FranceBusiness and self-employment

France business visa (Schengen type C)

Schengen visa (type C) for business

In short

Meetings, negotiations, fairs and similar short business trips to France require a Schengen visa for business, supported by an invitation from the French partner and a letter from your employer. Regular travellers can be issued multiple-entry visas.

Apply on France-Visas (official visa portal) checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Fee
€90Standard Schengen fee; EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 12, free under 6, and free for foreign spouses of French nationals and family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens. Where an external provider receives the file it adds a service fee, which varies by country and cannot exceed EUR 45. The visa fee is not refunded after a refusal.
Processing time
Usually 15 days after lodging the file, up to 45 days in individual cases; allow extra time to obtain an appointment.
Work
Business activities only, no employment.
Where to apply
France-Visas online, then the French consulate or its visa application centre (run by a provider such as TLScontact or VFS Global) in your country of residence.

What counts as business

Business purposes include meetings with customers or partners, negotiations, trade fairs, training sessions within a group and similar activities that do not amount to working for a French employer. Paid work in France needs a work-related visa.

Business documents

Bring an invitation from the French company stating the purpose, dates and who covers costs, and a letter from your employer. Company owners add their trade registry extract, tax documents and chamber of commerce registration.

Required documents

Identity

  • France-Visas application form and receipt, printed and signed
  • Passport issued less than 10 years ago, valid three months after leaving the Schengen area, with two blank pages (original and copy)
  • Recent ICAO-standard photo
  • Proof of legal residence in the country where you apply (a residence permit if you are not a national of that country)

Travel

  • Travel and hotel reservations

Money

  • Bank statements for the last three months and proof of income

Work

  • Proof of occupation: employer letter, company documents for owners, or student certificate
  • Invitation from the French company with purpose, dates and cost coverage
  • Letter from your employer; company owners: trade registry extract and tax documents

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid in all Schengen states, covering emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation

When to apply and how long it takes

Under the common Schengen rules you can lodge the application no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before the trip. The consulate normally decides within 15 days; the period can be extended to 45 days when a closer examination or additional documents are needed. Fingerprints are taken when you lodge the file, and your passport must remain valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area (for a multiple-entry visa, after leaving the last Schengen country visited).

  1. Use the France-Visas wizard to confirm that "business" is the right purpose and get the list of documents and fees, then create your application on france-visas.gouv.fr.
  2. Print the completed form and the receipt with its barcode, then sign the form.
  3. Book an appointment with the French consulate responsible for your place of residence or with the visa application centre it uses (run by an external provider such as TLScontact or VFS Global, depending on the country); the France-Visas page for your country explains how.
  4. Attend in person with all originals and copies; the centre or consulate checks the file, collects the visa fee and any service fee, and takes your photo and fingerprints.
  5. The French consulate decides, usually within 15 days and up to 45 days in individual cases; the service provider never takes the decision.
  6. Collect your passport at the centre where you applied, or receive it by post where this is offered, and check the visa details.

Appointments and validity

Business applicants book an appointment with the consulate or visa centre in their country of residence. Frequent travellers with a good visa history can ask for a multiple-entry visa.

Refusal and appeal

A refusal notice gives the reasons and the remedies. Before going to court you must first file the mandatory administrative appeal indicated in the notice, within the deadline it states; only then can the case be brought before the administrative court of Nantes, which handles visa disputes. The visa fee is not refunded.

Frequently asked questions

Can I attend a trade fair on this visa?

Yes, attending a fair as a visitor or exhibitor is a business purpose.

Can I work for a French client on site?

Only business activities are allowed; productive work needs another visa.

How long does it take?

Usually 15 days after lodging the file.

Should I apply to France if I also visit other Schengen countries?

Apply to France if it is your main destination, meaning the country where you will spend the longest time; if the stays are equal, apply to the country you enter first.

What must the travel insurance cover?

Emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, including in the event of death, for the whole stay.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for France

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Validity: VLS-TS from four months to one year; then a one-year card, followed by a multi-year card for the rest of the degree.
  • Researcher visa Validity: Length of the hosting agreement, up to four years.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Company internship: six months initially; continuing training: 12 months, renewable once up to 18 months.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: First year on the VLS-TS; then a four-year multi-year card for permanent employees still in the job, or a card matching the fixed-term contract.
  • Skilled worker visa Validity: Length of the contract, up to four years.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Contracts of two years or more: length of the contract up to four years; shorter contracts: contract plus three months, up to two years.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Length of the assignment, up to three years, minus time already spent on the visa; not renewable.

Family

  • Family reunification visa Processing time: The mayor checks resources and housing within two months; the prefect decides within six months of the complete file reaching OFII (silence means refusal).
  • Spouse and partner visa Validity: VLS-TS valid one year; then a multi-year card of two to four years.

Residence

  • Retirement visa Validity: VLS-TS for the first year, then a renewable one-year card.
  • Permanent residence Validity: 10 years, renewable. The EU card lapses after more than three consecutive years outside the EU or six years outside France; the ordinary resident card after more than three consecutive years outside France.

Protection

France visa guide