Which France Visa Should Indians Apply For?

Choosing the wrong category is one of the easiest ways to lose a VFS slot, because your France-Visas form, your appointment category and your documents all follow from it. This guide maps common Indian travel plans to the French visa that fits, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Every route ends the same way: an online form on France-Visas, then a VFS Global appointment, with the decision taken by the Embassy of France in New Delhi or the consulates in Mumbai, Puducherry, Kolkata or Bengaluru. For the full process, see our France visa guide for Indians.

Short stay or long stay: which kind of French visa do you need?

Fees are paid in local currency at the VFS centre, at the rate set by the French authorities, and are kept even if the visa is refused. Children under 6, the foreign spouse of a French national and family members of EU/EEA/Swiss nationals pay nothing for a short-stay visa.

Which short-stay visa matches your trip purpose?

For a tourist file, France uses European Commission reference amounts: EUR 65 minimum per day and per person, EUR 32.50 per day if you hold proof of accommodation, and EUR 120 per day without it. Travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 of cover is compulsory for every short-stay visa.

Which long-stay visa should students choose?

Students accepted by a French higher-education institution apply for the long-stay student visa (VLS-TS 'student'). India is an Etudes en France country, so the Campus France procedure comes first: complete the online file, get it validated, pay the Campus France fee (INR 20,000 from 1 August 2026, previously INR 18,500) and attend the academic interview if applicable. Book VFS only after the automated Campus France email.

• Visa fee: 50 euros.
• Funds: at least EUR 877.50 per month from 1 August 2026, up from EUR 615.
• Timing: apply as soon as you have unconditional acceptance and at least three months before the intake.
• After arrival: validate the VLS-TS online within three months; it serves as your residence permit for the first year.

Two narrower routes exist. A student trainee doing a placement that is part of an Indian course needs a training agreement and, per France-Visas, resources of EUR 615 a month. Under-18s coming to a French school use the school-going minor visa.

Which long-stay visa should workers choose?

• 'Talent - EU Blue Card': a 3-year degree or 5 years of comparable experience, a contract of at least 6 months and gross annual pay of at least EUR 59,373. No employer work authorisation is needed.
• 'Talent - qualified employee': intra-group missions or innovative companies, with gross annual pay of at least EUR 39,582.
• Salaried employment: for any other job offer. Your French employer obtains a work authorisation first; after arrival you pay a 300-euro tax on top of the 99-euro visa fee.
• Job search / business creation: for Master's-level graduates of French institutions, applying from abroad within 4 years of the diploma.

Two options people ask about do not work today. The working holiday visa is limited to 16 agreement countries, and India is not one of them. India and France welcomed a Young Professional Scheme in January 2024, but its age limit and quota are not published on the official pages we checked.

What if you are joining family or going as an au pair?

The spouse of a French national pays no visa fee and applies for a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit, showing marriage, the spouse's French nationality and community of life. The spouse and minor children of a non-EU national living in France use family reunification, which requires the resident to have lived there regularly for at least 18 months; the request is filed with OFII in France before the consulate issues the visa. The young au pair visa is for people aged 18 to 30 placed with an unrelated host family of a different nationality.

Do you need a different visa for Reunion or other French territories?

Yes. A Schengen visa does not cover France's non-European territories. Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthelemy need a short-stay visa costing 60 euros (35 euros for children aged 6-12). New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands cost 9 euros. France-Visas says Indians holding a multiple-entry visa issued by a French consulate, valid 6 months to 5 years, may be granted a waiver. For Reunion only, Indians on package tours of up to 15 days run by an approved tour operator may be exempt (Embassy notice of 7 May 2026).

Should you ask for a multi-year visa instead?

If you travel to Europe often, yes. Indian nationals living in India who have obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years can receive a 2-year multiple-entry Schengen visa, and those who lawfully used a 2-year visa can move to 5 years if passport validity allows. Indian graduates with a Master's or higher who studied at least one semester in France on a long-stay student visa of at least 4 months can apply for France's 5-year alumni short-stay visa, which does not allow work.

For context, the European Commission recorded a refusal rate of 15.3% for short-stay Schengen applications lodged at French consulates in India in 2025 (31,058 visas not issued; 204,184 applications lodged). Most avoidable refusals start with a mismatch between the stated purpose and the documents. Confirm your category with the France-Visas wizard, book the matching VFS appointment category, and keep your itinerary, bookings and funds consistent with it.

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 contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Which France visa do I need for a conference or trade fair?

A short-stay Schengen visa under business travel or short training, internships, conferences and corporate meetings. The file is built on a request letter or invitation from the French organiser, or failing that, admission cards to the trade fair or conference.

Do Indians need a transit visa for a layover in France?

Not if you stay in the international zone of the French airport. Since 10 April 2026, Indian ordinary-passport holders no longer need an airport transit visa in that case. Leaving the international zone requires a Schengen visa.

Who can submit a France visa without a VFS appointment?

Diplomatic or official passport holders, spouses of French citizens and family members of EU citizens may walk in at New Delhi, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Jaipur. Everyone else books an appointment online with VFS Global.

Can I apply for a France visa from India if I live abroad?

No. France-Visas says applications must be lodged in the country where you legally reside, so Indians living abroad apply to the French consulate or its service provider in that country.