France visa for Russian citizens

For the tourist visa, France’s official sources give a standard fee of €90, and applications are made on france-visas.gouv.fr. Processing time, as France states it: Usually 15 days after lodging the file, up to 45 days in individual cases; allow extra time to obtain an appointment. Longest stay on the tourist visa: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

France has 4 missions in Russia, with its embassy in Moscow. Consulates: Saint Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don and Yekaterinburg.

In 2025, France’s embassy and consulates in Russia (Moscow) received 167,549 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 156,547. The refusal rate was 3.5%. The refusal rate fell by 3.6 points from 7.1% in 2024. Applications rose by 24% compared with 2024 (134,885).

For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 6.4% of the applications lodged in Russia that year, from 0.9% at the consulates of the Netherlands to 19.8% at those of Malta. France’s consulates worldwide refused 14.2%. France was the 2nd most applied-for Schengen state in Russia.

You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. The figures cover applications lodged in Russia, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.

Before travelling from Russia to France, it helps to know the official travel advice: the US State Department rates France at Level 2, exercise increased caution (updated 20 October 2026), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to France (updated 22 October 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for France (updated 28 October 2026).

How long Russian citizens can stay in France

How long Russian citizens may stay in France is set by the visa issued, and the visa type must match the purpose of the trip.

How Russian citizens apply

In Russia, applications go to the French embassy in Moscow and the consulates in Saint Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don and Yekaterinburg, or to a visa centre acting for France; fees, documents and processing times are published by France.

France and the Schengen area

A Schengen visa issued by France lets Russian citizens travel in all Schengen states; apply to France when it is the main destination of the trip.

France’s neighbours for Russian citizens

Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Andorra, Monaco and Spain require Russian citizens to obtain a visa in advance.

French citizens travelling to Russia

French citizens need a visa for Russia, which they can apply for online as an e-Visa for stays of up to 30 days.