FRANCE

Foreign nationals who wish to travel to France must be in possession of a visa, unless they are nationals from countries which are not included in the list of countries with the obligation to carry a visa in order to cross external borders for stays in the Schengen Area of no more than three months (90 days) in a period of six months (180 days) from the date of entry into the Schengen Area.

Schengen States

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherland, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, Switzerland.

Schengen Common Visa rule

• If you intend to visit only one Schengen country and if it is France, you must apply for a visa at French Consulate General, Lagos
• If you intend to visit several Schengen countries and your duration of stay remains longest in one particular country, you are requested to apply for visa at Embassy or Consulate of that particular Schengen country where you will stay for longer period.
• If you intend to visit several Schengen countries and duration of stay in those countries are same, you are requested to apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate to the first country you enter.

Note: Long term and short term visa category applications are accepted at Lagos VFS Global centre.

France Visa Categories

Short Stay

• Tourist
• Family /Friend Visit.
• Business
• A- Airport Transit
• French Overseas Territories

Long Stay

• Studies
• Family Stay / Private stay.
• Employment
• Marriage
• Re- entry
• Medical reasons

Please note that a minimum passport validity of 2 years is required as at date of submission for all Long stay application.

Please note: Application can only be submitted up to 10 weeks prior to date of travel.

Kindly ensure the use of the most updated or the latest web browser while accessing the website or while filling the online form for France

Click here to download Long stay visa application form and print from our website.

Click here to download compulsory OFII form and print from our website.

Kindly download mandatory questionnaire for every application.

Required documents for all visa categories To ensure your application is processed without any delay please include the following:

• Complete and Signed visa application Form

All questions on the Visa application form must be correctly filled (where applicable); **No field must be left unfilled

• Three Clear copies of your current passport data page
• Supporting documentation as per the relevant checklist
• Receipt of Visa Application Fee and VFS Global service charges as applicable (To be collected at the bank implant in the visa application centre)

Applicants below the age of 18 years must provide the following documents:

• a copy of birth certificate;
• A consent letter from Parents
• Passport copy of the parent issuing letter of consent is to be provided, otherwise National identity card

Passport Requirements

In accordance with the European rule, please ensure that your passport must conform with the following conditions:

*Passport validity must have minimum of 6 months or more from the intended date of arrival in the Schengen territories and would require the minimum of 3 consecutive empty pages of a leaf in your passport.

*Passport Issued date must not be up to10 years at the time of submission

Applicants are requested to read the requisite documents carefully that needs to be submitted together with your visa application. Please make sure that you have all the documents indicated in the list, since decision could be delayed and deferred if one or several documents are missing.

Visa Application Processing Time

Please be informed that due to the Schengen Consultation process, the visa processing time is a minimum of 15 working days which begins after an applicant had taken biometrics at VFS Global.

Please note that VFS Global work is primarily administrative in nature; we have no say on whether you will be granted a visa, as this is entirely the prerogative of the French Consulate.

The collection timing is 010.00 - 16.00 (Monday-Friday except holidays).

Applicants’ need to bring their receipt that was issued to them at the time of submission of visa application

Please Note: that all Applicants have to come in person for collection of documents/passports. It is not possible for a third party to collect the documents on behalf of an applicant, except in the following cases:

• A parent collecting for a dependent child
• One member of a family group collecting the passports for the whole family, if applied together
• Federal Government Ministry representatives
• Approved Corporate company representative, approved by the Consulate and the company’s authorized signatories with a letter of permission and a photograph.

For collecting a passport on behalf, a prescribed authority letter (As Given) to be produced at VFS Global France Visa Application Centre. The print can be taken of this letter after being downloaded, fill and bring to VFS Global for endorsement.

Please be informed, VFS Global can refuse to handover the passport to a representative if the authority letter is not produced as per the prescribed format.

HOW TO APPLY

VISA APPLYING PROCESS

• Photo specifications – Must read document...
• To avoid any disappointment, applicants are advised to submit their complete files at least three (3) working weeks before the intended date of departure. Please note you can submit your visa application up to 10 weeks prior to your date of travel. Applicants are advised to submit the most current three (3) months bank statement updated at least 15 days before application

Applicants are requested to read the following steps carefully before submitting their application at the France visa application center, Lagos.

Step 1 :

Applicants are required to submit their applications personally at the VFS France Visa Application centres.

Step 2 :

Make a clear copy of all the original documents, Make a clear colour portrait copies of last two US, UK, Canada, Japan , any Schengen visa and two clear colour portrait copies of passport data page.

Step 3 :

Ensure you use the most updated or the latest web browser while accessing the website or while filling the online form.

Complete the visa application form in capital letters and ensure that all fields are properly filled. You are advised to use the prescribed application form and all visa applicants will personally sign their duly completed form at the counter on the day of submission at the VFS Centre. Click here to fill application form online and print from our website.

Please note: It is mandatory to submit a fully completed questionnaire with every application.

Step 4 :

Pay your visa application fee and service fee at the implant Bank teller counter at the Visa Application Centre.

Step 5 :

Along with your application form and documents mentioned on this site you can come to our application centre between 08:00 to 14:00 (Monday - Friday, except the holidays observed by the France Consulate General and Federal Government of Nigeria)

Applicants below the age of 18 years must provide the following documents:

• a copy of birth certificate;
• A consent letter from Parents
• Passport copy of the parent issuing letter of consent is to be provided, otherwise National identity card

Visa application for European spouses:

Applicable to Lagos applicants: With effect from 11 November 2014, all European spouses desiring to apply for France, Netherlands and Lithuania visa for the purpose of short term visit will submit their application at the VFS Application Centre and must include these documents amongst others;

• Copy of spouse passport data page.
• Copy of marriage certificate duly legalized by their country.

Please Note: that all Applicants have to come in person for collection of documents/passports. It is not possible for a third party to collect the documents on behalf of an applicant, except in the following cases:

• A parent collecting for a dependent child
• One member of a family group collecting the passports for the whole family, if applied together
• Federal Government Ministry representatives
• Approved Corporate company representative, approved by the Consulate and the company’s authorized signatories with a letter of permission and a photograph.

If you want a representative to collect your passport on your behalf, please request for an authority letter at the submission counter while submitting your document or you can download one and bring it to VFS center for endorsement during submission only.

Note:-Only Authority letter endorsed and issued at the VFS center will be entertained to give the passport to a representative

Please be informed, VFS can refuse to handover the passport to a representative if the authority letter is not produced as per the prescribed format.

Step 6 :

After applying at VFS center, Applicants need to enroll their biometrics at VFS. A receipt will be issued for the biometrics.

After Submission

After submission of documents at the Visa Application center, you can also check the status of your application online by simply providing the unique VAC Reference Number and your Date of Birth. VAC reference number can be found on the Invoice-Cum-Receipt provided by Submission Officer at the Visa Application center at the time of submission.

To track your application online. Please click here.

Please note that the time for passport collection is from 10.00 to 16.00 from Monday to Friday, except weekends and holidays.

During the passport collection at the Visa Application center it is required to provide the following:

• Original payment receipt that was provided during documents submission.
• Original proof of identity
• For minors: birth certificate

If you have ordered a courier delivery and receive the passport outside of the Visa Application center, please be ready to provide the following documents:

1. Original Payment receipt.
2. Document confirming your identity
3. Air Way Bill Copy