France tourist visa
Required documents, fees and processing time for a France tourist Schengen visa when you apply from United States.
SCHENGEN · VISA C✈ DOCUMENTS
🇫🇷 France·····✈·····🇺🇸 from United States
To
France
Type
C · TOURISM
Apply at
USA
Centre
VAC
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Action neededTourism — short stay (Type C) · applying from United States.
Documents ready00 / 11
Competent authority
French Consulate covering the applicant's US state of residence by jurisdiction; visa applications submitted in the US are examined by the relevant French Consulate (e.g. New York covers CT/NJ/NY/Bermuda; San Francisco covers Washington state and other western states; Washington DC covers its jurisdiction)
Application centre
VFS Global (11 centres incl. Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC)
Fees
Consular (Type C)
€90
Service fee
$45
Est. total (adult)
$145
Long stay (Type D)
€99
The short-stay (Type C) consular fee is harmonised at €90 for adults across all Schengen states; collected in USD · centre: TLScontact.
Fee notes
France switched VFS->TLScontact in USA April 2025 (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, LA, Miami, NY, SF, Seattle, DC). Service ~€45. Long-stay VLS €99 (+€300 ANEF post-arrival validation, not a visa fee).
Timeline
medium confidenceProcessing
15–45 days
End-to-end
3–8 weeks
Centre
VAC
Appointment wait
Appointments cannot be booked more than 3 months before travel; peak-season (spring/summer) slots scarce. Realistically ~1-4 weeks, worse at popular centres.
Application centre
VFS Global (US), sole administrative service provider for France. Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, LA, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC.
Timeline notes
Harmonised ~15 calendar days typical; some cases up to 45-60. 3-month advance booking cap is a real constraint.
Funds to show
high confidenceThe amount you must be able to prove, per the Schengen Borders Code reference amount. It depends only on the destination — not on your nationality or where you apply.
Per day
€65
Minimum
—
In EUR ≈
as shown
no accommodation booked
€120 / day
with hotel booking (base daily SMIC)
€65 / day
proof of private accommodation / attestation d'accueil (half SMIC)
€32.5 / day
Notes
Base = daily SMIC (EUR 65.00). If NO hotel reservation is presented, EUR 120/day required. If a hotel reservation covers part of the stay: EUR 65/day for the booked period + EUR 120/day for the rest. Holders of an attestation d'accueil (hosted) need only half the SMIC = EUR 32.50/day. Travel medical insurance also required.
Consulates apply discretion and may expect a buffer above this figure — treat it as a floor, not a guarantee.
Funds source ↗⚠ Special cases & caveats
- Non-US citizens resident in the USMust present a valid US residence document (Green Card or valid US visa) proving lawful residence in the consular jurisdiction where applying.
- US citizens (short tourism/business)US passport holders are visa-exempt for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period and do not need a Schengen visa for tourism/business.
- MinorsGuardian ID/passport copies, legalized birth certificate, and travel consent from guardian(s) if the minor is not travelling with them, plus guardian's proof of funds.