How Many Days Can Indians Stay in France on a Visa?

Two numbers on a French visa confuse many first-time travellers: how long the visa is valid, and how many days you may actually spend in France and the rest of the Schengen area. This Q&A separates them for every visa type an Indian is likely to hold, as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For fees and documents, see our France visa guide for Indians.

How many days does a France short-stay visa allow?

Up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies to every short-stay category France lists for Indians: tourism and private stays, business travel, family visits, short training programmes and conferences, remunerated activities not exceeding 90 days, transit outside the airport international zone and medical care.

The 180-day period is not a fixed calendar half-year. On any day you are in the Schengen area, look back over the previous 180 days: the days you spent inside, including today, must not exceed 90. The count covers the whole Schengen area, not only France, so days in Germany or Italy on the same trip use up the same allowance.

Does a multiple-entry visa let you stay longer?

No. A multiple-entry visa lets you travel more often over a longer period; each stay is still limited by the 90-in-180 rule.

Under the EU Commission Implementing Decision of 18 April 2024, Indian nationals residing and applying in India who have obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years can get a 2-year multiple-entry visa. Lawful use of a 2-year visa within the previous three years can then lead to a 5-year one, if your passport validity allows. The visa ends 3 months before your passport expires where the passport is shorter, and consulates can shorten validity in individual cases.

For a multiple-entry visa, travel medical insurance (minimum EUR 30,000) is shown for the first intended visit, plus a signed statement in the application form.

Who qualifies for France's 5-year alumni visa?

Indian nationals with a Master's or higher degree, from any country, who studied at least one semester in France on a long-stay student visa of at least 4 months. You apply at VFS with the documents for a tourist or business visa, plus a copy of the degree and proof of the semester in France. It is a short-stay visa, so the 90-in-180 limit applies, and it does not allow work.

What if you need more than 90 days in France?

You need a long-stay visa. France issues them with a validity of 3 months to 1 year, and the long-stay fee is 99 euros (reduced rate 50 euros for students processed through Campus France). Typical durations:

• Student (VLS-TS): serves as the residence permit for the first year; validate it online within three months of arrival.
• Tourist stay of more than 3 months: a long-stay category of its own.
• Young au pair: a one-year VLS-TS, extendable to a maximum of 2 years.
• School-going minor: the visa allows 11 months, renewable for the duration of studies.
• Family of a foreign resident or French national: a long-stay visa valid 3 months, followed by a residence permit from the prefecture.
• Talent - EU Blue Card: the card is issued for the contract length, up to 4 years.

A temporary long-stay visa (VLS-T) is issued especially to people who will not extend their stay beyond its validity. Apply for any long-stay visa at least 1 month before departure and no more than 3 months before arrival.

How long can Indian students stay after graduating in France?

Campus France India says that under a bilateral agreement signed in 2015, Indian students can extend their stay in France for 24 months after their studies: a 12-month visa renewable once for 12 months. Separately, French law offers a 1-year 'job search / business creation' permit to Master's-level graduates, during which you can work without a work authorisation in a job linked to your studies that pays more than EUR 2,800.53 gross a month.

Does a France Schengen visa cover Reunion or Guadeloupe?

No. The non-European French territories need a separate national short-stay visa:

• Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthelemy: 60 euros (35 euros for children between 6 and 12).
• New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands: 9 euros.

There are exemptions. France-Visas says Indian nationals holding a multiple-entry visa issued by a French consulate, valid 6 months to 5 years, may be granted visa waivers for the overseas territories. And since an Embassy notice of 7 May 2026, Indians on package tours to Reunion organised by an approved tour operator may be exempt for stays of up to 15 days.

When does a long stay turn into residence?

After five years. France's long-term resident card (EU) requires at least 5 years of legal, uninterrupted residence on qualifying permits, with absences of up to 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total allowed. The card is valid 10 years and renewable. It is applied for at the prefecture in France, not from India.

For short trips, the practical point is simpler: apply no more than 6 months before travel, expect a decision within 15 calendar days of lodging (extendable up to 45), and plan each trip so your days inside the Schengen area stay within 90 in any 180. For context, the European Commission's refusal rate for Schengen applications lodged at French consulates in India was 15.3% in 2025 (31,058 visas not issued; 204,184 applications lodged).

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

Frequently asked questions

Can I stay 90 days in France and then 90 days in another Schengen country?

No. The 90 days in any 180-day period apply to the Schengen area as a whole, not to each country. Days spent in France and other Schengen states on the same visa are counted together.

Do I need a visa to change planes in Paris?

Not if you stay in the international zone of the airport. Since 10 April 2026, Indian ordinary-passport holders no longer need an airport transit visa for French airports.

Can I work in France on a short-stay visa?

Only within the short-stay category for remunerated activities not exceeding 90 days. The 5-year alumni visa does not allow work, and salaried jobs normally need a long-stay visa with an employer's work authorisation.

How long before my trip can I apply for a France visa?

For a short stay, no more than 6 months before travel; France-Visas says at least 5 days before departure for Indian-born passport holders, while VFS India advises at least two weeks. Long-stay applications go in at least 1 month before departure and no more than 3 months before arrival.