France Visa

France Visa Types and Which One to Apply For

The purpose of your trip directly determines the visa category you need to apply for: stays of up to 90 days require a Schengen (C) visa, while longer stays for study, work and family reunification require a long-stay (D) visa.

Short-Stay Schengen Visa for Tourism, Family Visits and Business

The category to apply for trips of up to 90 days, such as tourism, visiting relatives or friends and business meetings, is the Schengen short-stay (type C) visa. For family visits, since 27 July 2026 there has been a separate appointment category for the family of a French citizen, and the original attestation d'accueil and proof of family relationship are shown at the counter; applications made with an appointment booked under the wrong category are not accepted. For the document list see the documents required for a France visa guide, and for choosing the category see the France visa appointment guide.

It is critical that you apply in the correct category for the purpose of your trip. Choosing the wrong category can lead to delays or a refusal.

France Student Visa and Long-Stay Applications

Those who wish to study in France apply for a long-stay student visa; the file includes an acceptance letter, proof of accommodation and proof of financial means of at least 877.50 Euro per month. In Istanbul and Izmir, student applications are made by uploading digital documents to France-Visas and are processed at a counter reserved for students. Students travelling for educational purposes are exempt from the fee for a short-stay visa.

For long-stay applications, preparing the file may involve a more extensive document request than for short-stay tourist applications. For this reason, your planning time before applying should be longer.

Is a France Transit Visa Required?

Since 3 July 2022, an airport transit visa (VTA) has applied to Turkish citizens transferring to a third country through the international zone of a French airport. Those with a valid Schengen visa or residence permit, or an EU, EEA, US, Canadian or Japanese visa or residence permit, family members of EU citizens, holders of diplomatic and service passports and flight crew are exempt from this visa. If you will enter the Schengen Area during your transfer (collecting baggage, changing terminals), you need a short-stay Schengen visa.

What Documents Are Required for a France Visa?

A Schengen visa file for tourism and visits consists of the following documents: the France-Visas printout (signed application form and document list), a passport valid for at least 3 months after leaving the Schengen Area, an ICAO-standard photograph, an e-Devlet residence certificate (mandatory for the consular district you belong to), a civil registry record, travel health insurance with 30,000 Euro cover, a hotel booking or attestation d'accueil, a return flight reservation, stamped bank statements for the last three months and occupational documents. Where and how to obtain the documents is explained step by step in the documents required for a France visa guide.

In general, you are asked for your travel document, your identity details, evidence supporting the purpose of your trip and documents showing your financial situation. However, the definitive list specific to you is only the one the system shows you during the online application.

Additional Documents That Vary by Occupation

Salaried employees add an employer letter, payslips for the last three months and a barcoded SGK statement; company owners add the trade registry gazette, a certificate of activity, a tax certificate and a company account statement; retirees add a pension statement; students add a student certificate and sponsor documents; children under 18 add a notarised letter of consent from the parent who is not travelling.

France Visa Application Process: How Does It Work Step by Step?

The France visa application consists of four stages: the online form on France-Visas, the VFS Global appointment, file submission and biometrics on the appointment day, and the decision and return of the passport.

How Do You Apply Online Through the France-Visas Portal?

The first step of the application process is always to create an account on the france-visas.gouv.fr website. Through this account you fill in your form, enter your travel details and find out which documents the system requires from you.

The portal guides you throughout your application. This covers the whole process, from how to fill in each section of the form to which centre you should go to.

Submitting Documents and Biometrics at the Visa Application Centre

After completing the online form, you are directed to the VFS appointment system; once a time is assigned, you confirm the appointment by paying the service charge by card within three days, otherwise the appointment is cancelled. Arrive 15 minutes early on the appointment day; documents are taken in the order of the list, your photograph is taken and your fingerprints are recorded. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting but must attend the appointment. Centre addresses and opening hours are in the France visa appointment guide.

Biometric data is usually collected at this stage as well. Remember that you must have fully completed the online form before submitting your documents.

I Cannot Get a France Visa Appointment: What Should I Do?

According to the France-Visas Türkiye page, in busy periods short-stay visa appointments in Ankara and Istanbul may only be available several weeks later; an application submitted less than 15 days before travel may be considered inadmissible. If there are no free dates, check the system regularly in the morning, try the other centre in your region or use VFS's paid Visa at Your Doorstep service; spouses of French citizens can apply without an appointment in Ankara and Istanbul.

How Long Does a France Visa Take and How Can You Track It?

The normal processing time for a Schengen visa is 15 days; it is extended to 45 days if a detailed examination or additional documents are needed. The period is counted from the day the file reaches the consulate, not from the day you booked your appointment. The application is made no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before travel; as appointment waiting times are added in summer and holiday periods, start at least two months in advance.

For this reason, giving a single fixed figure for the processing time would be misleading. The visa application centre where you submitted your file or your France-Visas account will tell you the exact time.

Checking Your Visa Status on France-Visas and Collecting Your Passport

After submitting your file, you can track the status of your application online through your France-Visas account. The system tells you when your passport will be ready and how you will collect it.

No separate registration is needed for tracking; the file number on the receipt and your date of birth are enough. Your passport is returned in a sealed envelope to the centre where you submitted the file and is collected at the counter or by the courier you have chosen.

France Visa Refusal: Reasons and Ways to Appeal

The basis for the right of appeal is the Schengen Visa Code: an applicant who has been refused has the right to appeal, and the appeal is conducted against the member state that took the final decision and in accordance with that state's national law (EU Regulation 810/2009, Article 32(3)). The deadline and the authority to apply to are stated in the refusal notice; the information in that notice takes precedence over the general description on this page.

Your France visa application may be refused. In that case, rather than panicking, you need to read the reason for refusal correctly.

The refusal decision is notified to you in writing and the reason is stated. If you wish to appeal against the decision, you need to act according to the deadline and authority information given in the notice.

How Does the Appeal Process Work?

The appeal is made in writing to the consular authority that issued the refusal decision. In your letter, you are expected to present your explanations regarding the reason for refusal and any additional evidence.

This process requires gathering new documents and sometimes additional statements; that is why it is important to prepare the appeal letter carefully.

Common Mistakes in France Visa Applications

Most applications are delayed or refused because of small mistakes that could in fact have been avoided.

The most common mistakes can be listed as follows:

• Insufficient passport validity or too few blank pages
• Information on the application form not matching the documents
• Missing travel insurance or accommodation documents
• Leaving the appointment to the last minute and applying very close to the travel date
• Financial documents that are not up to date or not sufficient
• Documents not prepared in the required languages or in a suitable format

Critical Points to Check Before Applying

We recommend making the following checks before going to the application centre:

• Check your passport's expiry date and number of blank pages again
• Make sure all the information on the form matches your passport and other documents exactly
• Confirm that the dates in your travel plan are consistent across all documents
• Review one last time the document list suggested by the visa assistant on France-Visas

Should You Apply on Your Own or With a Consultancy?

It is possible to apply for a France visa on your own; the process runs through the France-Visas portal and VFS Global centres. However, there is always a risk of making mistakes when preparing documents and filling in the form.

Getting consultancy support can make the process easier, especially for first-time applicants or people with a complex travel history.

As Kolay Seyahat, we would like to point out that we are an independent consultancy, not an official government body. The official fees for your visa application are always paid to the relevant government authority; the consultancy service is a separate charge.

The French Embassy and Visa Application Centres

As the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also states, France visa applications from Türkiye are handled through the embassy or consulate. The first step of the application is always to fill in the online form on the France-Visas portal.

Based on the city where you live, this portal shows you which centre or mission you need to submit your application to. This is how the place where you will physically hand in your documents is determined.

Files are accepted at four VFS Global centres: Ankara (MAHALL İş Merkezi, Çankaya), Gaziantep (Safir İş Merkezi, Şehitkamil), Istanbul Beyoğlu (Astoria AVM, Şişli) and Izmir (Konak). File submission is on weekdays 08:30-15:30, and in Gaziantep 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-14:30; the call centre number is 0850 390 19 44. The province on your residence certificate determines which centre you go to; the decision is made by the Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul. Addresses, opening hours and appointment steps are in the France visa appointment guide.

General Information to Know Before Travelling to France

Once your visa has been approved, there are a few points to keep in mind as you complete your travel preparations.

• Carry your passport and visa label with you throughout your trip
• Try to stick to the dates you stated in your accommodation and travel plan
• Make sure your travel insurance covers your entire stay in the Schengen Area
• France is part of the Schengen Area; therefore, with a France visa you can also travel to other Schengen countries in the area

If you are planning a different European route besides France, you can also take a look at our guides for Italy, Portugal or Austria.

France visa fee, VFS service charge and application centres (2026)

According to the France-Visas Türkiye page, applications submitted in Türkiye are decided only by the Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul; applicants attend the Ankara, Gaziantep, Istanbul Beyoğlu and Izmir centres of the external service provider VFS Global by appointment. According to the EU's Schengen visa guide, the fee is 90 Euro for adults, 45 Euro for ages 6-12 and free for children under 6, and it is collected only in Euro. The VFS service charge is 30 Euro per file, paid in cash, with change given in TL; it is refunded if you withdraw before biometric data is taken. The application requires a residence certificate showing the consular district where you live. Since 3 July 2022, an airport transit visa has applied to Turkish citizens transferring to a third country through the international zone of French airports; those with a valid Schengen visa, Schengen residence permit, or an EU, US, Canadian or Japanese visa or residence permit, and holders of diplomatic and official passports are exempt. Appointments with the Consulate General in Istanbul can be made by email, but the waiting time is much longer than at VFS. Kolay Seyahat is an independent consultancy company; the fee and the VFS service charge are paid to the relevant institutions, and our consultancy fee is separate.

Frequently asked questions about the France visa for Turkey citizens

How many days does it take to get a France visa?

The normal processing time for a Schengen visa is 15 days, extended to 45 days if further examination is needed. The appointment waiting time is added to this; in busy periods it can take several weeks.

From which cities can I apply for a France visa?

From the VFS Global centres in Ankara, Gaziantep, Istanbul Beyoğlu and Izmir; depending on the province on your residence certificate, you choose the centre in the district of the Embassy in Ankara or the Consulate General in Istanbul.

Is it difficult to get a France visa?

The process itself is not complicated, but it requires complete and consistent document preparation. For citizens of the Republic of Türkiye, entry to France is as a rule subject to a visa requirement, and the application is handled through the embassy or consulate.

How much is the France visa fee?

The Schengen fee is 90 Euro, 45 Euro for ages 6-12 and free for under 6s; the VFS service charge of 30 Euro is paid separately. The fee is collected only in Euro and is not refunded in the event of a refusal.

Can I reapply if my France visa is refused?

Yes, you can reapply after a refusal decision. Applying with new and up-to-date documents that address the reason for refusal can have a positive effect on the outcome.

Can I travel to other Schengen countries with a France visa?

France is a member of the Schengen Area. With a valid French Schengen visa, you can also visit other Schengen countries in the area for the period stated on your visa label.

When should I apply for a France visa?

According to France-Visas, you can apply no more than six months before your travel date. Taking appointment demand into account, we recommend making use of this period early.