How To Apply For Visa To France From USA

Before applying for a visa to France, you need to know first what part of France you are going to visit and what places are parts of French territories.

There are three sections of French Republic territories. They are the European territory of France, the territory of Overseas Department, and other territories of the French Republic located overseas.USA

The European territory of France is part of the Schengen area. The Schengen area includes the territory of the following European Union countries and associated countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.USA

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The territory of Overseas Department includes the Réunion and the three French Departments of the Americas which are French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique.USA

Other territories of the French Republic located overseas are French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, and French Southern and Antarctic Territories.USA

A Visa for a stay of 90 days or less

USA citizens do not need a visa to stay in all French territories for a period of not more than 90 days. What you need is only a valid US passport.USA

A Visa for a stay longer than 90 days

If you intend to stay more that 90 days, you need a “long stay visa”. This is formally called “visa de long sejour” or informally called “visitor visa”. The long stay visa is valid only for a maximum of a year. It is must to apply this visa first before arriving at France.USA

Long stay visa does not allow you to work or enroll in courses or studies while in France, as there are already specific visas (professional, studies) for these purposes. As a consequence, the proof of sufficient fundings and assets to support your stay in France without working for more than a year will be crucial to qualify for this visa.USAUSA

You have to apply with the French Consulate in Washington DC, only if you reside in one of the following states: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. If you do not reside in one of those states, you have to apply with another French Consulate, depending on where you live in the United StatesUSA. USA

No appointments required for these applications. The whole requested following documents may be brought by a carrier at the visa section of the French General Consulate any opened business day between 09:00 and 11:00 am only.USA

REQUIREMENTS FOR A LONG STAY (90 days or more):USA

Applications for a diplomatic or official long stay in France (90 days or more) can only be presented in Washington DC by the US authorities.

Passport valid for at least six months. Please make sure that : 

your passport has a minimum of two blank pages (to affix the visa and for border stamps). Only visa pages are valid, amendments pages cannot be used for visas or entry stamps. USA

your passport is in good condition (any slight damage, even to the cover, can be considered as a compromising of the security of the travel document and declined at the visa section or at the border). 

your passport allows proper identification of the bearer without any doubt (for example, passports of adults with passport pictures in their young ages may not be accepted).USA

your passport has been issued less than 10 years ago (first issuance) . Even if it has been renewed since then by your country, we will decline your passport for a visa application and you will have to renew it prior to applying.

The immigration officer of the visa section has full authority to decline a passport that wouldn’t meet the requirements and request a renewed one before you can apply for a visa at the french consulate.USA

TWO FULL SET OF THE APPLICATION PACKAGE ARE NECESSARY FOR EACH APPLICANT :

 two copies of the passport (identification page + signature).

2 original long stay application forms fully filled out and signed by the applicant. (Imitation of a signature is a fraud and will be reported to the proper authorities.) Please do not forget to write your phone number (home and cell) and e-mail address. (hint : forms should be signed precisely and consistently, and matching the one in the passport.)USA

2 photographs. All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph. (hint for the picture size : measure the face size between the exterior of the two ears : from 3/4 of an inch to less than one inch the picture size will be fine. an inch or more, or less than 3/4 of an inch : high chance to be invalid to make a visa)USA

An official diplomatic letter from the State Department (for American officials) with each application set. This letter should specify your name, your position, your passport’s type and number, and the name of the person you replace (or new post if you are not replacing anyone)USA

Please note that only few signers are appointed to issue US official notes. You should contact the office in charge of the visas of your department or the SIA (special issuance agency, 1111 19th Street, Washington, DC) for further information if necessary.USA

for spouses and children - an original of marriage certificate and/or birth certificates (+ 2 copies of each document)USA

US official and diplomatic passport holders are advised that long stay visas for France take a minimum average time process of 4 weeks, and occasionally up to two months.

We advise you to apply at least 1 to 2 months prior to your departure for a position of this type in France. Pick up by carriers on same schedule hours for drop offs.USA

When a visa is ready, pick up of the passports by carriers can be made any open business day between 8:45 and 11:00am only.

As a courtesy between nations, diplomatic or official visas are waived of visa fees for their applications.USA

If granted, the visa issued is a "Long Stay as Resident Card visa" valid for a maximum of one year.

A Student Visa

If you want to study in France for less than three months, you only need a valid US Passport. Other than that you need to apply for a long stay student visa.USA

Getting a long stay student visa is a two-step process. First, you must enroll at member institution within CampusFrance, which is a consortium of French schools and universities. Then you use your CampusFrance confirmation letter to apply for a long stay student visa at the French consulate. Long stay student visa is valid only for up to 12 months.USA

Note that the CampusFrance registration process can take up to five weeks, and the visa application process may take up to four weeks.USA