France Visa Validity & Stay Duration for Nepali 2026

Quick overview

For Nepali validity & stay duration travel to France, the visa class is the Schengen Short-Stay Visa (Type C) — Tourism / Private Visit. Sections below cover documents, application steps, fees, embassy contact, common mistakes, and the Yatra concierge options. Skim or read in order — the FAQ at the bottom answers the questions Nepali applicants actually ask.

Quick facts

Visa type	Schengen Short-Stay Visa (Type C) — Tourism / Private Visit
Stay duration	Up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
Validity	Issued for the trip dates (single entry) or 1 / 3 / 5 years (multi-entry) at the consul's discretion.
Entries	Single, double, or multiple — multi-entry validity granted to applicants with prior clean Schengen travel history.
Processing time	15 calendar days standard (can extend to 45 days during peak season or where consultation is required).
Financial requirement	EUR 65 / day with hotel booking OR EUR 120 / day without; bank statements showing capacity for the trip plus return.
Embassy / centre	VFS Global France Visa Application Centre — Kathmandu
Address (Kathmandu)	3rd Floor, Chhaya Center / Chhaya Devi Complex, Amrit Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal — open Tuesday + Friday only, 09:00–13:00 (limited 2-day window). Appointments mandatory.
Hours	Embassy in New Delhi: Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00. Nepal applicants do NOT visit the embassy directly — submit via VFS Global Kathmandu.
Online portal	https://france-visas.gouv.fr (select India as country of submission) · https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/fra (VFS Global appointment booking)
Last verified	2026-04-25

Important notes for Nepali applicants

• Every Nepali-language document MUST be accompanied by a notary-certified English translation — embassies will reject untranslated originals. Use a Nepal Bar Council–registered translator and have each translation notarised by a Notary Public.
• France has NO embassy or consulate in Nepal — every Nepali applicant submits at VFS Global Kathmandu (Chhaya Center, Thamel), which forwards the file to the French Embassy in New Delhi for adjudication.
• On the france-visas.gouv.fr online portal you MUST select "India" as the country of submission (not Nepal) — this is what links your file to the New Delhi consular section via VFS Kathmandu.
• VFS Kathmandu is open ONLY Tuesday and Friday, 09:00–13:00 — book the appointment well in advance, especially during peak summer (May–August) and winter (November–January) travel seasons.
• Lead time: book the appointment at least 15 days before departure for short-stay (Schengen) visas, and at least 1 month before for long-stay (national) visas.
• VFS service charges in Nepal: NPR 3,167 service fee + NPR 3,333 two-way courier / international transfer fee per application — paid in cash at submission.

Documents required for the France validity & stay duration visa

The embassy reviewer in Kathmandu checks the file in this order. Prepare each item to the specification before booking the appointment — the application is non-refundable on rejection.

Document	Required	Notes
Original passport + photocopy	Yes	Issued less than 10 years ago, valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned departure from Schengen, with at least 2 blank visa pages.
Passport bio-page copies	Yes	Plus copies of every visa / stamp page from previous passports if any.
Two ICAO-format photos (35 × 45 mm)	Yes	Recent (within 6 months), white background, head straight, both ears visible, no glasses, neutral expression.
Citizenship copy	Yes	Photocopy of Nepali citizenship certificate, both sides.
Long-form France-Visas application form (CERFA)	Yes	Completed and signed via france-visas.gouv.fr; print the receipt + summary for the VFS appointment.
Cover letter	Yes	Detailed letter in English stating purpose, itinerary, sponsor (if any), self-funding, and intent to return — addressed to the Consul General, French Embassy, New Delhi.
Confirmed return / onward airline ticket	Yes	Showing arrival in and departure from the Schengen Area within the visa validity (issue an airline-confirmed PNR; do NOT pay for the ticket before the visa is issued — VFS accepts a confirmed reservation).
Confirmed accommodation for the entire stay	Yes	Hotel reservations in the applicant's name covering every night, OR a notarised host-invitation ("attestation d'accueil") validated by the French town hall.
Travel medical insurance	Yes	Minimum EUR 30,000 coverage including emergency medical, hospitalisation, and repatriation; valid throughout the Schengen Area for the entire stay.
Bank statement (last 3–6 months)	Yes	Original, signed and stamped on every page; recommended closing balance ≥ NPR 500,000–700,000 for tourist short-stay (covers EUR 65–120/day for the planned trip plus return capacity).
ANY ONE income bundle — Business / Salary / Pension / Rental (only one needed)	Yes	See per-bundle breakdown below — submit the bundle that matches your active income source.
Income Details & Supporting Documents (For Visa Application)	Yes	Important Notes: (1) All documents issued in Nepali language must be translated into English and notarised (certified by a notary public). (2) The applicant is required to provide documents for any ONE source of income only from the categories listed below.
1. Business Income	Recommended	Applicants involved in business must submit the following:
PAN Certificate	Yes	Permanent Account Number certificate issued by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD).
Business Registration Certificate	Yes	Submit ONE of: (a) Company Registrar Certificate (for private/public limited companies), (b) Cottage / Small Industry (Gharelu) Registration, OR (c) Municipality / Ward (Wada) Registration Certificate.
Additional Registration Certificates (if applicable)	Recommended	Sector-specific endorsements: (a) Tourism Board Registration for travel-related businesses, (b) Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Registration for financial institutions, (c) Contractor License from Municipality / Ward Office.
Latest Audit Report	Yes	Signed by a Nepal Chartered Accountants Institute (ICAN)–registered auditor, with company stamp.
Tax Clearance Certificate	Yes	Issued by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) for the latest fiscal year.
2. Salary-Based Income	Recommended	Applicants who are employed must provide:
Salary Certificate / Salary Letter	Yes	On employer letterhead, signed and stamped — stating designation, joining date, monthly gross / net salary, and tenure.
Leave Approval Letter	Yes	Confirming sanctioned leave dates covering the full trip plus a buffer; signed by HR / authorised signatory.
No Objection Certificate (NOC) from employer	Yes	Confirming the employer has no objection to the trip and the applicant will return to duty after the leave window.
Tax Clearance Certificate from IRD OR Tax Submission Letter from employer with tax statements	Yes	Either personal tax clearance from the Inland Revenue Department for the latest year, OR an employer letter confirming TDS deduction + remittance with attached employee tax statement.
3. Pension Income	Recommended	Applicants receiving pension must submit:
Pension Certificate (Pension Patta)	Yes	Original Nijamati / armed-forces pension book issued by the Pension Management Office, plus copies of all entries.
Company ID Card (if available)	Recommended	Photocopy of the former government / public-sector service ID card (front + back).
Recent Pension Bank Statement	Yes	Last 3–6 months of pension-account transactions showing regular monthly pension credits — original, signed and stamped on every page.
Pension Receiving Confirmation Letter from Bank	Yes	On bank letterhead, confirming the applicant's pension account, monthly credit amount, and account holder details.
4. Rental Income	Recommended	Applicants earning rental income must provide:
Land Ownership Certificate	Yes	Original + copy of the Lalpurja (land title deed) for the rental-yielding land / property.
Building Completion Certificate	Yes	Issued by the Municipality / Nagarpalika engineering office confirming the building is completed and fit for occupancy.
Land and Building Tax Payment Certificate	Yes	Latest fiscal-year payment receipts from Municipality (Nagarpalika) and Ward (Wada) office (malpot / bhumi-ghar tax).

How to apply for the France validity & stay duration visa from Nepal

Complete the online application at france-visas.gouv.fr (select India as country), book a VFS Kathmandu appointment (Tue/Fri only) at least 15 days before departure, attend with the full file + biometrics.

1. Check eligibility against the criteria above and confirm the visa class is correct for your travel purpose.
2. Prepare the document file per the table above. Use a Nepal Bar Council-registered translator + notary for any Nepali-language original (employer letter, property docs, citizenship copy back-translation).
3. Book the appointment at https://france-visas.gouv.fr (select India as country of submission) · https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/fra (VFS Global appointment booking) — slots fill quickly during peak windows.
4. Submit in person at VFS Global France Visa Application Centre — Kathmandu (3rd Floor, Chhaya Center / Chhaya Devi Complex, Amrit Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal — open Tuesday + Friday only, 09:00–13:00 (limited 2-day window). Appointments mandatory.). Arrive 15 minutes early.
5. Pay the fee (Cash in NPR at the VFS Kathmandu counter. No card / digital wallet.).
6. Provide biometrics if requested (mandatory for sticker classes; e-visa classes typically do not require them).
7. Track and collect — most embassies provide a tracking reference. E-visas arrive by email; sticker visas return by courier or in-person collection.

What Yatra handles for France validity & stay duration visa applications

• Document checklist tailored to the validity & stay duration purpose — exactly what the France embassy requires for Nepali files in this class.
• Pre-submission review — we catch the documentation-gap rejections (wrong photo spec, missing translation, weak cover letter) before the file enters the queue.
• Appointment booking at VFS Global France Visa Application Centre — Kathmandu in Kathmandu.
• PNR-backed dummy tickets at NPR 999 — accepted by most embassies as proof of onward travel so you can apply before paying for non-refundable flights. Available at yatraforfun.com/dummy-ticket.
• Re-application support — if rejected, the Yatra service fee is waived on the second submission (you re-pay the embassy fee, which is non-refundable on either attempt).

Common mistakes Nepali applicants make on the France validity & stay duration visa

The five mistakes below account for the majority of preventable rejections we see on Nepal-FR files. None of them are about the embassy being difficult — every one is fixable with a 30-minute pre-submission review.

1. Photograph not to the embassy specification. Most France missions reject photos that fall outside the exact dimensions (typically 35x45mm or 51x51mm), have a non-white background, show ears partially covered, or were taken more than 6 months ago. Use a photo studio in Kathmandu (Bagbazar / Putalisadak / Naxal) that knows the France embassy spec — pay the extra NPR 200 for a fresh, compliant set rather than reusing an old printout.
2. Bank balance pumped up the week before submission. Embassy reviewers read the 6-month statement, not the closing balance. A sudden NPR 5,00,000 deposit two weeks before submission with no salary or business inflow history flags as manufactured. Maintain a steady balance in line with declared income; if the funds are genuinely sponsored, attach the sponsor's 6-month statement and an undertaking letter rather than depositing into your own account.
3. Untranslated Nepali documents. Every Nepali-language document submitted to a France mission must be accompanied by a notary-certified English translation — citizenship card, employer letter on Nepali letterhead, lalpurja (land deed), municipality registration, audit reports. Use a Nepal Bar Council-registered translator and have each translation notarised by a Notary Public; embassies routinely return files with raw Nepali originals.
4. Cover letter that contradicts the booking dates. If the cover letter says you are travelling 12-25 Oct but the flight booking shows 14-22 Oct, the file gets returned for clarification. Re-read the cover letter against every attached booking before submission — dates, accommodation address, sponsor name, and total stay must match across all documents.
5. Hotel booking that allows free cancellation but no payment proof. France embassies increasingly recognise the "book a refundable hotel just for the visa, cancel after approval" pattern. A confirmation showing prepayment (or at minimum a non-zero deposit) carries far more weight than a free-cancellation booking. If you genuinely need flexibility, attach the booking plus a covering note explaining your itinerary contingencies — silence reads as deception.

After approval — the pre-departure checklist for France

Visa in passport is not the end of the work. Carry the following on the day of travel — Nepali passport holders are routinely secondary-screened at the entry port for France, and producing the right paperwork at immigration shortens the inspection from 30 minutes to 3.

• Printed visa or e-visa PDF — never rely solely on the digital copy on your phone. Carry one printed copy in your hand baggage and a backup in checked baggage.
• Confirmed return ticket in your name — France immigration may ask to see the onward flight at arrival, especially for tourist and visit classes.
• Hotel confirmation for the first 3 nights minimum, with the address printed in the local language where applicable. Immigration officers ask "where are you staying" and a vague answer triggers secondary screening.
• Travel insurance certificate — increasingly mandatory at the entry port even when the visa was approved without it.
• Cash in destination currency equivalent to at least USD 100/day for the first 3 days — immigration occasionally asks "show me funds" and a card or e-wallet does not always satisfy.
• Yatra concierge contact — if you booked through Yatra, save our 24/7 number (+977 970-9066517) for any visa or entry-port issue. We have helped Nepali travellers re-enter France after secondary-screening flags more than 200 times in the last two years.

France embassy and visa centre contact in Kathmandu

Embassy of France — New Delhi (consular jurisdiction over Nepal)

2/50-E, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021, India

Phone

+91 11 4319 6100

Email

[email protected]

Hours

Embassy in New Delhi: Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00. Nepal applicants do NOT visit the embassy directly — submit via VFS Global Kathmandu.

Website

https://in.ambafrance.org

VFS Global France Visa Application Centre — Kathmandu

3rd Floor, Chhaya Center / Chhaya Devi Complex, Amrit Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal — open Tuesday + Friday only, 09:00–13:00 (limited 2-day window). Appointments mandatory.

Related Yatra resources

• France visa overview for Nepali citizens — embassy contact + concierge page.
• Visa eligibility checker — answer 4 questions; we tell you which class fits.
• PNR-backed dummy tickets (NPR 999) — accepted by most embassies as proof of onward travel.
• PNR-backed hotel bookings — refundable confirmations for visa submission.
• Yatra visa concierge — all 60+ destinations for Nepali citizens.
• All Yatra visa & travel guides — country, type, and process-specific articles.
• Italy validity & stay duration visa — sibling country guide for comparison.
• Malta validity & stay duration visa — another sibling Nepali-passport guide.
• Flight bookings to France — once your visa lands, book direct.
• Hotel deals in France — Yatra-verified rates with free cancellation.
• About Yatra For Fun — Founder Sandeep Kumar Chaudhary Chaudhary, 10+ years processing Nepali visas.

Sources and freshness

This guide is curated from the official Embassy of France — New Delhi (consular jurisdiction over Nepal) portal and VFS Global France Visa Application Centre — Kathmandu. Embassy data was last verified on 2026-04-25 and this post was last refreshed on 2026-05-21. Visa fees and processing times shift one to two times a year — re-check the embassy portal four weeks before travel.