Work in France from Nepal 2026: Work Visa Guide

Step-by-step France work visa application

1. Confirm visa class. For Nepali work travel to France, the class is the Long-Stay Salaried Employment Visa ("travailleur temporaire" / VLS-TS).
2. Gather documents per the table below — passport, photos, financial proof, flight + hotel bookings, work-purpose letter.
3. Submit via the embassy portal or application centre in Kathmandu.
4. Pay the fee — embassy/government fee plus the application-centre service charge.
5. Biometrics if the class requires them (sticker visas typically do; e-visas typically do not).
6. Collect the passport on issue — by courier or in person at the centre.

Each step is a checkpoint. Getting one wrong (wrong fee bracket, photo not to spec, missing letter) restarts the clock — fix the failure at the source rather than in re-submission.

Quick facts

Visa type	Long-Stay Salaried Employment Visa ("travailleur temporaire" / VLS-TS)
Stay duration	3–12 months per visa; renewable through the prefecture once in France.
Validity	VLS bearing the mention "travailleur temporaire" (≤ 12 months) OR multi-year residence permit for longer recruitment.
Entries	Multi-entry once validated.
Processing time	6–12 weeks total (after the French employer obtains the work permit from DGEFP).
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 work 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.
Work permit issued by DGEFP	Yes	Original or certified copy of the work authorisation obtained by the French employer prior to visa application.
Employment contract	Yes	Signed contract with the French employer stating position, salary (≥ French minimum wage / SMIC), duration, and place of work.
Education / professional qualifications	Yes	Notarised English translations of Nepali-language degrees and experience certificates; apostilled where required.
Police clearance certificate	Yes	From Nepal Police, attested by Nepal MoFA — issued within the last 3 months.
Cover letter from current Nepali employer	Recommended	Where the applicant is currently employed in Nepal — confirming resignation / leave for the new posting.
Travel medical insurance	Yes	Minimum EUR 30,000 coverage including emergency medical, hospitalisation, and repatriation; valid throughout the Schengen Area for the entire stay.
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.
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.

How to apply for the France work visa from Nepal

French employer files the work permit with the Direction Générale de l'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle (DGEFP) FIRST — the approved permit is then attached to the applicant's VFS submission.

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 work visa applications

• Document checklist tailored to the work 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 work 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.
• Same France visa, different angle: salary & permit
• Egypt work visa — sibling country guide for comparison.
• Albania work 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 2026-05-12. Visa fees and processing times shift one to two times a year — re-check the embassy portal four weeks before travel.