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🇫🇷 France · Tourist / Visitor visa

France Tourist / Visitor visa approval odds

A short-stay visa for France is a uniform Schengen type-C visa, so the €90 fee, the €30,000 travel medical insurance minimum and the 90-days-in-180 limit are the same everywhere. What is specific to France is how much money you must show: €65/day with a hotel booking, €120/day without. France benchmarks against the daily SMIC (minimum wage), stated as €65.00 per day. Since 19 June 2014, an applicant with no hotel reservation must show €120 per day; where a booking covers part of the stay, €65 applies to the booked nights and €120 to the rest. With a certified attestation d'accueil the requirement halves to €32.50 per day. Officers apply the figure as a benchmark alongside your ties, purpose and travel history rather than as a pass mark, and a France visa lets you travel the whole Schengen area once issued — but you must apply to France if it is your main destination.

Last reviewed August 2026 per our editorial standards. Source: European Commission — Annex 25 of the Visa Code Practical Handbook: reference amounts required for the crossing of the external border, fixed by national authorities .

How likely is a tourist visa to France? Officers focus on whether you are a genuine visitor who will return home on time. A typical applicant sees roughly 83%, and the biggest single lever is return intent.

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Your trip

The essentials. Pre-filled if you came from a specific page.

Key requirements

  • Passport valid 3+ months beyond departure and issued within the last 10 years
  • Completed application, photo, and biometrics
  • Travel medical insurance of at least €30,000
  • Round-trip itinerary and confirmed accommodation
  • Proof of sufficient funds; €90 visa fee (2026)

Visa fee (cost)

€90 per adult, €45 for children 6–12, free under 6 — plus a service fee (typically €30–45) where an external centre (VFS/TLS) handles the application.

Money & funds

€65/day with a hotel booking, €120/day without. France benchmarks against the daily SMIC (minimum wage), stated as €65.00 per day. Since 19 June 2014, an applicant with no hotel reservation must show €120 per day; where a booking covers part of the stay, €65 applies to the booked nights and €120 to the rest. With a certified attestation d'accueil the requirement halves to €32.50 per day.

Typical timeline

Apply up to 6 months ahead and at least 15 days before travel; standard decisions take about 15 calendar days, occasionally up to 45.

Common refusal reasons

  • Insufficient or unclear means of subsistence
  • Doubt about the purpose or intent to leave
  • Missing or insufficient travel medical insurance
  • Unjustified or inconsistent itinerary
  • Previous Schengen overstay or visa misuse

France tourist visa refusal rates by nationality (2025)

Published outcomes for the countries we cover, grouped by where the application was lodged rather than by passport. All rows use the European Commission's basis: refusals as a share of applications decided. None of these predicts an individual decision — they show how strictly the bar has been applied.

France tourist visa outcomes in 2025, best to worst, for the nationalities we publish pages for.
NationalityRefusedIssuedDecided
Indonesia2.7%97.3%64,677
Kuwait2.7%97.3%35,503
Saudi Arabia3.8%96.2%233,101
the Philippines7.9%92.1%33,861
Vietnam8.3%91.7%50,750
Morocco10%90%293,019
India15.3%84.7%203,152
Turkey15.5%84.5%141,283
Egypt16.3%83.7%54,068
Tanzania21.6%78.4%3,033
Kenya26.2%73.8%4,326
Ethiopia26.5%73.5%4,024
Algeria28.5%71.5%255,280
Sri Lanka30.2%69.8%9,116
Uganda32.7%67.3%5,794
Cameroon36.7%63.3%35,395
Pakistan37.2%62.8%9,598
Ghana37.5%62.5%10,485
Senegal46%54%35,877
Bangladesh47.3%52.7%4,830
Nigeria48.5%51.5%57,280

Source: European Commission — Schengen short-stay visa statistics for consulates . Every nationality above links to its own page with the year-on-year movement and a comparison across destinations.

What actually moves the needle

Strong ties to home — a stable job, family, or property

This is the heart of tourist decisions for France. Make it concrete and documented rather than assumed.

Funds that clearly cover the whole trip

Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply.

A specific, time-limited plan with bookings

Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply.

Avoid the common pitfall

The most frequent reason this route fails is a vague itinerary or thin finances that make your return look uncertain. Address it directly and you remove the biggest doubt.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Schengen visa in 2026?

€90 for adults, €45 for children aged 6–12, and free for under-6s — the same across all Schengen countries. Service centres (e.g. VFS) may add a service fee.

Which country do I apply to for a Schengen visa?

The country of your main destination (most nights), or your first point of entry if the trip is evenly split.

Is travel insurance mandatory for a Schengen visa?

Yes. You need travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000 for the whole Schengen area and stay.

How long can I stay on a Schengen visa?

Up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the whole Schengen area.

Explore related visa odds

Helpful guides

Schengen visa bank statements: how much money and how to show it → Schengen travel insurance: 30,000 euros cover & cost (2026) → Which Schengen country should you apply to? (2026 rules) → How to prepare for a tourist visa interview → How to build a travel history that strengthens your visa applications → Invitation and sponsorship letters that actually help →