Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Visiting Family/Friends Verified 2026-06-09France Visit Visa (Family & Friends — Schengen Type C)
Schengen short-stay visa for Indian citizens visiting family or friends living in France — up to 90 days. Apply online via France-Visas, biometrics at VFS.
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the France visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Processing
15 calendar days standard (can extend to 30–45 days where additional scrutiny or consular consultation is required)
Stay Duration
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Starting Fee
≈ ₹8,300
Apply At
11 VFS centres
Where do you stand?
Tell us your situation
Pick what fits — no long forms, just a quick WhatsApp or a call.
Why files get refused
Most France visit visa refusals come down to a few fixable things
Refusals are common now, and the government fee is non-refundable. The good news: almost every reason below is something we can strengthen before you submit.
Insufficient or unexplained funds — bank balance does not match the declared trip cost
Weak ties to India — no clear evidence of return intent (job, business, property, family)
Travel medical insurance below €30,000, not Schengen-wide, or not covering the full trip
France marked as main destination but more nights booked in another Schengen country (wrong consulate)
Inconsistent or unrealistic itinerary vs accommodation and flight bookings
Incomplete France-Visas form, missing signed receipt, or missing supporting documents
What we actually do
We build a stronger file — you don't guess
Check your profile before filing
We tell you honestly if the case is ready — before you spend the government fee.
Review funds & ITR alignment
Bank statement, income and tax records presented the way officers expect.
Structure purpose & cover letter
A clear travel story that answers the officer's real questions.
Show strong ties to India
Job, business, property and family framed as genuine reasons to return.
Sponsor & invitation papers
If family is inviting you, we line their documents up with your profile — a common silent refusal trigger.
Guide the full submission
Online portal or VFS appointment, biometrics and passport steps — supported until the decision.
Refused before?
We rebuild refused France cases the right way.
Reapplying with the same file usually earns the same answer. We find the real reason first, then rebuild — no guarantees, just a properly prepared reapplication.
Before you reapply, we check:
- What your refusal letter actually says — and what it doesn't.
- Whether the officer's GCMS notes are worth pulling for the real reason.
- Which documents were weak: funds, employment, purpose, or ties.
- Whether reapplying now — or strengthening first — is the smarter move.
Same flat fee whether it's your first application or a reapplication. Read the refusal guide
Your whole France Visit Visa (Family & Friends),
handled for one honest price.
A strong France file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.
All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges
File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents
4.9★ · 90+ reviews · reply in 5 min
Everything below — included, nothing extra
- Document checklist
- Application form guidance
- Document review
- Cover letter
- Purpose of travel structure
- Financial proof review
- Sponsor document guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Post-submission guidance
Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee. Read the full guide
Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.
Your fee, justified
₹14,999 fee — what exactly is included?
Our professional fee isn't just form-filling. It covers complete France visitor visa preparation, document & refusal-risk review, financial-proof structuring, submission support and post-filing guidance. Tap any item to see what's inside.
Before we prepare your France visitor visa file, we understand your complete profile — every applicant is different, so no two files are built the same way.
- Purpose of travel
- Employment or business background
- Monthly income & savings
- Funds available for the trip
- Family ties in India
- Property / assets, if any
- Previous travel history
- Relatives, friends or a sponsor in France, if any
- Previous visa refusals, if any
- Planned trip duration
- Who is paying for the trip
- Whether the trip is realistic for your profile
A visitor visa isn't approved just because documents are attached — the purpose, funds, travel plan and return ties all have to support each other.
We don't hand everyone the same checklist. After understanding your profile, we build one for your exact case type:
- Salaried
- Business owner
- Self-employed
- Farmer / agriculture income
- Student or minor
- Retired parent
- Housewife / dependent
- Family visit
- Tourist visit
- Business visitor
- Previous refusal
- Sponsor-supported
- First-time traveller
This avoids missing key documents — and avoids piling on documents that aren't explained properly.
We review your documents before preparing and submitting, checking they're complete, readable, consistent and well-arranged:
- Passport & photographs
- Bank statements
- Salary slips
- ITR / Form 16
- Employment & leave-approval letters
- Business / GST / registration proof
- Income proof
- Property documents, if any
- Family & marriage documents, if applicable
- Invitation & sponsor documents, if applicable
- Previous refusal letter, if any
- Travel history, itinerary & stay proof
Funds are one of the most common refusal triggers. A high balance alone isn't enough if the money doesn't look genuine, stable, and tied to your income. We check:
- Whether the balance is reasonable for the trip
- Average balance vs trip cost
- Sudden large deposits that need explaining
- Salary / business income vs bank statement
- ITR vs income profile
- Whether you can afford the trip without leaning entirely on a sponsor
- Whether sponsor support is properly explained
- Whether funds look genuine and traceable
We help structure the financial side professionally so it reads as genuine, not borrowed for the application.
We help present a clear, realistic purpose — tourism, a holiday, a family/relative visit, an event, a business meeting, or parents visiting children — and make sure it lines up with your dates, funds, itinerary and documents.
A weak or vague purpose makes a file look doubtful. We keep it clear, simple and professional.
We prepare or structure the main explanation letter — a professional summary that makes your case easy for the officer to understand. It covers:
- Who you are and why you want to visit
- How long you'll stay and where
- Who is paying for the trip
- What you do in India
- Which financial documents are attached
- Your family ties in India
- Why you'll return after the visit
- If previously refused — what has changed since
This is not a guarantee letter — it's a clear, professional explanation of your case.
The officer must be satisfied you'll leave France after your authorized stay. We identify and present your reasons to return:
- Job continuity or business ownership
- Regular income source
- Spouse / children / parents in India
- Dependents and family responsibilities
- Property or assets in India
- Education or business commitments
- Previous travel compliance, if any
If someone in France is inviting you, we guide the sponsor-side documents:
- Invitation letter
- Sponsor status proof (passport / PR / citizenship)
- Sponsor employment & income proof
- Sponsor bank statement, if needed
- Relationship & communication proof
- Who bears expenses & stay arrangement
A sponsor supports the case but never guarantees approval — your own purpose, funds and ties must still be strong. We also flag if a file is leaning too heavily on the sponsor.
We guide or assist with the application form and details (online portal or the VFS/embassy form, depending on France), and check consistency between the form and your documents:
- Personal, passport & travel-history details
- Employment & education history
- Family information
- Purpose of visit & funding details
- Sponsor information, if applicable
- Previous-refusal declarations
- Background questions
- Correct document categories
Wrong, incomplete or inconsistent information can hurt this application — and future ones too.
How a file is lodged depends on the country — some are fully online, while others (most Schengen states) need you to complete the form first, then book a VFS appointment and submit a physical file in person. We guide the exact France process:
- Completing the application form first, where required, to unlock the appointment
- Booking the VFS / embassy appointment
- Arranging documents in the right order — for upload or the VFS counter
- Guiding the visa-fee payment
- Final review before submission or your VFS visit
- What to carry to the appointment (originals, photos, forms)
- Submitting / lodging and saving the confirmation
- What happens after submission
After submission, if biometrics are required, we guide you through:
- Biometrics Instruction Letter
- VFS appointment booking
- Documents to carry
- What to expect at the VFS centre
- How biometrics update in your application
- What to do once biometrics are done
Biometrics fee is separate, paid to the authority / VFS as applicable.
Our support doesn't stop at submission. We stay connected and guide you on:
- How to check application updates
- What official messages mean
- What to do if more documents are requested
- What to do after a Passport Request
- VFS passport submission & courier return
- Decision-update explanation
- Next steps after approval
- Basic guidance if refused
What's not included (paid direct, at actual cost)
- Government / embassy visa fee
- Biometrics fee
- VFS service charges
- VFS courier & SMS charges
- VFS premium-lounge charges
- Travel insurance
- Flight tickets
- Hotel bookings
- Translation charges
- Notary / attestation
- Medical exam, if ever required
- Any other third-party charges
No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision is always the visa officer's. Our role is to prepare, review, structure and present your file professionally from the documents and profile you provide.
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every France visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1France is ONLINE-FIRST: complete the application on france-visas.gouv.fr first, then book the VFS appointment, then submit in person for biometrics.
- 2Passport must be issued within the last 10 years, valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area, and have at least 2 blank pages.
- 3Handwritten passports are not accepted.
- 4Applications can be submitted at the earliest 6 months before the intended date of travel.
- 5Travel medical insurance is MANDATORY — minimum €30,000 coverage, valid across all Schengen states, covering the entire trip (including medical repatriation).
- 6Biometrics (fingerprints + digital photo) are captured in person at VFS and are valid for 59 months — if captured within that window for a previous Schengen visa, you may be exempt from giving them again.
- 7First-time applicants and children under 12 (no fingerprints) must still attend in person; under-12s do not provide fingerprints.
Who Can Apply
- Indian citizens visiting family members legally residing in France
- Indian citizens visiting friends legally residing in France
- Parents / relatives visiting an Indian student or worker legally in France
- Applicants with a host able to provide an invitation and proof of legal residence
Not eligible under this visa:
- Anyone intending to work in France — apply for a National (Type D) visa / work permit (not offered by SureshotVisa)
- Stays over 90 days or settlement / family reunification — apply for a National (Type D) long-stay visa
- Pure tourism with no host — apply for the Tourist Visa instead
- Business meetings — apply for the Business Visa instead
Previously refused?
Same feeWe rebuild refused France cases the right way.
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to France / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Schengen Short-Stay Visa fee — Adult | ≈ ₹8,300 |
| Schengen Short-Stay Visa fee — Child 6 to 12 years | ≈ ₹4,150 |
| Schengen Short-Stay Visa fee — Child under 6 years | FREE |
| VFS Global service charge | ≈ ₹2,100 |
The visa fee in INR is set by the French Consulate exchange rate and changes periodically — always confirm the live amount on france-visas.gouv.fr and the VFS Global France India page before paying. The visa fee and VFS service charge are payable per applicant. Visa fee, service charge and any value-added service fees are NON-REFUNDABLE regardless of the visa decision. Optional value-added services (courier, SMS, premium lounge, prime-time collection) do not affect the decision or turnaround time.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Core Documents
5 items- France-Visas online application form (printed + signed)Required
Completed on france-visas.gouv.fr; print and sign the form and the France-Visas receipt.
- Valid passportRequired
Issued within last 10 years, valid 3 months beyond return, 2 blank pages, not handwritten.
- Copy of passport bio-data and address pagesRequired
- Two recent biometric passport photosRequired
35×45mm, white background, ≤6 months old, Schengen specification.
- Travel medical insuranceRequired
Minimum €30,000, Schengen-wide, covering the entire trip.
Host / Invitation Documentation
4 items- Invitation letter from the host in FranceRequired
Must include the host's full address, contact details, and the exact dates of your intended stay.
- Proof of the host's legal residence in FranceRequired
Copy of the host's French ID card / residence permit (titre de séjour) / passport, or a formal 'attestation d'accueil' (certified accommodation attestation) where required.
- Proof of relationship to the hostRequired
Marriage certificate, birth certificate, or other documents linking you to the family member; for friends, supporting evidence of the connection.
- Host's proof of accommodation / address
Utility bill, rental agreement or property document in the host's name.
Travel & Stay
2 items- Proof of intended means of transport (return flight reservation) and itineraryRequired
- Proof of accommodationRequired
Staying with the host counts as accommodation — supported by the invitation + attestation d'accueil; otherwise hotel bookings.
Financial Means
4 items- Original personal bank statement of the last 3 months (stamped by bank)Required
- ITR / Form 16 for the last 2 yearsRequired
- If the host sponsors the trip: host's sponsorship undertaking + host's income/bank proof
- If employed: salary slips + leave-sanction letter; if self-employed: company registration + GST + ITR; if retired: pension proof
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
5 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Confirm purpose with Visa Wizard
Use the France-Visas Visa Wizard to confirm the family/friends visit category and your personalised checklist.
- 02
Get the host's invitation + residence proof
Obtain the invitation letter (host address, contact, stay dates) plus proof of the host's legal residence in France (and attestation d'accueil where required).
- 03
Complete the online application
Fill the France-Visas application online; print and sign the form and the receipt.
- 04
Book the VFS appointment
Book biometrics at your jurisdiction's VFS Global France VAC at visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/fra.
- 05
Submit at VFS
Attend in person — biometrics, file submission, pay the €90 fee + VFS service charge. Processing is 15 calendar days standard.
What works
5 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Use the France-Visas 'Visa Wizard' first — it confirms your exact visa type and generates the personalised document checklist for your purpose.
- Do NOT buy flight tickets before the visa is granted — submit confirmed reservations only.
- Carry the ORIGINAL bank statement of the last 3 months, stamped and signed by the bank, plus ITR/Form 16 for the last 2 years.
- Keep your France-Visas receipt (with barcode) printed — VFS will not accept the file without it.
What kills cases
Top 3 refusal triggers we see.
- 1Insufficient or unexplained funds — bank balance does not match the declared trip cost
- 2Weak ties to India — no clear evidence of return intent (job, business, property, family)
- 3Travel medical insurance below €30,000, not Schengen-wide, or not covering the full trip
Download official forms
Official forms are hosted by VFS Global — we don't host third-party forms ourselves, so you always get the latest version.
How to download from VFS:
- Click the form name below — opens the official VFS Global page for France
- Select the visa category you're applying for (e.g. Tourist, Business, Student)
- Scroll down to the "Download Form" section at the bottom
- Click the PDF icon next to the form name → saves to your device
France-Visas online application form (Schengen Type C)
Create an account, complete the online application, then print and sign the generated form + the France-Visas receipt. There is no separate downloadable paper form — the form is generated online.
France-Visas Visa Wizard (eligibility + document list)
Answer the wizard questions to get the exact visa type and the personalised document checklist for your purpose of travel.
VFS Global France (India) appointment booking
After completing France-Visas online, book the biometrics appointment at your jurisdiction's VFS France VAC.
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for France Visit Visa (Family & Friends — Schengen Type C) is a free 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Free · No obligation · Reply in minutesFrequently asked
Questions, answered straight
Your host must give an invitation letter with their full address, contact details and your exact stay dates, plus proof of their legal residence in France (French ID / residence permit / passport). In many cases a certified 'attestation d'accueil' (accommodation attestation) obtained from the local town hall is required.
Yes — if the host sponsors your trip, include their formal undertaking along with their income/bank proof. You should still carry your own bank statement to strengthen the application.
No. The Visit Visa (Type C) is only for short stays up to 90 days. Joining family permanently (family reunification) requires a National (Type D) long-stay visa, decided by the French immigration authorities.
It is an official accommodation certificate your French host obtains from their local town hall (mairie), confirming they will host you. Where the consulate requires it, it serves as the formal proof of accommodation and the host's legal residence.
Still have a question about your case? Ask us directly — we usually reply in 5 minutes.
Before you apply
Two ways to file your France visa.
One quietly burns your fee, your trip and your record. The other gets it right the first time.
Do it yourself
The risky route
- You guess which papers France actually wants — one missing or wrongly-framed document triggers a refusal.
- You copy a cover letter off YouTube or Google — often the exact template embassies already flag as weak.
- You apply during a known peak-rejection window without realising it.
- Embassy & VFS fees are non-refundable — refused means your money, flights and leave are gone.
- One refusal stamp follows you for life — every future visa, anywhere, must declare it.
The gamble
One mistake = fee, flights & record gone
With SureshotVisa
Professionally guided
- A licensed consultant checks your case honestly before you spend a rupee on embassy fees.
- We build your France file the way the embassy approves — documents, cover letter, financials.
- We catch the weak-ties, funding and intent issues behind most Indian refusals — and fix them first.
- We've rescued hundreds of files that were already refused once and got them approved.
- Govt of Punjab licensed (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024) · 1200+ approvals.
Typical result
1200+ approvals · refused files rescued
Why DIY goes wrong
How a self-filed application turns into a refusal.
- 1
You feel ready
A few YouTube videos make the process look simple.
- 2
You file it yourself
You submit a sensitive France visa file on your own.
- 3
One detail misreads
A small framing slip looks like weak ties or unclear intent.
- 4
Refusal
Now every future visa, anywhere, must declare it.
Once you've been refused, you learn the hard way how much the small details mattered. We'd rather you never collect that first stamp.
Trusted by families
We've helped many families get their France visa — the easy way.
From first-time France visa applicants to cases that were refused elsewhere, our licensed team has guided families through France's exact requirements — so the file is approved the first time, without the stress, guesswork or risk of a refusal.
Other France Visa Types
France Tourist Visa (Schengen Type C — Short Stay)
Schengen short-stay visa for Indian citizens travelling to France for tourism, sightseeing and leisure — up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Apply online via France-Visas, biometrics at VFS.
View guideFrance Business Visa (Schengen Type C)
Schengen short-stay business visa for Indian professionals attending meetings, negotiations, conferences or contracts in France — up to 90 days. Apply online via France-Visas, biometrics at VFS.
View guideFrance Student Visa (National Type D — Long Stay)
National (Type D) long-stay visa for Indian students enrolled in a French institution for a course longer than 90 days — decided by the French immigration authorities.
View guideFrance Work Visa / Permit (National Type D — Information Only)
Information only — France work visas / permits are National (Type D) long-stay categories. SureshotVisa does NOT process or provide France work visas or work permits.
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global France website and Embassy of France. Last verified 2026-06-09. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
Ready?
Want us to check your France visa case?
Share your travel purpose, employment/business profile, funds, and any previous refusal letter. We'll tell you honestly where your file stands.