for more than 90 days then you will instead need to apply for a Long-Stay visa.

Page Contents

• Do I need a visa to visit France from the UK?
• Entry Requirements for France from UK
• France Tourist Visa Requirements from UK
• Required Documents
• France Tourist Visa Application Process in UK
• New Schengen Entry Requirements
• Application Timeline: How Long Does it Take?
• France Tourist Visa Fees
• Tracking Your Tourist Visa Application
• Travel Medical Insurance Requirements
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

If you are a UK citizen looking to visit France for up to 90 days, you will not require a visa in order to do so. However, you will require a valid passport with at least 3 months of validity left from the date on which your travels are scheduled to end.

From April 2026, you will also need to register your bio-metric details upon arrival in the European Union, which includes France. This means that, upon arrival at the French border, you will generally be asked to provide your fingerprint and/or photograph.

If you are not a UK citizen and need a French Tourist visa in order to enter France, there are certain requirements that you will need to satisfy. For example, as part of your application, you will be expected to provide a range of evidence, such as French travel insurance, accommodation, and proof of your intention to leave the country at the end of your trip.

The visa requirements in order to visit France from the UK will depend on which particular French visa you are applying for.

In general, when applying for a French Tourist visa, you will need to demonstrate that you have the financial means to support yourself during your stay (generally through providing bank account records), that you have French accommodation and travel insurance for the duration of your stay, and that you plan to leave the country upon reaching the end of your trip (e.g. through providing evidence of return trip travel bookings).

You will not be required to obtain a French Tourist visa if you are a UK citizen planning to visit France for less than 90 days. Nor will you require a visa if you are an EU citizen, for visits of any length.

When applying for a French Visitor visa, there is a range of evidence which you will be expected to provide as part of the process. This evidence includes the following:

• Passport photo
• Completed Schengen visa application form
• Valid passport
• Proof of your ability to support yourself for the duration of your stay (e.g. bank records/proof of savings)
• Proof of eligible travel insurance which covers the duration of your proposed stay
• Proof of your intention to leave France before the expiry of your visa, e.g. round trip flight details

Failure to provide the required evidence is likely to result in an unsuccessful visa application.

Navigating the documentation requirements can often be difficult. Contact Total Law today for bespoke guidance.

When applying for a French visa, there are a number of steps which you will need to complete.
The first stage of applying for a French Tourist visa is ensuring that you satisfy the eligibility criteria and that you are able to gather the required supporting documentation. Once you have done so, you can then begin your application.

Secondly, you will need to complete the online application form via the French government website. After that, you will be directed to book an in-person appointment, via TLScontact, which is the official French visa partner in the UK. At your appointment, held at a TLS visa application centre, you will be expected to verify your identity and to provide the required documentation in support of your application.

Next, your application will be processed and can be tracked via the TLSontact online portal. In general, you should receive a decision within 3 weeks.

If you are successfully granted a French Tourist visa, you will be able to use this visa to enter France. If your application is unsuccessful, you will have the option of appealing the decision, as is discussed in more detail later in this article.

In October 2025, the EU introduced its Entry/Exit System (EES), which will come into full operation from April 2026. As part of this new system, UK citizens entering the Schengen Area visa-free for stays of 90 days or less will be required to provide their bio-metric information upon arrival.

This means that, if you are a UK citizen travelling visa-free to France, you will need to provide your bio-metric information – i.e. your photograph and/or fingerprints – upon arrival in the country.
This system is eventually intended to replace the current system of manually stamping passports upon arrival.

Note that, due to the time involved in completing the EES process, travellers should allow extra time when entering the Schengen Area, including France. Travellers may also face additional delays as the EES changes transition to being in full effect.

Once you have submitted your application, you will need to wait for a decision to be made. In general, you should receive a decision on your application within 3 weeks. However, the exact duration will depend on how many other applications are simultaneously being processed.

In order to minimise delays, it is important to submit your application correctly and to promptly provide any additional information which is requested. In the event that your application is rejected and you decide to appeal the decision, you should make sure to do so within 30 days.

When applying for a French Short-Stay Schengen visa, the application fee will depend on whether the application is for an adult or a child. In the case of adult applicants, the cost is €90. In the case of child applicants, the cost is generally €45 though is free for children under 6.

In some cases, applicants also choose to pay for legal assistance in order to help ensure that their application runs as smoothly as possible. At Total Law, we provide a range of services designed to provide you with bespoke application guidance and help.

You can track your French visa application via the TLScontact online portal, using your sign-in details. TLScontact is an official visa partner of the French government and will therefore be involved throughout your visa application process.

In general, you should expect to receive a response to your application within 3 weeks, though the wait may be longer during times when a high number of other applications are simultaneously being processed.

When applying for a French visa, you will be expected to provide evidence of sufficient travel insurance. This is to ensure that, if you become unwell or suffer from an accident during your trip, you are able to secure the necessary medical care.

There are specific conditions which your insurance will need to satisfy in order to meet the visa requirements. Specifically, the insurance which you acquire will need to cover the full duration of your stay and provide coverage of at least €30,000, including medical repatriation and emergency/hospital treatment. The insurance you select will also need to be valid throughout the Schengen Area.

Failure to provide evidence of qualifying travel insurance will result in an unsuccessful visa application, as will travel insurance which does not cover the full duration of your time in France.