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Entry Requirements for Metropolitan France
Before you can enjoy France for a well-deserved vacation, you will need to complete some administrative formalities. So, what documents do you need to travel to France? First and foremost, make sure you have a valid passport (or a valid identity card for EU residents) to cross the border smoothly.
Who Needs a Visa to Stay in France?
For travelers from the Schengen Area, you benefit from free movement among the 27 European member states. You can easily travel to France. For travelers from outside the Schengen Area, you must check whether you need to obtain a Schengen visa to enter and move freely in France. This visa is only valid for short stays (a maximum of 90 days). Currently, there are about fifty countries whose citizens are exempt from needing a visa for short stays in France. To know the administrative formalities to fulfill in order to stay in France, you can consult the online visa assistant "France-visa." Depending on your situation, it will inform you whether you need a Schengen visa to enter France. Note that the application for a Schengen visa should be made 3, or sometimes 6 months, before your departure date, depending on the country where you submit your application. We invite you to check the current processing times in the country where you wish to submit your application. Once your application is submitted, you can expect an average of 10 to 15 days to receive a response from the consular services. This is an approximate timeframe that varies based on the country where you apply and the time of year. Getting a response just before the summer holidays may take longer than during low season.
How Much Does a Visa for France Cost?
The cost of the Schengen visa depends on the age of the applicant. For each Schengen visa applicant over 12 years old, the fee is €80. For a child between 6 and 12 years old, the fee is €40. Note that the visa is free for children under 6 years old, as well as for the spouses of French citizens and family members of EU-Schengen zone and Swiss nationals.
In addition to the Schengen Visa, what documents are required to travel to France?
In addition to the Schengen visa, which serves as a key for certain travelers, allowing free movement within the member countries of the Schengen Area, this document will only be issued under specific conditions. One of the required documents when submitting your visa application is proof of travel insurance that includes health repatriation coverage (including repatriation of remains), health coverage of at least €30,000, and civil liability. The validity of your insurance must correspond to the duration of your intended stay in the Schengen Area. Once you have your travel insurance and passport, you will need to complete the Cerfa form n°14076*04 and provide, among other things, a recent passport-sized photo, justification for the purpose and conditions of your stay, a return ticket, and proof of accommodation covering your entire stay (hostel confirmation, hotel reservation, etc.). Note: If you are traveling to several countries in the Schengen Area, you only need to submit one visa application. Submit your application to the consular authorities of the first country where you wish to stay. Finally, it is unfortunately possible for your visa application to be denied, so make sure in advance that any expenses incurred for your stay, such as travel insurance or tickets, are refundable and cancellable.
Packing Your Suitcase Well to Come to France.
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