How to Apply for a France Schengen Visa from Australia in 5 Easy Steps – A Complete Guide
The most romantic Schengen country has got to be France. With lots of lanes and alleys to explore and iconic monuments, like the Eiffel Tower, there won’t be a moment when you don’t feel in love. Try traditional food or explore pretty French villages, there is no end of things to keep you amused. In this article, learn more about how to apply for a France visa at the visa offices in Australia, France visa appointment booking, processing time at the France visa application centre, flight itinerary for a France visa, hotel bookings for a France visa, Schengen travel insurance for a France visa application, and France visa application process in Australia.
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/australia-aussie-opera-house-4250201/
France Schengen Visas
In 2018, there were 4,010,604 France Schengen visa applications received by embassies and consulates worldwide. 629,997 of this amount were not issued. The Consulate General of France in Sydney received 1,627 applications and rejected 52.
Applying for a Schengen Visa from Australia
If you are currently living in Australia, but you are not an Australian citizen by birth, it’s still possible to apply for a France Schengen visa. All you need to do is prove you have a legal right to live in Australia and not hold a B1/B1 visa.
Visa applications submitted in Australia are processed by the French Consulate-General in Sydney, the French Embassy in Canberra and the Greek Consulates-General in Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide (depending on the type of visa):
- Short-stay visas: the Consulate General of France in Sydney (all types of visas), the Consulates General of Greece in Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide (Schengen visas only)
- Long-stay visas: the Consulate General of France in Sydney and, for official visas only, the French Embassy in Canberra
Before you submit your application to one of the above offices, go to France-visas, the official website for applying for a visa for France. Go to their website and familiarise yourself with the process before you do anything else.
You can use their Visa wizard if you are unsure as to whether you need a visa for France. The wizard will also tell you what documents must be enclosed with your application, along with the relevant fee.
Types of Schengen visas offered at the Embassy of France and the Consulate Generals in Australia
There are 3 types of visa you may apply for and the one you need will depend on your reason for travelling to France and the duration of your trip.
- Schengen visa (short-stay visa) if you are travelling for tourism, business, visiting family or friends for up to 90 days
- Airport Transit visa is required when you are connecting through a Schengen country airport and not leaving the airport
- National visa (long-stay visa) for family reasons, study or employment etc., for over 90 days
How Can I Apply for a Schengen Visa from the visa offices in Australia?
You can submit your visa application 3 months prior to your intended date of arrival in France and at the latest 15 days before your arrival date. Short stay visas take around 10 days to process. In some cases, it can take up to 6 weeks. Long stay visas can take around 10 days to 2 months to process. It’s advisable to apply well ahead of time.
Here are 5 easy steps to follow to help you apply for your visa:
Step 1: How to complete your application?
To complete your application form, go to France Visas’ website and click on: “Visa application”:
Read the instructions and click on: “Access the visa application”:
You’ll need to create an account before you log in:
Then, you can complete your application online. When you have completed the application, you must print the application form and your receipt of application. You must bring these documents, together with all supporting documents, when you submit your file to the relevant visa office.
Step 2: How to make an appointment?
Making appointments with the embassy, consulate or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!
Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:
- Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
- Submit the appointment details, the visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
- Receive appointment confirmation in email
You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below.
Consulate General of France in Sydney
- Go to France Visas website and click on “Whom should I contact?”
- Click on set up an appointment
- Click on the correct link
- Read the instructions and click on “Booking an appointment”
- Read the conditions and check the box to say you have accepted them. Then, click on “Next”
- Choose a date and time and continue
- Complete your personal information
- Continue through the screens until your appointment is confirmed
Consulate General of Greece in Melbourne
- Go to their website and click on “Services” then “Visas”
- Contact the consulate by phone – 03-98664524 – or email – grgencon.mel@mfa.gr – during their business hours of 9.00 am – 2.00 pm
Consulate General of Greece in Adelaide
- Go to their website and click on “Services” then “Visas”
- You may make an appointment by e-mail: grgencon.ade@mfa.gr
Consulate General of Greece in Perth
- Go to their website and click on “Services” then “Visas”
- Send an email to grcon.per@mfa.gr
- Include your name and surname, contact number, main destination, date of departure as well as your nationality
Step 3: Prepare your documents
There is a list of required documents on the embassy’s website, so take a look at what they are before you start to prepare your documents.
You should also prepare photocopies as well as providing the original documents, so don’t forget to do that too!
Documents include:
- Visa application form – completed and signed
- Passport photographs
- Passport – must be valid for at least three months after the date of departure from the Schengen zone, at least two empty pages and issued no more than 10 years ago
- France-Visas receipt for your online application
- Proof of residence in Australia
- Travel itinerary/airline reservation or detailed itinerary with tour operator’s name
- Proof of travel medical insurance
- Proof of financial means bank statements – and pay slips or pension statements for the last 3 months
- Reservation of a hotel or other accommodation
- Proof of socio-professional status (e.g. employment contract, certificate of employment, extract from the trade and companies’ register, school attendance certificate, proof of pension) and any documents demonstrating the applicant’s personal links to the country of residence (e.g. copy of marriage certificate, family record book)
- Letter of invitation along with host’s ID and/or residence permit (if applicable)
If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:
- Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
- Submit the travel details and make the payment online
- Receive flight itinerary in email
Step 4: A guide to your visa appointment
When the day arrives for you to submit your visa application, do not be late. If you miss your appointment, you may have to reschedule which could delay your travel plans. Don’t forget to dress smartly and whatever you do, do NOT forget any of the required documents.
Be aware that the visa officer may ask you questions about the information you have given in your application. If this happens, just answer honestly. They are simply ascertaining all the facts before deciding whether to give you the visa or not, so don’t panic.
- How many times have you been abroad?
- How long are you planning on staying in France?
- Why do you want to go now?
- What do you do in Australia?
- Do you know anyone in Europe?
Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!
During your appointment, you will also pay the fee for your visa. You may pay by credit card only. Please note, the fee is non-refundable even if your application gets rejected.
| Type of visa | Fee |
| Schengen visa – up to 90 days | AUD 98/€60 |
| National visa – over 90 days | Varies, see France Visas’ website |
| Child between 6-12 years of age | AUD 57/€35 |
| Children under the age of six | Free |
If you have never applied for a Schengen visa before, you will have to provide a scan of your fingerprints and have your photo taken. This biometric data is stored on the Visa Information System (VIS) for future use.
Step 5: Receive your visa
Once you have submitted your application, you can track its progress. Go to France Visas’ website, click on “Tracking application”. You can then use the InfoVISA online application tracking tool.
The decision will be either:
- Approved – your visa will be inside your passport
- Rejected – this would have been for a specific reason and you can appeal the decision
Common rejection reasons include:
- No invitation letter – if you are being invited to France by a person or a company, you must provide an invitation letter
- Passport was issued 15 years ago – your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years. If it wasn’t, you must get a new one before applying for your visa
- You did not provide bank statements – you must provide the last 3 bank statements to show that you have enough money to pay for your trip
- Photographs do not meet requirements – your photograph must meet certain specifications (see above)
How to contact the visa offices in Australia?
Consulate General of France in Sydney
Address: 31 Market Street, Level 26, St Martins Tower, NSW 2000 Sydney, Australia
Fax: (+61) (0)2 92 68 24 31
Hours:
Submitting applications (by appointment only)
| Monday | 9:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 9:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 9:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. |
| Thursday | 9:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. |
| Friday | 9:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
French Embassy in Canberra
Address: 6 Perth Avenue, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 Canberra, Australia
Tel: +61 (0)2 62 16 01 00
Fax: +61 (0)2 62 16 01 27
Hours:
Submitting applications (by appointment only)
| Monday | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. |
| Thursday | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. |
| Friday | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
To apply for a Schengen visa for France in Australia, follow these simple steps:
- Complete your application
- Make your appointment
- Prepare your documents
- Attend your appointment
- Receive your visa
Then, all you have to do is start packing for your trip to France!
At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa, Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.
See Also
How to Apply for Schengen Visa from Australia
How to Apply for Austria Schengen Visa from Australia
How to Apply for Belgium Schengen Visa from Australia
How to Apply for Czech Republic Schengen Visa from Australia
How to Apply for Denmark Schengen Visa from Australia
