France Trip Cost from India: Visa Fees, VFS Extras and Daily Funds

This breakdown covers the money that comes from the visa process itself and the money you must be able to show. Flights, hotels and insurance premiums are priced by airlines, hotels and insurers, so no official figure exists for them. Everything else is as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15.

What are the compulsory visa costs for a France trip?

Two payments are unavoidable for a short-stay Schengen visa: the visa fee and the VFS service fee.

The VFS service fee is 22 EUR per visa applicant, payable online in local currency at the conversion rate set by the French authorities. The visa fee itself is paid in rupees at the VFS centre by debit card, credit card, UPI or cash. France-Visas sets fees in euros and converts them to rupees at the chancery rate, so no fixed rupee figure is published; expect the amount to move with the exchange rate.

Trips to France's overseas territories carry different fees. A short-stay visa for Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthelemy costs 60 euros (35 euros for children aged 6 to 12).

Which VFS extras are optional, and what do they cost?

Everything in this table is optional. None of it is needed for a complete application.

Most extras can be avoided with a little preparation. Bring two ICAO photos on a neutral light gray background, print the France-Visas form and receipt at home, and carry copies of everything. Collection from Home is open only to applicants exempt from biometrics, such as holders of a Schengen visa whose fingerprints were registered in the last 59 months and children under 12.

How much money per day do you need to show?

The European Commission publishes reference amounts for crossing the external border. Its table for France (8 June 2026) gives these figures per person:

To estimate your own figure, multiply the nights covered by a hotel reservation by EUR 65 and any uncovered nights by EUR 120. If you stay with a host and hold proof of that accommodation, use EUR 32.50 a day. Multiply again for each traveller in the group.

A booking for every night lowers the amount you need to show. A flight reservation and hotel reservations that cover the whole trip also make the itinerary easy to follow.

How do you prove those funds from India?

The France-Visas FAQ lists the usual proof of means of subsistence:

• Personal bank statements for the last 3 months.
• The last 3 pay slips.
• Credit or debit card statements.
• Traveller's cheques.

The EU Visa Code Handbook adds a certificate of employment, a prepaid hotel reservation, and proof of sponsorship or private accommodation. It also says consulates may check the reliability and stability of amounts credited to a bank statement. So avoid large, unexplained deposits in the weeks before you apply.

The exact checklist for your trip is generated by France-Visas when you fill in the application, and the documents must be presented in the order it lists.

What else belongs in the visa budget?

Travel medical insurance is compulsory. It must cover emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, including death, with minimum cover of EUR 30,000, valid for the whole Schengen area and the whole stay. VFS offers compliant insurance through a third-party partner, but buying it there is optional; the premium depends on the insurer.

If France is the start of a longer plan, the long-stay costs are different: a long-stay visa costs 99 euros, and a student going through Campus France also pays the Etudes en France fee of INR 20,000.

Which costs are lost if the visa is refused?

The visa fee is kept even if the visa is refused. Optional services you have already used are spent as well. European Commission data shows a refusal rate of 15.3% for Schengen applications lodged at French consulates in India in 2025 (31,058 visas not issued; 204,184 applications lodged).

An appeal costs time rather than a fee in the sources we checked. It must be sent within 30 days of the refusal, by post, in French and signed, to the Deputy Director of Visas in Nantes. Decisions on new applications are due within 15 calendar days of lodging, extendable up to 45, so avoid non-refundable bookings until the passport comes back.

Fees for every France visa type, centres and jurisdiction are on our France visa page for Indians. The official fee pages are VFS France fees and VFS optional services.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for visa files, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the France visa fee in rupees?

France sets the fee at 90 euros for adults and converts it to rupees at the chancery rate, so no fixed rupee amount is published. You pay the converted amount at the VFS centre by card, UPI or cash.

Is the VFS service fee charged for children?

VFS India lists the 22 EUR service fee per visa applicant. Children aged 6 to 12 pay a reduced visa fee of 45 euros, and children under 6 pay no visa fee.

Do I need to show EUR 120 a day for France?

Only for days without proof of accommodation. The European Commission's reference amounts for France are EUR 65 a day as the general minimum and for hotel-covered days, and EUR 32.50 a day with proof of accommodation.

Are VFS Premium Lounge and Prime Time worth paying for?

They are optional conveniences priced at 40 EUR and 3 000 INR. The official sources do not link them to the visa decision, which is taken by the Embassy or the competent French consulate.