Informational use only. This page is a travel-preparation reference for Indian passport holders, not legal or immigration advice.
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Visa rules change without notice. Always verify current requirements, fees, and processing times on the official source linked on this page before you apply, pay any fee, or book any appointment.
Indian passport holders need a Schengen Short-Stay visa (Type C) to visit France for tourism or business — France is part of the Schengen Area, so this same visa also lets you travel across the other Schengen countries during your trip. There is no visa-free or visa-on-arrival option for Indian passport holders. Applications are handled through VFS Global, the official visa partner of the French Embassy/Consulates in India, after completing the online form on the France-Visas portal.
The Schengen Area is a group of European countries that have abolished passport checks at their mutual borders. As of this review, per the European Commission's own Migration and Home Affairs pages, 29 countries participate: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Cyprus and Ireland are EU members but not part of Schengen, and issue visas under their own national rules — do not assume a France/Schengen visa covers them.
A Schengen visa, including one issued by France, generally permits a stay of up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, counted across the entire Schengen Area combined — not per country. If France is your main or only destination, you apply through France; if you're visiting multiple Schengen countries, you generally apply through whichever country is your main destination or longest stay, per France-Visas' own guidance. The European Commission publishes an official Schengen short-stay calculator if you need to work out your remaining days precisely.
A visa is required for every visit to France, regardless of length or purpose, since India has no visa-waiver or visa-on-arrival arrangement with the EU/Schengen Area.
iamravi.com is not affiliated with the French government, the Embassy of France, or VFS Global. All application, payment, and biometric steps happen on official France-Visas and VFS Global platforms — never here.
Per France-Visas, if you hold an Indian passport and were born in India, you must submit your short-stay visa application at least 5 working days before your planned departure, and no more than 6 months in advance. Your passport should have enough remaining validity beyond your intended stay, and you should have at least 2 blank visa pages.
The online application form generated through France-Visas' visa wizard is the core document — there is no separate paper form outside this system for a standard short-stay visa.
Typical requirements include: your passport (with at least 2 blank pages and adequate remaining validity) plus any previous passports showing travel history, two recent passport photos meeting the ICAO standard, evidence of funds (bank statements), evidence of your ties to India (employment letter, business ownership, family), a travel itinerary and accommodation proof, and — for visits to family or friends — an invitation letter from your host in France. France-Visas' own visa wizard generates the exact list for your specific case; treat that as authoritative over any generic list, including this one.
Two recent passport-style photographs are required as part of your application. Fingerprints and a photo (biometrics) are captured in person at your VFS Global appointment.
The Schengen short-stay visa fee is set at EU level and charged by France-Visas in INR at the prevailing exchange rate — France-Visas is explicit that this amount is retained even if your visa is refused. VFS Global charges an additional service fee on top of the government visa fee. We were unable to independently confirm the exact current INR figure from a primary EU or France-Visas source during this review — commonly reported figures suggest the adult short-stay fee was revised in 2024, but you should confirm the exact current amount directly on france-visas.gouv.fr or at your VFS Global appointment rather than relying on any third-party figure, including this page.
Book your biometric appointment through VFS Global after completing your online application. Each traveller, including children, needs their own individual appointment.
Visa processing times vary by the applicant's nationality, purpose of stay, and local conditions, per France-Visas' own guidance — some visa types require additional checks with other French authorities that can extend processing. Apply within the window above rather than assuming a fixed number of days.
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