STEP 4 – Submit your file
Application in person
You must attend your appointment with all the required documents. Also bring a copy of each document, including the passport and its ID pages.
The service provider (or consulate) will receive you, review your application, collect the visa fee, capture your biometric data (photo and fingerprints) and retain your passport and the copies of all your supporting documents in order to forward them to the consulate.
The visa application submission will take approximately 20 minutes at the visa centre.
Biometrics
All visas issued by France are biometric visas.
Any visa applicant aged 12 or older must submit his or her visa application in person. The following biometric data will be required: a photo (scanned or taken during your appointment), and ten individually-taken fingerprints.
If you hold a biometric Schengen visa issued within 59 months, either bearing the mention ‘VIS’ or issued after March 2016, your previous biometric data can be re-used.
Fees
Visa application fees are composed of :
- The administrative costs incurred for the processing of your application. The amount paid is kept by the administration, even in cases where visas are denied. For more details, please refer to the table of application fees by visa type (pdf).
- If application fees are received by an external service provider, this provider is responsible for collecting the appropriate fees. The service charge differs by country, but may not exceed € 40 per visa application. External service providers are also authorized by the administration to offer additional services at cost.
You may be exempt from attending your visa appointment in person if :
- You have held previous Schengen visas and have used them in accordance with the law.
- You travel regularly or frequently for the same purpose.
NOTE: To confirm whether someone else can apply for a visa on your behalf, please contact your visa centre