South Africans wanting to go to France
Due to technical reasons or busy circumstances, the Visa Section could be
closed without prior notice, either forced to limit the number of applications
daily accepted.
Diplomatic and Official Passport's owners :
South Africans wanting to go to France :
General Schengen Visa requirements
for France (before applying,
please make sure you fulfill all the following requirements) :
LAST UPDATE- DECEMBER 2007
1 - Who needs a visa and to which country can one
travel?
South African citizens and certain
foreigners resident in R.S.A. require a visa to enter the Schengen territory,
i.e. Austria, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. This visa grants in general free
mobility within the Schengen Territory for visitor’s/ business/ tourist stays
of maximum of 90 days per 180 days of the year.
2 - Where do you apply?
You are not free to choose at which mission of a Schengen country to apply.
You have to apply at the mission of the country where your longest stay will be or if is difficult to
determine(e.g. cruises, bus tours)
you must apply from the mission of the first point of entry.
Sufficient proof has to be submitted about the
complete stay in the Schengen Territory.
3 - Categories of visas (depending on length
and purpose of stay):
Transit visa (1-5 days, single
or double entry): is issued to travel from a non-Schengen
state to another non-Schengen
state or across Schengen state territory.
Short stay visa (“Schengen”) visa (1-90 days, one or multiple entry)
Long stay visa: Visas for visits
exceeding 90 days are national visas, and are issued by member states in accordance with
national legislation.
Airport transit visas: required by the nationals of certain countries. (Not for R.S.A. citizens).
4 - Documentation to be submitted: See
footnotes
- Clearly
and completely filled in and signed Common Schengen Application Form, (available
from consular websites, or consular offices.)[i].
- Passport, which must be valid for a period of at least 3 months beyond the
applicant’s last day of stay in the Schengen states. Please ensure
that the passport has 2 blank pages to affix visa. Temporary R.S.A. passports
are no longer accepted by most of the Schengen countries : prior inquiry
is very much advisable.
3.
Two recent passport sized photographs
in colour.[ii]
- The
visa
of the final country of destination (if needed) must be obtained
before applying for a Schengen visa.
5-10 To be submitted in original + extra copy
- Round
trip air-ticket
and itinerary
with dates and flight numbers specifying entry and exit from Schengen
state. Some Schengen authorities accept the itinerary when applying for
the visa but request the original air-ticket when visa is collected
(please check).
- Proof
of sufficient funds for duration of stay, e.g.: (min. amount required is
different in each country – please check with the appropriate consular
authority)
- Tax receipt of foreign exchange purchased bearing applicant’s name.
- Traveler’s cheques.
- For credit cards, recent credit card
statement.
Cash will not be accepted as proof of foreign exchange.
- Travel/health/accident
insurance with minimum medical coverage of the Rand
equivalent of Euro 30.000,00. Applicants must present insurance policy
that states policy number, name of insured person, validity and schedule
benefits. The insurance must cover medical attention, emergency hospital
treatment and repatriation for medical reasons ‘on the spot’. ( Please
allow few extra days in order for the Embassy to be more flexible with the
period if the visa)
- Accommodation: confirmed hotel
reservation is requested (hotel vouchers are not necessarily proof of
confirmed hotel booking). If applicant is staying with a relative or
friend, the pertinent authorities may request invitation letter from the
host with copy of passport or ID. Document that has been stamped by the
pertinent authorities may be requested.[iii]
In case of a pre-paid tour please provide us details of the tour with a
proof of payment to the tour operator.
- For business:
an official business letter from a company in a Schengen state as well as
from the employer stating purpose of visit must be presented. For
conferences: proof of registration and payment.
- Certified parental consent, by both parents for children under 18 traveling alone. If the child
travels with only one parent, the other parent must produce the
notarized/certified consent. If only one parent has guardianship of the
minor, the court documents stating this so must be presented. Certain
consular authorities require that both parents sign in the presence of a
consular official.[iv]
The Schengen
State’s Consular offices reserve the right to request further documentation
should it be deemed necessary, such as:
a) Proof of employment: (e.g. letter from company stating continuing employment after period of
leave and duration of vacation etc)
b) If applicant is a student:
letter from school/college/university confirming
attendance.
c) Bank and credit
card statements for last 3 months.
d) A personal interview with the applicant
maybe requested at any time
5 - Procedural
Advices and Legal Notice:
- There is no guarantee that a visa will
be issued and no rights can be derived from the information obtained
in the general Schengen visa requirements
- Visa applications will be rejected if
application forms are not fully
completed and signed and are not accompanied by the
required documents.[v]
- Procedure: It is the responsibility of the applicant to take note of
the visa application requirements and to apply in time,
before making travel arrangements.
- Entry
into the Schengen territory: The possession of a visa is only one of the prerequisites for entry
into the territory of the Schengen state. Should the Schengen State’s
border authority refuse entry, no claim to reimbursement of the visa can be
submitted. The border
police at your Schengen destination may request the presentation of sufficient
funds, a letter of invitation, hotel reservation and proof of medical
insurance. Failure to present said funds/documents may result in entry being
refused.
- For
organized groups arrangements should
be made well
in advance with the relevant
issuing authority.
- **
F ees and requirements are subject to change without prior notice
6 - Fees and Exemption Policy
All types of visa
(transit and short stay) 60 Euro,
payable in Rand according to exchange rate
National Long
stay visas: Contact the
issuing authority
Visas will be issued free of charge for:
·
Children under age 6
·
School pupils, students, post graduate students and accompanying teachers
who undertake trips for the purpose of study or educational
training
·
Researchers from third countries travelling within the
Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research
· Spouses of EU/EEA citizens (EEA: Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) and their children, under the age 21. Copies of spouses’ EU/EEA passport, Full Marriage/Full Birth certificates etc. must be submitted with application as proof of relationship with EU/EEA spouse/parent.
Visa processing fees are not reimbursable by most Schengen
countries if a visa is rejected.