# France Tourist Visa Insurance Requirements for Indians > Travel medical insurance is compulsory for a France tourist visa. What the policy must cover, how long it must run, multiple-entry rules, Reunion and how it fits your funds proof. _Published: 2026-10-31 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1071_ ## TL;DR Travel medical insurance is compulsory for a France Schengen visa: at least EUR 30,000 covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation including death, valid across the Schengen area for the whole stay. Multiple-entry applicants show cover for the first trip plus a signed statement, and the 90-euro visa fee is kept if the visa is refused. ## Key takeaways - Travel medical insurance is compulsory for a France Schengen (short-stay) visa. - Minimum cover is EUR 30,000 for emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, including death. - The policy must be valid for the whole Schengen area and the entire stay; multiple-entry applicants show cover for the first trip plus a signed statement. - VFS sells Schengen-compliant insurance through a third-party partner, but buying it there is optional. - The 90-euro visa fee is kept if the visa is refused, so get the policy right first time. **Travel medical insurance is compulsory. According to VFS Global, which handles France visa applications in India, the policy must cover emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation including death, with at least EUR 30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area for your entire stay. Multiple-entry applicants show cover for the first trip.** ## Article Visa decisions are taken by the Embassy of France in New Delhi and the consulates in Mumbai, Puducherry, Kolkata and Bengaluru; VFS Global only collects the file and your biometrics. The rules below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For the full France tourist visa process, see our France visa guide for Indians. ### What must a France tourist visa insurance policy cover? RequirementRule for one- or two-entry visasMinimum coverEUR 30,000Risks coveredEmergency medical treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation, including repatriation in case of deathTerritoryThe entire Schengen area, not only FrancePeriodThe whole stayWho sells itAny insurer; VFS also offers a Schengen-compliant policy through a third-party partner (optional)Insurance appears on the VFS list of common documents for short-stay visas, next to the France-Visas form, two ICAO photos and your passport. The VFS France travel insurance page sets out the rule. ### How long must the policy run for a multiple-entry visa? For a visa with one or two entries, the policy must cover the whole stay, so match its dates to your flight reservation from the day you leave India to the day you return. Multiple-entry visas work differently. You show proof of cover for your first intended visit, and you sign a statement in the application form. That matters for Indian frequent travellers. Under the EU's April 2024 decision, Indian nationals living in India who have obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years can be issued a 2-year multiple-entry Schengen visa, and those who lawfully used a 2-year visa within three years can then get a 5-year visa if passport validity allows. Each stay is still limited to 90 days in any 180-day period, and the insurance you show at lodgement covers only the first visit, so buy cover for every later trip before you travel. ### Can you buy the insurance at the VFS centre? Yes, but you do not have to. VFS offers Schengen-compliant travel insurance through a third-party partner as an optional service. A policy from any insurer is acceptable if it meets the cover rules above. Read the policy wording, not just the certificate: it should name the Schengen area, show EUR 30,000 or more, and list emergency medical, hospitalisation and repatriation. Other optional VFS services are priced separately, for example the Premium Lounge (40 EUR), courier (INR 550) and photographs (INR 200 for 4). The compulsory charges are the 90-euro visa fee, 45 euros for children aged 6 to 12, and the VFS service fee of 22 EUR. ### How does insurance fit with the rest of your money proof? Insurance covers emergencies; it does not replace proof of funds. The European Commission's reference amounts for France, dated 8 June 2026, are: - EUR 65 minimum per day and per person - EUR 32.50 per day if you hold proof of accommodation - EUR 120 per day if you hold no proof of accommodation - Where a hotel reservation covers only part of the stay, EUR 65 for that period and EUR 120 for the rest France-Visas lists personal bank statements for the last 3 months, the last 3 pay slips, card statements and traveller's cheques as proof of means. So pair the insurance certificate with bank statements, salary slips and a hotel booking that covers your nights in France. ### Do Reunion and other French overseas territories need insurance too? The overseas territories use separate national visas, not the Schengen visa. For Reunion Island, the entry conditions include travel insurance covering medical and repatriation costs of at least EUR 30,000, along with proof of accommodation and funds and a return or onward ticket. The visa for Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthelemy costs 60 euros (35 euros for children aged 6 to 12). Since the Embassy's notice of 7 May 2026, Indians on package tours of up to 15 days run by an approved tour operator may be exempt from the Reunion visa. ### Which mistakes can cost you the 90-euro fee? The visa fee is kept even if the visa is refused, so an avoidable error is expensive. European Commission data puts the refusal rate for short-stay Schengen applications lodged at French consulates in India at 15.3% in 2025: 31,058 visas not issued; 204,184 applications lodged. In 2024 the rate was 15.9%: 31,314 visas not issued; 197,959 applications lodged. These figures cover all purposes and do not predict any one decision. Insurance errors to avoid: - A policy below EUR 30,000 or limited to France instead of the whole Schengen area. - Dates that start after your arrival or end before your return. - A policy that covers medical costs but not repatriation, or not repatriation in case of death. - Buying non-refundable flights before the decision; a verifiable flight reservation lets you set the policy dates without that risk. Decisions are normally taken within 15 calendar days of lodging and may take up to 45 days in individual cases, so apply early enough that neither your policy nor your travel dates need to change. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for France visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (all four). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Do I need a visa or insurance to change planes in Paris? Since 10 April 2026, Indian ordinary-passport holders no longer need an airport transit visa when staying in the international zone of French airports. If you leave the international zone, you need a Schengen visa, which requires travel medical insurance. #### Is insurance from an Indian company accepted for a France visa? The published rule sets the cover, not the insurer: at least EUR 30,000 for emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, valid across the Schengen area for the whole stay. VFS also offers a compliant policy through a third-party partner if you prefer. #### How early can I apply for a France tourist visa? No more than 6 months before travel. France-Visas says Indian passport holders born in India should apply at least 5 days before departure, while VFS India advises at least two weeks. #### Does the France visa fee come back if my visa is refused? No. The 90-euro visa fee is kept even if the visa is refused, and the VFS service fee of 22 EUR is also paid per applicant. ## FAQ ### Do I need a visa or insurance to change planes in Paris? Since 10 April 2026, Indian ordinary-passport holders no longer need an airport transit visa when staying in the international zone of French airports. If you leave the international zone, you need a Schengen visa, which requires travel medical insurance. ### Is insurance from an Indian company accepted for a France visa? The published rule sets the cover, not the insurer: at least EUR 30,000 for emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, valid across the Schengen area for the whole stay. VFS also offers a compliant policy through a third-party partner if you prefer. ### How early can I apply for a France tourist visa? No more than 6 months before travel. France-Visas says Indian passport holders born in India should apply at least 5 days before departure, while VFS India advises at least two weeks. ### Does the France visa fee come back if my visa is refused? No. The 90-euro visa fee is kept even if the visa is refused, and the VFS service fee of 22 EUR is also paid per applicant. ## Sources 1. [VFS Global India - France: Travel medical insurance](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/fra/travel-insurance) — VFS Global 2. [European Commission - Reference amounts required for the crossing of the external border (8 June 2026)](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/9bf9a98f-3bd1-4e14-9b39-c9087a08a32f_en?filename=Reference_amounts_table.pdf) — European Commission 3. [France-Visas - Tourist stay of less than 3 months](https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/sejour-touristique-de-moins-de-3-mois) — France-Visas (Government of France) 4. [European Commission - Schengen visa statistics by consulate (2025)](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/56816949-e59f-442b-9091-5d03360bf860_en) — European Commission