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Tips to get France Visa for Indians

France is one of the most popular and romantic destinations in the world. France is a country rich in history, making it home to some of the most famous museums, monuments, architectural feats and historical sites in the world. As a major destination, France travel is easy, and visitors will find a nation that’s relatively easy to navigate even with language barriers and that caters to tourists looking for a budget-friendly vacation or a luxury-filled escape from the norm. Along with these things, France is world famous for its cuisine and wines. Whatever your reason for visiting, the country is sure to impress, bearing repeat visits in the years ahead. And in order to visit this amazing country, you need a France visa for Indians

France is part of the Schengen agreement which means One Visa, One Europe! Yes, A Schengen Visa (issued by a consulate or embassy of a Schengen State) once issued, is valid for all Twenty-Six European countries that constitute the Schengen area. These include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The France Schengen visa allows the visa holder to enter the territories of the 26 Schengen areas freely without any border or immigration restrictions.

If you are an Indian, you would have surely thought about visiting France over a hundred times. But, what is holding you back? Let us guess; the visa process, right? While there’s been totally a wrong picture that is painted over the visa process to France, it is totally easy! So, how to apply for a visa to France for Indian passport holders?

Read on to get more closure on the France visa for Indians; requirements and the process.

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you intend to travel. You should apply no later than 15 working days in advance.
The most common type of France Visas is the short stay visa and long stay visa. The short-stay visa is applicable for the purpose of tourism, visit or business travel. It is generally issued for a period of 90 days with a validity of 6 months. However, the decision lies completely at the discretion of the Embassy. You may get the France Schengen Visa only for the number of days that you present in your travel itinerary and your flight & hotel bookings.
A France Schengen Visa may allow for a single entry or multiple entries depending upon your purpose of travel and itinerary.
Typically, a France Visa for Indians takes anywhere between 5-15 days to process in the France Consulate. The processing time for a France Visa is dependent on several factors and can change without prior notice at the consulate’s discretion. Sometimes it can take up to 30 days if more time is needed; and up to 60 days in exceptional cases, for example, if extra documents are required.

Also Read: Common Reasons for France Visa rejection

Make a checklist of all the documents required for the visa application. Common documents required are your passport, photographs, cover letter, Employment letter, bank statements, Income tax returns, flight tickets, hotel reservations or Invitation letter from a family/friend and Travel insurance. For a complete list of documentation, click here
Once you have completed the Requirements and you’re ready to hand in your application; it is very important to identify which embassy or consulate you have to give it in. If you are going to visit only one country; for example, you intend to visit France, then you have to apply through the French embassy in your home country or country of residence. However, if you are going to travel to more than one Schengen country during your travel be aware that you need to outline your itinerary. You also have to apply through the embassy of the country to where you will spend a maximum number of days.
The France visa for Indians is non-extendable and non-transferable. You cannot extend your French short-stay while in France except in special circumstances. It is illegal to exceed your permitted period of stay. Instead, you must return to your home country within the permitted period of stay and apply for another France Visa if necessary.
In order to submit your visa application, an appointment at the Visa application centre is mandatory. Every member of the family needs an individual appointment.
You will need to visit the Visa application centre (VAC) VFS on the day of the appointment. VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd. is the preferred outsourced partner to the Embassy & Consulate General of France in India and is authorized to collect and process all France Visa applications. The VAC acts as a middleman and has no influence over the visa decision.
Personal appearance of the applicant is mandatory at the Visa Application Center VFS in order to submit bio-metrics (Including fingerprints and digital photograph) and visa file. When you hand in your application personally during your appointment; make sure that you show them both originals and copies of your papers.
When you submit your application, your fingerprints will be taken. These will remain valid for 5 years. Some applicants, such as children under the age of 12; do not need to have their fingerprints taken.
On successful submission of your visa application, the VAC will provide you with a receipt that will contain your application reference number. Make sure you make a note of the reference number. You can even track the progress or status of your visa application on the France VFS website using the VFS reference number and your name.

The application of France visa for Indians can get complicated as it involves online form filling and scheduling appointment. Some applications can even result in rejection if not applied correctly with the supporting documentation. Hence, it is advisable to take help of a reliable travel agent. Trust Akbartravels.com to take care of your visa application right from verifying your documents to the stamping of your France visa. They have you completely covered. Akbartravels.com has been a reliable visa service provider since the past 40 years and still counting. We make sure that we process your application with the utmost care because every single detail counts.

Know more about France Visa for Indians:-

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Next Read: Reasons for Schengen Visa Rejection »

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