France Tourist / Visitor Visa: For Holidays, Family Visits, or Short Private Stays Under 90 Days

If you’re planning a holiday in France, visiting relatives, or making a short private trip that won’t turn into a longer stay, the France Tourist / Visitor visa is the route most travellers need. It’s officially known as a short-stay Schengen visa (Type C), and it covers stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period – not just in France, but across the entire Schengen Area.

This guide walks through who needs this visa, what it covers, the documents you’ll need, the costs involved, and how the application process works, based on current guidance from France-Visas, the official French government visa portal.

What Is the France Tourist / Visitor Visa?

Despite the common name “tourist visa,” this isn’t a separate legal category on its own – it’s the standard short-stay Schengen visa, used to describe visits for tourism, family visits, or other short private stays. It’s the same visa type also used for short business trips, conferences, and similar purposes, but this guide focuses on the tourism and private-visit use case.

The visa allows you to travel within the Schengen Area (the 29 European countries operating under the Schengen Agreement) for a combined total of 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, regardless of how many separate trips that adds up to. It does not permit you to work or take up paid employment during your stay.

Who Needs This Visa

Whether you need a visa to visit France depends entirely on your nationality. You are generally exempt from needing a short-stay visa if you are:

• A citizen of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland
• A national of a country on the common Schengen visa-waiver list
• A holder of a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen Area state
• A holder of a valid EU residence permit marked “Membre de famille” or “Résident de longue durée CE”
• A holder of a valid long-stay visa issued by a Schengen Area state

If none of these apply to you, you’ll need to apply for a short-stay visa before travelling. The France-Visas online wizard can confirm whether your specific nationality requires a visa and generate a personalised document checklist for your situation.

What Counts as Tourism or a Private Visit

This visa route covers a range of short, non-working purposes, including:

• Holidays and sightseeing
• Visiting family or friends in France
• Short private stays that don’t involve settling or working
• Attending short events, such as a wedding or family gathering

It’s worth noting that a family or private visit sometimes requires slightly different supporting documents than a straightforward holiday – typically an invitation letter and proof of your host’s identity and legal residence – even though both fall under the same visa category.

If you plan to join a family member who is already settled in France for something longer-term, rather than a temporary visit, that’s treated differently and may fall under family reunification rules instead of the standard visitor route.

Core Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for a short-stay visa, France-Visas guidance sets out that you must generally demonstrate:

• A clear and lawful purpose of travel (tourism, visiting family or friends, a short private stay, and similar reasons)
• Sufficient financial means to cover your stay, including cash, traveller’s cheques, or valid bank cards
• A confirmed return or onward travel plan
• Evidence of ties to your home country (such as employment, property, or family) that support your intention to leave the Schengen Area before your visa expires
• Valid travel medical insurance covering the whole Schengen Area, typically for at least €30,000 in emergency medical and repatriation costs

Documents You’ll Need

Exact document requirements can vary slightly depending on your nationality and personal situation, and the France-Visas online assistant will generate a checklist tailored to your case. In general, though, applicants should expect to provide:

• A valid passport, issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen Area
• A completed visa application form
• Passport-style photographs meeting Schengen visa specifications
• Proof of sufficient funds for the trip
• Evidence of travel medical insurance covering the Schengen Area
• Confirmed accommodation details, such as hotel bookings or an official invitation
• A return or onward travel itinerary

For Tourism Specifically

If you’re travelling purely for tourism, you’ll typically also need to show your travel itinerary, accommodation bookings, and any prepaid tour arrangements.

For Family or Private Visits

If you’re staying with family or friends, you’ll usually need an invitation letter, an attestation d’accueil (a certificate of accommodation issued by your host through their local French town hall), and evidence of your host’s identity and legal residence status in France.

Fees and Costs

According to the official France-Visas fee schedule, the standard short-stay Schengen visa fee is:

• €90 for applicants aged 12 and over
• €45 for children aged 6 to 12
• Free for children under 6, and for certain exempt categories such as family members of EU/EEA or Swiss nationals

If you apply through an external service provider such as VFS Global or TLS Contact, rather than directly at a consulate, you should also expect an additional service fee, which is separate from the official visa fee and varies by location.

These fees are generally non-refundable, whether or not your application is approved, so it’s worth preparing your documents carefully before submitting.

How to Apply

Step 1: Confirm Your Requirements

Start on the France-Visas portal. Its online wizard will confirm whether you need a visa for your nationality and situation, and generate a personalised checklist of supporting documents.

Step 2: Complete the Online Application

Create an account on the portal, fill in the application form, and upload your photo where required. You’ll then need to book an appointment, usually at a French consulate or an authorised visa application centre, depending on where you live.

Step 3: Attend Your Appointment and Submit Biometrics

At your appointment, you’ll typically need to provide biometric data – 10 fingerprints and a facial photograph – along with your supporting documents. If you’ve had your biometrics taken for a previous Schengen visa within the last 59 months, you may not need to repeat this step.

Step 4: Pay the Fee and Wait for a Decision

Processing generally takes around 15 calendar days, though this can extend during busy periods or if additional checks are needed. If your application involves multiple Schengen countries, you should apply through the country where you’ll spend the most time, or your first point of entry if that’s not clear.

Multiple Entries and Frequent Travel

If you travel to France regularly, you may be eligible for a multiple-entry visa (sometimes called a “circulation visa”), valid for anywhere between 6 months and 5 years. This allows repeated stays in France, as long as you stay within the cumulative limit of 90 days per 180-day period throughout the visa’s validity. Eligibility depends on demonstrating a genuine need to travel frequently and a track record of complying with the terms of previous visas.

What You Cannot Do on This Visa

A short-stay Tourist / Visitor visa does not allow you to:

• Take up paid employment or engage in remunerated activity in France
• Settle permanently or transfer to a long-stay residence status from within the country
• Stay beyond the 90-day limit within any 180-day period
• Study on a long-term course that would require a separate study visa

If your plans change and you want to stay longer than 90 days, study, work, or join family on a long-term basis, you would need to apply for a different visa category suited to that purpose before your short-stay visa expires. For an overview of other France visa options if your circumstances don’t fit this route, it’s worth comparing categories before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can I stay in France on a Tourist / Visitor visa?

You can stay for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, and this limit applies across the whole Schengen Area, not just France. An online Schengen calculator is available through EU authorities to help you check exactly how many days you have left based on your travel history.

Can I visit multiple Schengen countries on a France visitor visa?

Yes, as long as France is your main destination – either because it’s your only stop, because you’ll spend the most time there, or because it’s your first point of entry into the Schengen Area when no single destination stands out. If another country is clearly your main destination, you should apply there instead.

Do I need travel insurance to apply?

Yes. You’ll need travel medical insurance valid across the whole Schengen Area, typically covering at least €30,000 for medical emergencies and repatriation, for the full duration of your planned stay.

Can I work in France on a Tourist / Visitor visa?

No. This visa does not permit any paid employment or professional activity. It’s intended strictly for tourism, family visits, and other short private, non-working purposes.

What’s the difference between a tourist visit and a family/private visit?

Both fall under the same short-stay visa category, but the required supporting documents differ slightly. A tourist visit typically needs an itinerary and accommodation bookings, while a family or private visit usually needs an invitation letter and proof of your host’s identity and residence status in France.

Can children apply for this visa, and do they pay the full fee?

Children can be included on a visa application. The fee is reduced to €45 for children aged 6 to 12, and children under 6 are exempt from the fee altogether.

What happens if I overstay my 90-day limit?

Overstaying the permitted 90 days within a 180-day period can lead to penalties, entry bans, or complications with future Schengen visa applications. If you need more time in France, you must apply for the correct long-stay visa before your permitted short stay runs out – this visa cannot be extended from within the country for that purpose.

Do I need to prove financial means, and how?

Yes. You’ll need to show you can cover your stay and your return journey, typically through bank statements, cash, traveller’s cheques, or valid international bank cards. If family or friends are hosting and supporting you financially, their documentation may be accepted instead, depending on your specific case.