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FAQ's
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Specific to Visa Rules
| Q:1- I am traveling to multiple Schengen countries. From which
Consulate should I apply for my Schengen visa? |
| Schengen visa must be applied from The Embassy / The
Consulate of the country where you will be staying for maximum number of days.
If your stay has equal number of days in each country then you must apply to
The Embassy / The Consulate of the country which would serve as the first port
of entry.
|
| Q:2- I have a valid Schengen visa but my Indian passport has
expired. Can I transfer this visa to my new passport? |
| No. If you are holding a valid Schengen visa in an expired
Indian passport, you may carry both your expired and new Indian passports
together and travel between India and the Schengen countries until the visa
expires. You do not need to obtain a new visa. |
| Q:3- Can I get my visa directly at Paris airport? |
| No, you must avail for a visa before you leave India. |
| Q:4-Can my visa be extended in France?
|
| No, visa cannot be extended in France. |
| Q:5- Can I stay after my visa has expired? |
| No, you cannot stay beyond the expiry of your visa; your visa
cannot be extended.
|
| Q:6- I am a British overseas citizen. Do I require a visa?
|
| Yes, you need a Schengen visa for your travel. |
| Q:7 -I am an Indian citizen living abroad. Do I have to apply
in India? |
| It is advisable to apply in the country where you reside. |
| Q:8- I am going to St. Martin, can I apply for my visa from
the French Consulate? |
| Yes, if you are visiting Guadeloupe St. Martin then you can
apply for your visa from The French Embassy / Consulate. |
| Q:9- I am holding a valid Schengen visa and wish to travel to
TOM / DOM. Can I travel? |
| No, you cannot travel on a Schengen visa to TOM / DOM. You
must have the TOM / DOM name mentioned in your visa. Please apply for a
separate visa.
|
| Q:10- What do I have to do if I have lost or misplaced my
Indian passport with a valid Schengen visa?
|
| You are strongly recommended to keep photocopies of your
passport’s data pages and of the Schengen visa. A visa is a valuable document.
Inform The Embassy / The Consulate from where your visa was issued immediately
if you have lost your passport. You must apply for a new visa by submitting all
documents and payment of visa fees. You must submit a copy of the Police First
Incident Report (FIR) with your application. It is preferable to also submit a
copy of the visa and the lost passport for ready reference of the Visa Officer.
|
| Q:11- My visa got refused with no explanation. Can you let me
know why? |
| According to the French law, the reasons for refusal are
confidential and cannot be disclosed. VFS authority extends only to the
documentation and application process. The issuing of visas is solely at the
discretion of The Embassy / The Consulate.
|
Specific to Application Process
| Q:12 -How do I take an appointment? |
| In order to get an appointment you can log on to our website
www.vfs-france.co.in or call our help lines from 0900 - 1200 hours and
1245 - 1730 hours, Monday to Friday.
|
| Contact No. |
| New Delhi
|
011-4113-1111 |
| Chennai
|
044-3246-9800 |
| Mumbai
|
022-6631-4000 |
| Kolkatta
|
033-3295-8646 |
|
| Q:13- We are a family of three. How many appointments do I
schedule?
|
| One appointment per person has to be scheduled.
|
| Q:14 - I am the principal applicant and I am traveling with my
family. How many application forms do I fill? |
| One application form per applicant must be filled. Each
application must be complete with all supporting documents.
|
| Q:15 - How soon can I apply for my visa? |
You can submit your application as per the Consular Post you
belong to:
- New Delhi, up to 2 months in advance,
- Chennai, up to 2 months in advance,
- Mumbai, up to 6 months in advance.
The validity of the visa will be as per your travel dates.
|
| Q:16 - Can I send my application by post or through courier? |
| No. In case you are unable to submit your application in
person, you have the option of getting it submitted through a travel agent or a
representative. However, for Mumbai Consular post all applicants will have to
come in person the next working day for fingerprinting.
|
| Q:17 - Can I receive my passport by courier? |
| Yes, you can receive your passport by courier. At the time of
submitting your application you can avail of the courier facility by filling up
the 'Courier Request Form'. Your passport can be couriered to an address
mentioned by you in the Form. This facility comes to you at an additional
charge of Rs.200/- per application. Courier facility not available for
applications being submitted at France Visa Application Centre in Mumbai. |
| Q:18 - Should I carry original documents for my interview? |
| The French Embassy / Consulate would like to view your
original documents at the time of your interview. Hence please carry your
original documents with you. |
| Q:19 - I need to renew my recently expired short stay visa.
What should I do? |
| A Schengen visa cannot be renewed. You must apply for a new
visa to replace an expired one. You may schedule an appointment for submission
of new application. All documents must be submitted along with an application
form and visa fee.
|
| Q:20 - I am a Diplomatic passport holder. Do I still require
an appointment to submit my application? |
No, you do not require an appointment as you are holding a
Diplomatic passport. You can submit your application directly to The French
Embassy / Consulate as per specified timings:
Embassy of France in New Delhi : 1000-1100 hours // Monday-Friday
French Consulate in Pondicherry : 0800-1100 hours // Monday-Thursday
French Consulate in Mumbai : Please contact directly the consulate( 022
66694000) for an appointment.
|
| Q:21 - How do I make additional inquiries? |
| You can contact us by e-mail on info@vfs-france.co.in
or call us based on the Consular post you belong:
|
| Contact No. |
| New Delhi
|
011-4113-1111 |
| Chennai
|
044-3246-8000 |
| Mumbai
|
022-6631-4000 |
| Kolkatta
|
033-3295-8646 |
|
Specific to Mumbai Consular Post
| Q:22 - I am going to Greece, could I make an application at
the Consulate General of France for the Greek visa? |
| Yes. If your main destination is Greece, you can apply for
your Schengen visa either at the Embassy of Greece in New Delhi or at the
Consulate General of France in Mumbai.
|
| Q:23 - Do I have to come in person to submit my application?
|
| No. In case you are unable to submit your application in
person, you have the option of getting it submitted through a travel agent or a
representative. However, you have to come in person on the next working day for
fingerprinting. It is a must for every applicant (above 6 years of age) to
complete the process of biometrics.
|
| Q:24 - Do I have to be fingerprinted?
|
| All visa applicants except those under age 6 years will be
required to submit all ten electronic fingerprint impressions. At the time of
the visa interview, applicants will be asked to electronically scan all five
fingers of each hand.
|
| Q:25 - I presently have a valid Schengen visa but have not
given my finger prints. What should I do?
|
| You can travel on this visa till the expiry. Upon expiry you
must apply for a new visa with finger prints
|
| Q:26 - I am married to a French citizen. How do I make an
application?
|
| If you are making your application to the French Consulate in
Mumbai and have a French marriage certificate, it is advisable to schedule a
prior appointment to submit your application. You may call our helpline on
022-6631-4000 for more information.
|
Specific to Documents
| Q:27 - What address do I mention on the application form, if
my current home address and my address on the passport is not the same?
|
| You must mention your current home address in India and not
the address noted in your passport. It is in order for the current home address
to differ from the address noted in your passport.
|
| Q:28 - What is a covering letter?
|
| You must make a covering letter addressed to The French
Embassy / Consulate detailing your purpose of travel, travel dates and any
other information that may help in the processing of your application.
|
| Q:29 - What is attestation d’accueil?
|
| If you are being invited by our family/friend staying in
France, then an “attestation d’accueil” has to be sent by your host. This form
is available at the local town hall. It is compulsory to have this form in
original, because you may be required to present this proof of stay stamped by
the French Consulate at port of entry. Therefore it is advisable that the form
be kept handy while travelling.
|
| Q:30 - Can the sponsor send documents directly to the visa
section?
|
| Sponsors may send supporting documentation directly to the
applicant, who can share it with the visa section during the interview. Having
a sponsor or offer to guarantee a person's return to their home country does
not guarantee issue of visa. French immigration law makes no provisions for
offers of guarantee or the like. The burden of proof is on the applicant.
|
Specific to Airport Transit Visa
| Q:31 - What is an airport transit visa?
|
| If you intend to simply transit through France en route to a
third country, you must apply for an airport transit visa and present the
evidence of an onward travel (air ticket) and a valid entry authorization
(visa) for your desired final destination. The airport transit visa permits
entry into the airport area only. However, Indian passport holders having a
confirmed air ticket going to the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Switzerland
(excluding Geneva) transiting France do not require this visa.
|
| Q:32 - I am an Indian citizen and have a
UK/Ireland/US/Canadian/Japan valid visa ( or residence permit). Do I need an
airport transit visa when traveling through Paris?
|
| No, you don’t need an airport transit visa if you hold a
confirmed valid visa for the above mentioned countries. However you are advised
to confirm the requirement of the visa with the airline with which you intend
to travel as some airlines insist on an airport transit visa.
|
Specific to Ordinary Transit Visa
| Q:33 - I am traveling to the US via France on an open ticket /
Buddy pass, what kind of visa will I require?
|
| As your travel dates are not confirmed you must apply for an
ordinary transit or a short stay visa.
|
| Q:34 - On my way to US, UK, etc… I wish to spend a day or two
in Paris. Do I need a visa?
|
| Yes, you need an ordinary transit visa (valid up to 5 days).
If you wish to stay for more than 5 days then you must apply for a short stay
visa (valid up to 90 days).
|
| Q:35 - I am going to UK and intend to visit your country. Can
I make the hotel booking from UK?
|
| No, you must make your reservation in India itself and also
provide details of hotel booking during the course of submitting your
application.
|
Specific to Short Stay Visa
| Q:36 - How long can I stay on a short stay tourist or business
visa?
|
| Your visa sticker will have the validity of the visa and the
number of days that you can stay in Schengen countries. Say your visa is valid
for a month with duration as 10 days. This means that within one month you can
stay up to 10 days only. You must leave the country before the visa expires /
duration of your stay. A short stay visa permits you to stay for not more than
90 days.
|
| Q:37 - How long can I stay if I have a multiple entry Short
stay visa valid for 1 year?
|
| A one year visa entitles you to stay up to 90 days once in
six months.
|
| Q:38 - What is the difference between long stay visa and
longer validity visa?
|
| If you wish to stay in France for more than 90 days (as a
student, on employment, for research purposes etc) then you need to apply for a
long stay visa (D type visa). If you wish to take short trips to France within
the year (on business purposes etc.) then you need to apply for a short stay
visa with longer validity. The decision to grant a longer validity visa lies
with the French Embassy / Consulate.
|
Specific to Long Stay Student Visa
| Q:39 - How early should I apply for my Student visa?
|
| You are encouraged to apply for your long stay student visa
at the earliest. You can apply for your visa about two months prior to the
commencement of your course. Please ensure you get the No Objection Certificate
from an Education Attache (Officer) before submitting your application.
|
| Q:40 - What documents should I show to prove that I could pay
for my education in France?
|
| There are no specific documents that substantiate whether a
student is able to pay for his/her education. Bank statements, salary slips,
income tax return statements, employment letter, property documents and
chartered accountant statements are the most common documents used to show
proof of funds. Proof of payment to the University in France can also be
attached to your application. However, these are only suggested documents. A
visa is not assured if you have any or all of these documents.
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