France visaSchengen C visaFrance Schengen visitor visa for Indian passport holders
France issues more Schengen visas to Indians than any other member state. The short-stay visa covers tourism, family visits, business and conferences for up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area, costs €90, is lodged at VFS Global after the France-Visas online form, and is normally decided within 15 calendar days.
6 min read Verified 29 October 2026 against france-visas.gouv.fr · How we verify
France schengen visitor visa: quick answers
- Who needs a France Schengen visa?
- Every Indian passport holder visiting France or entering Schengen through France for up to 90 days. Apply to France if it is the main destination by nights or purpose, or the first point of entry when stays are equal. Indian citizens holding a valid US, Canadian, UK, Japanese or Schengen visa can transit airside at Paris without a visa; others need an airport transit visa.
- What does it cost?
- €90 for adults and children aged 12 and over, €45 for children aged 6 to 11 and free under 6, paid in rupees at VFS and not refunded on refusal. VFS charges a service fee, and travel insurance with €30,000 medical cover is mandatory. Family members of EU citizens exercising free-movement rights are exempt from the fee.
- How long does it take from India?
- The Visa Code standard is 15 calendar days from the appointment, extendable to 45 in complex cases. France-Visas asks applicants to lodge between three months and 15 days before travel; VFS appointments in India run one to five weeks out, longer in May and June. Passports are returned by courier or collection two to five days after the decision.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | Schengen uniform visa (type C), single or multiple entry |
| Government fee | €90 adult; €45 children 6 to 11; free under 6 |
| Stay | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across Schengen |
| Processing | 15 calendar days standard; up to 45 in complex cases |
| Where to apply | France-Visas online form, then VFS Global in India (14 centres) |
| Insurance | €30,000 medical cover valid in all Schengen states |
| Funds | €65 a day with a hotel; €32.50 a day with a host's attestation d'accueil |
| Border checks | Biometric registration in the EU Entry/Exit System at first entry |
Who qualifies for a Schengen visa from France
The French consulate checks the purpose and conditions of the stay, the means to pay for it and return, that you are not an alert in the Schengen Information System, and that you will leave before the visa expires. France publishes daily-funds references: €65 a day with hotel bookings, €32.50 a day when staying with a host who provides an attestation d'accueil from their town hall, and €120 a day with no accommodation proof. Six months of statements with regular income and a return ticket reservation are expected.
Purpose evidence depends on the visit: hotel bookings and an itinerary for tourism, the attestation d'accueil with the host's ID and residence permit for family visits, an invitation from the French company for business, and the registration for conferences. Ties to India are read from the employer's leave letter, business registration, property and family documents. Every previous refusal by a Schengen state appears in the Visa Information System and must be declared.
Frequent travellers benefit from the visa cascade: a one-year multiple-entry visa after two visas used lawfully in the previous three years, then two years, then five. India has an adapted cascade since 2024 allowing a two-year multiple-entry visa after two visas in three years and five years thereafter; France also offers a five-year short-stay visa to Indian graduates of French master's programs.
Fees and what they cover
| Item | EUR | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen visa, adult (12 and over) | 90 | Per person; not refunded on refusal |
| Schengen visa, child 6 to 11 | 45 | Children under 6 free |
| Airport transit visa (type A) | 90 | Only where no exempting visa is held |
| VFS Global service fee | Set by VFS | Per application in rupees; premium lounge, courier and form-filling extra |
| Travel medical insurance | Market rate | Minimum €30,000 across Schengen for the whole stay |
The fee is the same for single and multiple entry and is paid when the file is lodged. Vistolane charges the government fee at the official rupee rate and shows it separately on the price card.
How the application runs, step by step
- 1
Complete the France-Visas form
The online wizard confirms the visa type and produces the form, the receipt and a personalised document list. Print and sign the form.
- 2
Book the VFS appointment
Choose the centre for your jurisdiction (New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Goa and Puducherry). Each traveller needs an appointment.
- 3
Lodge the file and give biometrics
Passport, photo, form, insurance, bookings, funds and ties; fingerprints unless captured for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months. Pay the fee and the service charge.
- 4
Decision
The consulate decides within 15 days in normal cases; track the passport on the VFS site. Refusals come with the standard Schengen form stating the grounds and the appeal route.
- 5
Travel
Enter through any Schengen state; France should be the main destination. Register fingerprints and face in the Entry/Exit System at the first border crossing.
Timeline for an Indian applicant
| Stage | Typical time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents gathered | 1 to 2 weeks | Bookings, insurance, six months of statements, leave letter |
| VFS appointment | 1 to 5 weeks | Longest in May and June; check every centre in your jurisdiction |
| Decision | 15 calendar days; up to 45 | Peak-season and first-time files take longer |
| Passport return | 2 to 5 days | Courier or collection |
Apply six to eight weeks before a summer trip and four weeks at other times; the earliest filing date is three months before travel under France-Visas guidance (six months under the Visa Code).
At the border and during the stay
The 90-in-180 rule counts every day in any Schengen state; use the European Commission's calculator before planning repeat trips. Border officers can ask for the return ticket, insurance, accommodation and funds. Visa holders cannot work, but may attend meetings, trade fairs and short training that is not employment.
A short-stay visa cannot be converted into a residence permit inside France except in narrow cases; study, work and family stays need a long-stay visa applied for from India. Compliant use of short-stay visas is what qualifies you for the longer multi-entry visas under the cascade.
Document checklist: forms and identity
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Passport valid 3 months beyond departure, issued within 10 years, two blank pages | Previous passports with Schengen, UK, US visas |
| Signed France-Visas form, receipt and VFS appointment letter | One biometric photo, 35x45 mm, white background |
Purpose and stay
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Flight reservation and hotel bookings or attestation d'accueil | The host obtains the attestation from their town hall and sends the original with ID and residence proof |
| Business invitation | From the French company naming dates, purpose and who pays |
| Travel medical insurance | €30,000 minimum, all Schengen states, whole stay |
Funds and ties
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Bank statements for six months and ITRs for two years | Salary credits visible; the budget should meet the daily reference |
| Employer leave letter or business registration | Designation, salary, dates of approved leave; GST or incorporation papers for the self-employed |
| Family and property evidence | Marriage and birth certificates, property documents |
Why applications on this route get refused, and the fix
Purpose or conditions of stay not justified
Bookings that did not match the itinerary, an attestation d'accueil missing, or an unclear plan.
The fix. Submit a day-by-day itinerary that matches confirmed bookings and a cover letter; hosts obtain the attestation d'accueil before the appointment.
Insufficient means of subsistence
Balances below the daily reference, recent lump sums, or a sponsor without documents.
The fix. Show six months of statements with regular income at or above €65 a day, explain large credits, and add the sponsor's statements and attestation.
Intention to leave not established
Weak ties to India: unemployment, no family or property, long gaps in travel history.
The fix. Provide an employer letter with approved leave, business evidence, property and family documents; keep the trip short and specific.
False or unreliable documents
An unverifiable booking, employer letter or statement; a Schengen alert may follow.
The fix. Use only verifiable bookings and documents and declare every previous refusal in the Visa Information System.
Insurance or passport validity
Insurance below €30,000 or not covering the dates; passport validity under three months after departure.
The fix. Buy compliant insurance for the exact dates and renew the passport before applying.
Official sources
France schengen visitor visa questions
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