FranceVisits and short stays

France visa for visiting family and friends

Schengen visa (type C) for a private or family visit

In short

Visiting relatives or friends in France for up to 90 days requires a Schengen visa for a private visit. If your host obtains an official attestation d'accueil from the town hall, you only need to show EUR 32.50 a day; otherwise the tourist amounts apply.

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.
Funds required
€32.50 per dayWith an attestation d'accueil; without it EUR 65 (hotel) or EUR 120 a day.
Processing time
Usually 15 days after lodging the file, up to 45 days in individual cases; allow extra time to obtain an appointment.
Work
No.
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.

Who is exempt from the fee

Family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens who are covered by the free-movement rules receive their visa free of charge and through a simplified procedure. Foreign spouses of French nationals are also exempt from the visa fee.

The attestation d'accueil

The attestation d'accueil is an official hosting certificate that your host requests from the town hall of their place of residence in France. It proves accommodation and lowers the daily funds you must show to EUR 32.50. Bring the original. Without it, you document your stay with a hotel booking or other proof and show EUR 65 or EUR 120 a day.

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

  • Return travel reservation

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

Family

  • Copy of the host's ID or residence permit and proof of the relationship

Insurance

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

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Family

  • Original attestation d'accueil issued by the host's town hall

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 "private or family visit" 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

Private-visit applicants book their appointment with the consulate or visa centre in their country of residence. France-Visas advises allowing time to obtain an appointment, so register well before the trip.

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

Who applies for the attestation d'accueil?

Your host, at the town hall where they live in France.

How much money do I need with an attestation?

EUR 32.50 for each day of the stay.

Do spouses of French nationals pay the visa fee?

No. Foreign spouses of French nationals are exempt from the Schengen visa fee.

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