France Visa From Philippines – How to Apply for French Schengen Visa Application Requirements Guide

What have you heard about France? Romantic? Beautiful? Delightful? Well, this Schengen country is all of those things and more. Paris is one of the most stunning cities in the world with world-class attractions like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Also, there are so many pretty villages and wonderful countryside to explore, you will have a fabulous time in this fabulous country! In this article, learn more about how to apply for a France visa from the Philippines, 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 the Philippines.

Source: Image by Dylan Gonzales from Pixabay

France Schengen Visas

In 2019, 3,980,989 France Schengen visas were received by all embassies in the world. Of these, 635,489 were rejected. The Embassy of France in Manila received 35,075 applications and 4,579 were not issued.

Applying for a France Schengen Visa from the Philippines

To apply for a France Schengen visa from the Philippines, you need to submit a visa application along with supporting documents to VFS Global in Manila. VFS Global receives applications on behalf of the Embassy of France in Manila. However, it is the embassy that processes applications and makes the decision about whether to grant the visa or not.

Before you begin, go to France-visas, the official website for applying for a visa for France, and read up on what you need to do.

Types of Schengen visas offered at the Embassy of France and VFS Global in the Philippines

There are 3 types of visas available:

1. Short-stay visa for tourism, business and family trips etc., for up to 90 days
2. Airport transit visa if you will remain in the international zone of the airport while you wait for a connecting flight
3. Long-stay visa for tourism, to carry out a professional activity, education or to join family members for over 90 days

It is important that you apply for the correct type of visa, otherwise, your application could be rejected.

How Can I Apply for a Schengen Visa from VFS Global in the Philippines?

You may apply up to 6 months ahead of your departure date. You must allow plenty of time for your application to be processed, otherwise, there is a chance that you may not get your visa in time.

If you are applying for a short-stay visa application, submit your file within a minimum of 5 days before you intend to leave for France. For long-stay visa applications, you should apply at least 15 days. In some cases, it could take up to 4 to 8 weeks. A general rule of thumb is to apply as early as you can to avoid disappointment.

Once you know which visa you are applying for, it’s time to start your application. There are 7 steps to help you apply for your visa:

1. Step 1 – Identify your visa type
2. Step 2 – Begin your application
3. Step 3 – Book an appointment
4. Step 4 – Pay your fees
5. Step 5 – Visit an application center
6. Step 6 – Track your application
7. Step 7 – Collect your passport

Step 1 – Identify your visa type

Go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Start now” under “Apply for a visa”:

Under Step 1, click on the link for France Visas:

On France Visas website, 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.

Click on: “Do you need a visa”:

Just key in the requested information on the “assistant visa” and you will know which visa you need to apply for:

Step 2 – Begin your application

Go back to VFS Global’s step-by-step guide and under “Step 2” click on the link:

Click on: “2. Start your application”:

Read the instructions and click on: “Access the visa application”:

Create an account and then log in to complete your application:

Don’t forget to print the application form and your receipt because you must take these documents, together with all supporting documents, when you submit your file to VFS Global.

Supporting documents

You should look at the document checklists on France Visas website because each type of visa has different requirements. If you miss anything and fail to submit everything you need, it could jeopardize your application.

You should also prepare photocopies as well as providing the original documents, so don’t forget to do that too.

Documents include:

1. Visa application form – completed and signed
   
2. Passport photographs x 2
   
3. 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
4. France-Visas receipt for your online application
5. Proof of residence in the Philippines
   
6. Return airline ticket reservation
7. Travel itinerary/Reservation confirmation of an organised trip or any other document describing the planned programme
8. Proof of travel medical insurance
9. Proof of financial means – Bank statements, payslips, pension statements
10. Hotel booking or sufficient resources to cover hotel expenses (to the amount of €120/day) or a tenancy agreement or certificate of ownership
11. 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 showing your personal links to the country of residence (e.g. copy of marriage certificate, family record book)
12. 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:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2.  Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 3 – Book 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:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. 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
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below.

1. Go to VFS Global’s website and click on the link under “Step 3 – Book an appointment”
2. You will be directed to France Visas website. Click on: “3. Submit your application”
3. Select your continent and location
4. Click on: “Whom should I contact”
5. Click on the link to book an appointment
6. Read the information and click on the button at the bottom if you are happy to proceed
7. Click the link to access the booking system
8. Register as a new user
9. Log in and make a suitable appointment

Step 4 – Pay your fees

Step 5 – Visit an application center

You must appear in person to submit your application to VFS Global.

On the day of your appointment remember the following things:

Step 6 – Track your application

You will receive an email when your passport has been returned to VFS Global. You can also track the progress of your application by clicking on the link:

Click on: “4. Track your application”:

Then, as you have applied at VFS Global, click on the link to access the tracking tool. You will need to key in your reference number and last name to be able to find out your application’s progress:

Step 7 – Collect your passport

You can collect your passport from VFS Global in Manila or you can have it returned to you via courier for an additional fee.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – your visa will be inside your passport
2. Rejected – this would have been for a specific reason and you can appeal the decision

Common rejection reasons include:

1. You applied for the wrong visa – before you start your application, you must know what visa you need to apply for, so use the resources on the embassy’s website to do this
2. Your passport only has 1 month remaining after your return – your passport should have at least 3 months remaining after your return from France. If this is not the case, you must apply for a new passport before applying for a visa
3. You forgot to include an invitation letter – if you are being invited to France by a person or a company, you must provide an invitation letter
4. You did not include proof of your residence status – if you are not a Filipino citizen, but you are living in the Philippines permanently, you must provide proof of this

Contact details for VFS Global in the Philippines

Address: 30th Floor The World Ctr. HV Dela Costa, Makati, Metro Manila

Business Hours: Monday to Thursday, 07.00 – 14.00 (by appointment only)

To apply for a Schengen visa for France in the Philippines, follow these simple steps:

1. Step 1 – Identify your visa type
2. Step 2 – Begin your application
3. Step 3 – Book an appointment
4. Step 4 – Pay your fees
5. Step 5 – Visit an application center
6. Step 6 – Track your application
7. Step 7 – Collect your passport

The next step is to begin the count down to 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 Philippines

How to Apply for Austria Schengen Visa from Philippines

How to Apply for Belgium Schengen Visa from Philippines

How to Apply for Czech Republic Schengen Visa from Philippines

How to Apply for Spain Schengen Visa from Philippines

How to Apply for Netherlands Schengen Visa from Philippines

How to Apply for Italy Schengen Visa from Philippines