 | | | | | | | | FRANCE EMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS IMMIGRATION INFORMATION
| | One of the most important things for any travellers and yet forgotten by thousands of ardent travellers every year your passport is one thing you simply can’t leave home without. As well as remembering to take it with you, however, you also need to ensure that your current passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date of your return to your home country. You should also take at least two photocopies of the pages containing your photo and any other important information. Carry one on your person and one somewhere safe or if you’re really clever you could e-mail a copy to yourself or save it onto a floppy disk so you can access it at any time. Furthermore, in order to get into many countries on the stay abroad you will require a visa of some type, even if you are just visiting. This is usually an insert, stamp or sticker which is placed in your passport and the duration of its validity varies from place to place. If you do intend to work or study in the country to which you are traveling, however, you should organize your visa even further in advance as this can take longer to process. As well as your passport you should ensure that you have at least one other form of identification with you. This may be a driver’s license, birth certificate or any other form of ID which is acceptable worldwide. As with passports, bring at least two copies of all forms of identification in case of loss or theft. You should also find out where your embassy is in the country to which you are travelling as this will come in very handy for genuine emergencies. For example if you need to return home urgently or lose important documents or passports, your embassy should be able to help you out pretty quickly.
| VISA APPLICATIONS AND PASSPORTS | | | | | Note | | France is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement. | | | Passports | | Passport valid for 3 months beyond length of stay required by all, except 1. nationals of EU countries, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland holding valid national identification cards. | | | Visas | | Required by all except the following for a period not exceeding 3 months: (a) nationals of countries referred to in the chart and under passport exemptions above; (b) nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep. of), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela; (c) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. The following nationals always requires an airport transit visa when not leaving the airport; Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem. Rep. of), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka. | | | Types of visa and cost | | A uniform Schengen visa, is issued for Short-stay visits (tourist, business and students), Airport transit, Transit and Long-stay (circulation) visits. Short-stay: $20-$30 for 1-30 days (single- or multiple-entry); $21-$45 for 31-90 days. Long-stay: $25-130 for up to 90 days. Transit/Air transit: $7-$12 (single-, double- or multiple-entry). | | | Note | | (a) Prices change with the prevalent exchange rate, so visitors are advised to check the exact price before travelling. Payment is accepted in cash and Pounds sterling only. (b) Spouses of EU nationals can obtain visa free of charge on presentation of relevant documentation. | | | Validity | | Short-stay visas are valid for 6 months from date of issue for single- or multiple entries of maximum 90 days per entry. Transit visas are valid for single- or multiple entries of maximum 5 days per entry, including the day of arrival. Long-stay visas are valid for up to 3 years for a maximum stay of 90 days in every six month period. Visas cannot be extended; a new application must be made each time. | | | Application to | | Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy). Travellers visiting just one Schengen country should apply to the Consulate of that country; travellers visiting more than one Schengen country should apply to the Consulate of the country chosen as the main destination or the country they will enter first (if they have no main destination). | | | Application requirements | | (a) Passport valid for at least 3 months longer than validity of the visa with one blank page to affix visa stamp. (b) 1 application form. (c) 1 passport-size photo. (d) Evidence of sufficient funds for stay. (e) Letter from employer, accountant, school or university. (f) Return ticket to country of residence. (g) Evidence of hotel reservations, a certificate of board and lodging to be obtained by your french host from the local town hall, means of support or proof of official invitation from host or company. (h) Evidence of medical insurance. (i) Fee; payable in cash only. (j) A letter from the applicant's employer, the last three payslips or a letter from the applicant's bank manager/solicitor if self-employed. (k) For business travellers: a letter of invitation from a french company. | | | Note | | Postal applications are only acceptable for nationals of some countries and regions; consult the Consulate (or Consular section at the Embassy) for further information. | | | Working days required | | For most nationals, 1-3 days. However, stateless persons, refugees and nationals of the following countries should allow at least 28 days for processing: Afghanistan, Algeria, Burundi, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Korea (DPR), Palestinian Territory, Rwanda, Sudan, Surinam, Syria and Yemen. Nationals of certain countries who are resident in the UK can obtain visas at the time of application. | | | Temporary residence | | A Work Permit may have to be obtained in France. For full details, enquire at the Consulate (or Consular section at the Embassy); see Address section. | | | Addresses | | | | For information on French Overseas Departments, Overseas Territories and Overseas Collectivites Territoriales, consult the French Overseas Possessions section. See also the individual sections on French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Reunion and Tahiti and her Islands. | | | | Direction du Tourisme | | 2 rue Linois, 75740 Paris Tel: (1) 4437 3600. Fax: (1) 4437 3636. Website: http://tourisme.gouv.fr/ | | | | Maison de la France | | (French Government Tourist Office) 20 avenue de l'Opéra, 75001 Paris Tel: (1) 4296 7000. Fax: (1) 4296 7011. E-mail: mailto:ADMIN@FRANCE.COM Website: http://franceguide.com/ | | | | | | Help to Visa Application Forms. How to find the right one(s)? Understand that we cannot provide forms, since this specific topic is too complex for a implementation in our websites. Each country uses its own specific application formulars for tourists, residents and/or workers. There are no general or multipurpose formulars for each country. Anyway you may search the needed forms in the Internet by using the search engines like, Altavista, Yahoo, Google, DMOZ, AOL, MSN, Lycos, Teoma. Search examples: Type your query and set - of course - for 'COUNTRY' the real country name you are looking for ... ... and good luck! Important remark: the [ + ] and [ " ] will reduce the number of the search results anyway. Type exactly like examples below or you copy and paste the search strings: If your search was successful, visit the consulate's, governments' or embassies' websites first. As per our investigation experiences most of the downloadable form sheets you'll find are built in PDF for Adobe's Acrobat™ Reader.  PASSPORT APPLICATIONS, RENEWALS Applying for a Passport You should apply for your passport several months in advance of your planned departure, making sure you fill in the dates of your upcoming trip in the appropriate place on the application. If you'll need visas from foreign embassies (find out by checking foreign entry requirements for the country you'll visit, allow more time. (It's very important to check those requirements. Imagine how disappointed you'd be if you were turned back on the day of your departure because your passport expires in three months and the country you're visiting requires it to be valid at least six months AFTER you return home! Also check on immunization requirements -- you may need to be inoculated before you can enter a country!) As a rule, it takes about 25 business days to process your passport application and get the document sent to you. Something to think about: Lines are longest at passport agencies from January to July, resulting in longer waiting times for applicants. You might want to avoid the crowds by applying through a nearby clerk of court or post office that accepts passport applications. Lost or Stolen Passport Losing your passport -- especially if you're in a foreign country -- can be scary. It's the most important item you carry with you, so it's best to keep it someplace secure (like in a money pouch you wear under your clothes). Another safety measure you can take is to make two photocopies of the photo ID page of your passport. Leave one at home with family or friends and keep the other in a different place from your passport, perhaps buried in the bottom of checked luggage. This could make all the difference in getting you on your flight home in the event that your passport is lost or stolen. It also makes getting it replaced much easier. Can I Have My Old Passport Back? Yes! Most people view their passports as important memorabilia and are eager to get them back. That's why your previous passport, marked "canceled," will be returned to you with your new one.
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