France Family Visit Visa Application and Follow-up Procedures

France Family Visit Visa Application and Follow-up Procedures

The France family visit visa is the type of visa that citizens of countries subject to a visa according to the France visa regime table must obtain if they want to visit their family members, friends or relatives living in France. The France family visit visa is in the short-term Schengen visa category and allows the holder to stay in France for no more than 90 days within 180 days.

Who can get a France Visit Visa?

People who have a family member, relative or friend, such as a parent, child, spouse, partner, sibling, who is legally residing in France and who can obtain a certified invitation letter from the relevant person can obtain a France visit visa.

What are the Application Requirements for a France Relative Visit Visa?

France relative visit visa application requirements are listed below.

• The visa applicant must receive an invitation from the person he/she will be visiting in France.
• The person must have sufficient funds to finance the costs of accommodation in France and return from France, or a friend living in France must provide the person with a financial guarantee for accommodation and transportation.
• The visa holder must have a passport that is valid for at least three months after the end of the visit to France.
• The person must have travel health insurance valid in France.
• The visitor must not be banned from entering France or the Schengen area.
• Sufficient documents must be submitted proving that the applicant will not remain in the Schengen area at the end of the visa period and will return to his/her country.
• Visa applicants must provide biometric information.
• The person must have a clean criminal record.
• The visa applicant must not have committed any previous visa violations.

How to Get a France Friend Visit Visa?

A France friend visit visa is obtained by applying to VFS Global, which is an authorized intermediary institution for short-term visa applications from Turkey, or to accredited agencies.

For the France friend visit visa application, an online application must be made via the website https://france-visas.gouv.fr/ and after filling out the online application form, an appointment must be made to complete the application. The documents required for the visa must be submitted at the appointment and biometric information must be recorded. The visa fee must be paid to complete the France friend visit visa application.

France friend visit visa applications are evaluated after all application steps are completed. Visa status can be tracked via VFS Global. When the application is finalized, the passport is collected from the visa application center.

When to Apply for a France Visa for Family Visit?

A France visa application for a family visit can be made up to 6 months before the planned travel date.

What are the Required Documents for a France Family Visit Visa?

The documents required for a France family visit visa are listed below.

• Passport: For France, a passport that is valid for at least three months after the end of your trip, has 2 blank pages and is not older than 10 years must be presented.
• France visit visa application form: The visa application form must be filled out online with complete and accurate information, printed out, signed and submitted.
• Biometric photo: 2 photographs taken within the last 3 months that comply with the Schengen visa biometric photo requirements are required.
• France visa invitation letter: An invitation letter written by a relative or friend residing in France must be submitted. A photocopy of the person's passport or residence permit must be submitted along with the invitation letter.
• Proof of family relationship: If a person travels to France with a family visit visa, documents proving family relationship must be submitted.
• France travel health insurance: The visa applicant must have travel health insurance valid for the entire duration of the trip in France, with a coverage of at least 30,000 euros, covering repatriation services and emergency medical treatment expenses in case of emergency.
• Proof of transportation: Reservation details or tickets showing the dates of entry and exit to France must be presented.
• Proof of accommodation: A reservation document or rental agreement must be submitted for the hotel or rental house the person will be staying in. If the person will be staying at a family or friend's house, documents proving the situation must be submitted.
• France family visit visa petition: A visa petition for family visit must be written, including the detailed plan of the France trip, detailed travel purpose, duration of stay and all personal information.
• Proof of financial capacity: Bank statements, salary slips, additional income documents or sponsorship letters must be submitted as proof of financial capacity, proving that the person will be able to support himself/herself during his/her stay in France and return to his/her country.
• Visa fee receipt: The visa applicant must prove with a receipt that he/she has paid the visa fee.

The required documents listed above are standard visitor visa documents, and in addition to the standard documents, different documents such as student certificate, SSI service record, workplace permit letter, retirement certificate may be requested depending on the applicant's age, work and occupation status.

How to Prepare a France Family Visit Visa Petition?

The France family visit visa petition must be written by the applicant to the relevant consulate. The purpose and details of the travel must be explained in the visa petition. There must be consistency between the information explained in the petition and the other documents submitted.

A sample France family visit visa petition is given below.

How Should the Invitation Letter for France Relative Visit Visa Be?

The invitation letter for a France relative visit visa must be written in an official language by the person the applicant will visit in France, addressed to the consulate. The invitation letter must include the name, address and telephone number of the embassy addressed.

The invitation letter for a France relative visit visa must include the name of the inviting person, the person's citizenship or permanent residence status in the Schengen country, telephone number, address and e-mail information. The invitation letter must include the name of the applicant, passport number, travel purpose, and relationship with the inviting person in detail. In order to obtain a France visa with an invitation, the invitation letter to be used in France visa applications must be approved by the municipality where the inviting person resides in France. France travel dates and travel itinerary must be explained accurately and completely. The invitation letter must include the signature of the inviting person.

A sample invitation letter for a France family visit visa is given below.

What are the documents required to be submitted by the person writing the France Visa Invitation?

The documents that the person writing the France visa invitation must submit are listed below.

• If the inviting person is a student, a university registration document or student certificate
• A photocopy of the inviting person's ID, if the inviting person is a French or European Union citizen.
• If the inviting person will cover the visa applicant's expenses with his/her own financial means, documents proving the inviting person's financial capacity, such as bank account statement, salary slip, contract or bank statement of payments if there is rental income.

How to Get a France Visit Visa Appointment?

You can make an appointment for a France visit visa through VFS Global's website.

In order to obtain a France visit visa, an appointment must be made for the biometric information registration process in the visa application. The visa appointment is made through the VFS Global website. After creating a user account on the VFS Global website, the appointment process is completed by entering the requested information on the appointment creation page and selecting the appropriate appointment. After the visa appointment is made, an appointment confirmation e-mail is sent with the appointment letter.

How Much Is the France Family Visit Visa Application Fee?

France family visit visa application fees vary depending on the age of the applicant. Visa application fees are 80 euros for those over 12 years old and 40 euros for children between 6 and 12 years old, while visas are free for children under 6 years old.

In addition to the visa fee, VFS Global, the authorized visa application center, charges a visa service fee of 40 euros for each application.

For 2024, the average cost of a France family visit visa, including all visa fees, travel insurance, sworn translation and consultancy fees when deemed necessary, is 195 EURO.

How Long Does It Take to Get a France Schengen Visa for Family Visit?

A France Schengen visa for family visits is normally issued within 15 days. The visa processing time may be extended due to incomplete document declaration, busyness at foreign missions, and public holidays.

The embassy visa processing time is 30 days in special cases, but in extraordinary cases it can take up to 60 days. The Schengen family visa processing time can be longer during the holiday period between June and August.

How to Track the France Family and Friend Visit Visa?

The France family and friend visit visa tracking process is done through the VFS Global website, where the visa application is also made. For the query, the reference number and surname information on the receipt issued by the visa application center must be entered.

In What Cases Is a France Relative Visit Visa Rejected?

Situations where a France relative visit visa is rejected are listed below.

• The applicant has a past or current criminal record
• Submission of false travel documents
• Presenting a damaged passport
• Applying with an invalid passport
• Missing information such as flight tickets and accommodation reservation details in the France travel program
• Failure to prove the purpose of travel
• Submission of a visa petition or sponsor petition containing incomplete or incorrect information.
• Insufficient financial resources
• Submission of an invalid birth certificate or marriage certificate
• Submission of invalid travel insurance
• Failure to submit proof of accommodation
• Have a passport with an active Schengen visa
• Previous Schengen visa violation

If your application for a France relative visit visa is rejected, an objection can be made for the application to be re-evaluated or a new visa application can be made.

How to Appeal a France Visit Visa Rejection?

In order to appeal a France visit visa refusal, it must first be ensured that the decision is wrong and that there is no reason for the refusal. An explanatory appeal petition must be written for the visa refusal, and the petition must explain that the application refusal was wrong and provide evidence as to why the decision should be reversed.

How Long is a France Relative Visit Visa Granted for?

Although a France relative visit visa is generally granted for the duration of the travel plan, it is granted for up to 2 years with a maximum stay of 90 days in a maximum period of 180 days.

What Rights Do You Have with a France Family Visit Visa?

The France family visit visa is a short-term Schengen visa type that allows a person to travel for up to 90 days to visit a family member or friend in France, and does not grant the holder the right to work or reside in France.

People who want to stay with a family member in France for more than 90 days must apply for a long-term national visa, the France family reunification visa, instead of a family visit visa; the family reunification visa also grants the right to reside and work in France, depending on the applicant's conditions.