French visa for UK spouse is not a very simple process. As a spouse of UK Visa holder, you are eligible to get France visa in UK if you wish to live in France with your partner. However, meeting certain criteria is required to apply for French visa from UK on your own or as a family. Being the spouse of a French national will not entitle you for French visa on its own.We are here to help you through all of the difficulties of the French spouse visa process. Our website is the most comprehensive source of French visa information available on the web. We hold many answers to your questions and problems with automated visa inquiry forms and detailed guides.

French Visa For Uk Spouse

Citizens of some countries are eligible to apply for a French Visa as a spouse of a French national. This visa entitles you to travel to France, stay there and work in France. The process is fast, simple and free of charge. You cannot apply by yourself.Visas are a process of entry clearance granted by the country foreign or international origin. The authorization applies to all foreign citizens wishing to enter the territorial space of France and request a visa. If you want to visit France, you will first need a visa.

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Applying for a France Visa in the UK – French Schengen Visa Requirements for the UK Residents

Around 17 million British nationals visit France every year.

Who needs a visa to travel to France from the UK?

UK citizens holding a UK passport don’t need a visa to enter France.
UK Residents of many specific nationalities are required to get a French Schengen visa to travel to France.

In recent years, following visa liberalization policies for non-EU countries, the number of countries whose nationals require visas to travel to Europe has slightly decreased. Here is the list of nationalities that are still required to get a Schengen Visa to visit France and other Schengen states.

Below you can find more information about the requirements and guidelines for applying for a French visa from the UK.

Who can apply for a France visa from the UK?

Citizens of these countries residing in the UK and planning to visit France are required to get a French visa to enter France. The main requirement is that you must have a UK residence permit valid for at least another three more months beyond the date you plan to leave France / the Schengen Area.

Use the French Schengen visa eligibility checker tool to find out if you qualify to apply for a French visa from the UK.

If you have a 3 month UK visa, you can extend it for three more months to be eligible to apply for a French Schengen visa from within the UK. You must apply for an extension before your visa expires and while you’re still in the UK. Find out more on how to extend your UK visa.

You should apply for a French visa at the appropriate French Embassy/Consulate or French visa application centre in the UK if:

France is the only Schengen country you plan on visiting
France is your main destination (the country you will be staying the longest in)
France is the first Schengen country you are visiting (when spending an equal amount of days in France and another Schengen country)

If you plan to stay in France for more than 90 days, you must apply for a residency permit, not a French Schengen visa.

Please note that you should apply at the French Embassy/Consulate/VAC in your home country of residence if you are not a resident in the United Kingdom.

France visa requirements for the UK Residents

The following documents are required to obtain a France visa in the UK:

A valid passport or Travel document. Please make sure that:
- Your passport has been issued within the previous 10 years,
- Your passport has 2 full blank pages, one for the visa stamp and an additional spare page,
- Your passport will be valid for at least three (3) months after the date you exit the Schengen Area.
A valid UK residence permit or another form of Identity Card:
- The UK residence permit must be endorsed in the actual passport (or a new biometric ID card).
- The UK residence permit must be valid for at least another three more months beyond the date you plan to leave France.
One French visa application form. It must be filled out completely and signed by the applicant (please read the explanations carefully).
One passport format photo that has a light background is rightly coloured and shows full face features. The photo must be less than three months old and be glued to the application form. Applications with stapled photographs will be rejected.
A cover letter that explains the purpose of the visit to France
Proof of travel arrangements: Round trip flight/travel reservations or other proof of intended transport and complete itinerary of your visit to France (if several Schengen States will be visited or if the trip covers the several Schengen States and non-Schengen countries).
France Travel Insurance. Stating that you are covered in case of a medical emergency and repatriation not just in France, but in the whole Schengen zone (minimum coverage of € 30.000). Travellers from the UK can easily purchase travel insurance online from AXA Schengen or Europ Assistance.
Proof of accommodation in France:
- Evidence of a hotel booking in France or a rental agreement,
- Invitation from your French host (family member, friend) with a copy of their passport (Proof of sponsorship), or
- Accommodation proof issued by the town hall in your host’s residence
Proof of financial subsistence:
- A recent statement of the UK bank account for the last three months shows funds of at least 65€ per person per day spent in France. This fee is only applicable if you have a pre-paid reservation at a hotel in France. Otherwise, the amount is increased to 120€ per day. Also, if you proof cheaper forms of accommodation, this amount decreases to 32.25€ per day.

Note: Photocopies of the original documents should also be submitted, and documents should not be more than one month old.

The documents listed above are documents required in all cases, regardless of the purpose of your visit to France.

Depending on your employment status in the UK, here is a list of additional documents that are required for your France visa application:

For UK employees:

Employment contract
Current UK bank statement of the latest 6 months
Leave permission from the employer
Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary.

For the self-employed:

A copy of your business license
Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
Income Tax Return (ITR)

For international students in the UK:

Proof of enrollment
No-objection certificate from school or university in the UK

For retirees:

Pension statement of the latest 6 months

If unemployed and married to an EU citizen:

A recent (less than 3 months old) Confirmation of Employment letter from their spouse’s employer stated the position held within the company and the starting date.
Spouse’s valid passport.
An officially translated marriage certificate. The translation must be in English or French and must be certified as a true copy by the country’s Embassy where the marriage took place or by the Legalization Bureau of the Foreign Office in the UK.

Note: If the Marriage Certificate was issued outside the European Union, it must be stamped by the Foreign Office of the issuing country or its Embassy in the UK.

Requirements for children under the age of 18

Parents or adult guardians must accompany their underage children to the application centre at the French Consulate. Also, minors who are granted a French visa are not allowed to travel to France by themselves. An adult should accompany them during their stay in France.

Required documents for visa application for underage children

Proof of parent’s regular income (work contract with specified monthly income or a bank statement or business license)
Notarized travel permission from parent (parental travel consent)
If one parent lives in another country – their notarized parental travel consent

How to apply for a French Visa from the UK?

The application procedure for a French visa in the UK is pretty similar to that in every other country in the world.

To apply for a French visa in the UK, you must follow these steps:

Figure out which French short-stay visa type you need. There are different French Schengen visa types depending on your purpose of travelling from the UK to France.
Find out where you need to apply for a French visa in the UK.
Decide when to apply for a French visa in the UK. The earliest time you can lodge your French visa application in the UK is six months before your planned trip, while the latest time is at least 15 working days before you intend to travel from the UK to France.
Collect the mandatory French visa documents for UK Residents.
Appoint an interview at the French visa application centre in the UK. You may make a French visa appointment online, by phone, or in person. Below in this article, you can find more information on how to make a French visa appointment.
Attend the interview on the day of your appointment. Show up on time and try not to be nervous. Remember that the interview is a crucial part of your visa application.
Pay the French visa fee.
Wait for the processing of your French visa.

Booking a French visa appointment in London

To apply for a French visa in the UK, you must book an appointment with the French Consulate General in London.

This can be done in different ways:

By booking an appointment at the French Consulate General in London. This type of appointment is known as a direct appointment. Direct appointment bookings are free of charge, and you should do it in person. You can book a direct appointment only on Wednesday mornings. Processing delays still apply. Please, be aware that there is a longer appointment waiting time for the French Consulate General in London.
Through TLScontact’s in London, Edinburgh and Manchester, by phone or by filling an online application form.

You can book a French visa appointment at the Consulate General of France in London if you are a UK resident living in:

Jersey
England
Wales
Northern Ireland
The Falkland Islands.
Guernsey
Gibraltar

Schengen visa types for short-term visits in France

You need to apply for a French Schengen visa if you intend to travel from the UK to France for the following reasons:

Business purposes.
Visiting friends and family.
Tourism and holidays.
Cultural and sports events.
Airport transit and transit for seafarers.
Official visit.
Medical reasons.
Short-term study purposes.

Depending on your reasons for visiting France and the frequency of your visits, the French consulate in the UK can issue you a single-entry visa, double-entry visa, or multiple-entry visa.

France visa application processing time in the UK

You can apply for a French visa 6 months before your planned trip. However, since the processing takes a minimum of 15 days from the day of your application, you should submit your application at least 15 days before you plan on leaving the UK.