France Visa From UK

Schengen Visa for Short-Term Travel

A Schengen visa allows a visa-required foreign national to enter France and stay there for up to 90 days, in a six-month period. Citizens of visa-exempt countries for France (like the UK) can travel to the country without a Schengen visa for short-stay purposes.

On a Schengen visa, you can visit France for:

• Tourism purposes
• Visiting your family members or friends settled there
• Attending business meetings or conferences
• Attending cultural or sports events
• Taking a short-term study or training course

You cannot work in France on a Schengen visa.

Long-Term D Visas in France

UK citizens as well as residents (other than EEA/Swiss nationals) planning to live in France for more than 90 days (or work there irrespective of the duration of such work) must apply for an appropriate long-term visa depending on their immigration reason(s), such as:

• Working in France as:
  • A salaried employee
  • A self-employed individual who wants to create or participate in a commercial, industrial, artisanal or agricultural activity or work in a liberal profession in France
  • A young professional (if their country has signed a bilateral agreement with France to that effect)
  • An international talent (i.e., ‘passport talent’ residence permit)
• Searching for jobs
• Setting up their own business in France on a:
  • Talent Passport visa through business investment
  • Talent Passport visa through business startup or creation

• Pursuing a long-term study course, training or internship
• Joining their family settled in France (including adoption cases), if eligible. Eligible family in this context refers to:
  • Spouse or civil partner
  • Children under 21
  • Dependent parents
• Staying in France for more than 90 days as a tourist or for personal reasons without engaging in any professional activity, on a work holiday programme, volunteering, or for receiving medical treatment at their own expenses

French long-term visas can be divided into the following two main categories, depending on the reason(s) you want to live in France as well as the duration of your stay:

• The VLS-TS, i.e., the long-stay visa valid as a residence permit, which allows the visa holder to live in France for up to one year. If you hold a VLS-TS, you will not have to apply for a residence permit in France, but you must validate your visa within three months from your arrival date
• The long-stay visa which mentions that a “residence card to be applied for within two months of arrival”. If you are holding such a visa, you will have to visit the Prefecture in person within two months of your arrival in France and apply for a residence permit

In some cases, especially where the applicants are certain of not extending their stay in France beyond their visa validity, a temporary long-stay visa (VLS-T) may also be issued.

In this context, also note that although France does not issue a retirement visa, you may obtain a long-stay visitor visa if you are a financially independent person, and can show proof of funds outside France covering your stay in the country including health insurance. In such a scenario, you may apply for a Carte de Séjour Temporaire after arriving in France on a long-stay visitor visa, which is issued for staying in France for up to one year.

Passport Requirements

Irrespective of whether or not you can travel visa-free to France, you will have to meet the Schengen passport requirements. In short, your passport must:

• Have been issued within 10 years before your arrival date
• Be valid for at least three months from your planned departure date

Those UK passports that were renewed before 1 October 2018 might have a date of issue that’s more than 10 years ago. Please double-check with your travel provider and renew your passport if required before you travel to France, since French border officials will not let you enter the country if you do not have a valid travel document.

If you hold dual nationality, remember to carry your valid British passport or certificate of entitlement while travelling so as to ensure a hassle-free return to the UK.

Visa Requirements

You must fulfil all eligibility conditions with regard to the French visa you are applying for, or for your stated travel purpose. For example, if you are travelling France short-term, be aware of what you can and cannot do in the country.

Plus, the 90-day visa-free limit for UK citizens is applicable for the whole Schengen area. So, if you are also planning to visit other countries in the Schengen area, ensure your whole visit falls within the 90-day limit in a 180-day period. Overstaying without a valid permission may ban you from entering France and other Schengen countries for up to three years.

Biometric Requirements

Be advised that the EU has introduced a new Entry/Exit System (EES) from 12 October 2025 onwards, which is being rolled out in a phased approach and is expected to be fully operational from 10 April 2026, to replace the current system of manually stamping travellers’ passports.

Under this new system, travellers, even those who don’t need a Schengen visa, will have to register their biometric details (i.e., fingerprints and facial image) instead when first entering or leaving the Schengen area. Until the system is fully operational, however, ensure the border officials duly stamp your passport for every entry/exit to avoid any future hassles.

Financial Requirements

You must be able to prove that you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses in France. The way you prove this will depend on your French visa type.

While short-term travellers may have to submit bank statements, long-term visa holders will need to show proof of income within the country (for work visa holders) or from outside France (for long-term visit visa holders).

If you have eligible family members travelling to France as your dependants, you must be able to show proof of financial means to cover their costs as well.

Document Requirements

All French visas come with their respective requirements for supporting documents. Even if you are visa-exempt, French border guards may ask you for documents other than your passport at your port of entry. These may include:

• Travel insurance
• Proof of funds
• Your residency status in the UK if you are not a British citizen
• Proof of accommodation in France (e.g., hotel bookings, the welcome invitation (‘attestation d’accueil’) from your host if you are staying with someone, etc.)
• Your return/onward ticket, etc.

Vaccine Recommendations

Before travelling to France, you must be up to date with routine vaccination courses and boosters as recommended in the UK. These vaccinations include:

• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccine

You must also consider getting vaccinated for rabies (Bat Lyssavirus) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) before visiting France from the UK.

Customs Requirements

French customs officials are quite strict about what you can take into or out of the country. For example, you cannot carry meat, milk or products containing them. However, powdered baby milk, baby food, special foods or pet feed required for medical reasons are exempted.

Ensure you have made a declaration about any prohibited goods or goods that may attract tax or duty in France. You will have to declare if you are carrying €10,000 or more in cash or traveller’s cheques. Otherwise, your money could be seized when you are leaving France.

Travel Medical Insurance Requirements

Before you travel to France, purchase an appropriate travel insurance that will cover your medical costs (including treatment and care for any existing physical or mental health conditions), your planned activities as well as any emergency expenses.

For a Schengen Visa France

The Schengen Visa document requirements will vary depending on the purpose of your travel to France. We have provided here a list of relevant documents:

• Completed and signed application form
• A cover letter detailing your purpose of visit and relevant supporting documents
• Passport or additional travel documents, valid for the duration of the travel
• Passport photos
• Photocopy of the biometric page of passport
• Copy of all previous visas, including rejected visas (if any)
• Valid travel insurance, to cover necessary medical expenses and any emergencies
• Proof of residence in the country you are applying from
• Complete travel itinerary
• Proof of intended means of transport including return ticket
• Visa fee payment receipt
• Proof of accommodation in France, e.g., hotel bookings, welcome letter from your family or friends settled in France inviting you to stay with them, etc.
• Proof of financial means, e.g., bank account statement(s) for the last three months, income tax returns, pay slips for the last three months, etc.
• Proof of your employment situation in the UK, e.g., employment contract and employers’ statement on approval for holidays, registration certificate of the company or business licence (for company owners or self-employed), pension statements and/or proof of regular income from other sources (if the applicant is retired), etc.

For minors, you will need to submit the following additional documents:

• Copy of identification document(s) (with signature and photo) of the parent(s)/guardians
• For minors travelling with only one parent, certified written consent from the other parent/guardian (or their death certificate if that is the case), except in cases of a parent having sole custody or guardianship of the minor, in which case a court order or other proof of sole custody or guardianship must be provided
• For minors travelling without both parents, certified written consent from both parents or guardians having custody or guardianship of the minor

For a Long-Term (‘D’) Visa France

The supporting documents include:

• Completed long-stay visa application form
• A cover letter stating your purpose in seeking the visa (e.g., work, study, retiring in France etc.)
• Two recent passport photos, not older than three months and taken according to the France visa photo guidelines
• Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for a minimum of three months after your visa expires, and having at least two blank pages
• Copies of older visas
• Travel medical insurance
• Proof of funds to cover your stay in the country, for example:
  • Employment contract stating your salary, if you are going to work in France
  • Income from rented property or investments outside France or retirement benefit plan, if you are retiring in France
  • Recent bank statements
  • A letter of declaration from your family member in France who is going to sponsor your stay in the country, along with documents that confirm the said sponsor has sufficient financial means to cover your expenses, e.g., payslips, bank statements of the last three months, etc.
  • Any other documents showing that you have the funds to support yourself in France for the duration of your stay
• Proof of accommodation in France
• Proof of the conditions for practising a regulated profession in France, if applicable
• Marriage and birth certificates, or any other documents that prove your relationship with the family member in France, for family reunification route
• Proof of parental or legal guardian’s consent for minors
• Relevant documents for Talent Passport visa applicants, e.g., investment proof or investment plan, business creation plan, qualification documents etc.
• For retirees, a statement saying you will not seek employment in France
• Acceptance letter from a French educational institution for study applicants
• Au pair placement agreement endorsed by DIRECCTE, if applicable
• Criminal record certificate from your country of residence
• Visa fee payment receipt

You may require certified translated copies for your documents if they are not in French or English.

Checking With Visa Wizard App Prior to the Application

The official website for French visas, i.e., the france-visas.gouv.fr site, has an application called the ‘visa wizard’. Start your French visa application by checking through the visa wizard app if you need a visa for France, what type of visa you will need, and what supporting documents you will have to submit along with your visa application.

The app helps you understand your visa requirements depending on your immigration situation, and also informs you of the visa processing fees you may have to pay. It will also offer relevant information on the application process depending on your country of residence.

Applying Online

Once you have determined the type of visa you will need to apply for and the supporting documents you will have to submit, start filling in the visa application form online. You will need to create a France-Visas account first, which will be required at each step of your application process.

At this stage, you will need the following documents:

• Your passport (or any other travel document if you do not have a passport)
• Two recent photos in ISO/IEC format (pdf)
• Original supporting documents and copies thereof

Booking Visa Appointment

Next, you will have to book an appointment at your relevant visa application centre. Schedule your appointment on a date that is well ahead of your departure date, so that your local French embassy or consulate gets sufficient time to review your application.

For a long-stay visa, it is advisable to submit your application three months to two weeks prior to your departure date. You should also check on the average appointment waiting time in your local French embassy or consulate.

Submitting Visa Application

TLScontact is the official third-party consular service provider for French visa applications from the UK. They are responsible for providing relevant information to the visa applicants, receiving their supporting documents, and collecting their biometrics. TLScontact has centres in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

After completing your online visa application, submit the same to your local TLScontact centre on your scheduled appointment date. Carry all your required documents with you. They will review your application, and collect the visa fee and your biometric data.

They will keep your original passport and the copies of your supporting documents, which will then be forwarded to the Consulate General of France in London for visa processing.