Do you need a visa? > Foreign visa

Does a foreigner need a visa to come to France?

It all depends on your nationality and the length of your stay.

You can check if you need a visa by using the Visa Assistant service: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas/ai-je-besoin-d-un-visa

This website provides information on how to navigate through each step of your visa application process: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas/visa-application-guidelines

► Your situation

You are replying to invitations and requests from your partners in France. You want to attend or participate in seminars or conferences related to your professional activity.

► Your visa

You will be issued a short-stay visa valid for the Schengen area or a French non-European territory depending on your destination. It will allow you to stay in France for the duration of your visit, which must not exceed 90 days.

► Your supporting documentation

To obtain your visa, you must demonstrate or prove the link between your professional activity and the purpose of your trip, ang present the required supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation.

Examples of supporting documents:

• The request letter, or the invitation from your correspondent in France accurately describing the activity, the purpose, the duration and the location of the meeting, seminar or conference;
• Confirmation or admission cards to seminar or conference;
• Confirmation and address of hotel reservation.

► Your arrival in France 

Whether or not you need a visa, entry into the Schengen area of third-country nationals must comply with a certain number of conditions, as provided for by the European and national regulations in force.

Documents to be presented on arrival in France

The following supporting documents must be presented at the request of the Border Police upon your arrival in France:

• A valid passport issued less than 10 years before and valid for at least 3 months after the envisaged departure date;
• A valid visa, if required;
• Proof of accommodation covering the whole duration of the stay (hotel reservation and/or certificate of staying with a relative validated in the town hall);
• Sufficient financial means. The means of subsistence shall be assessed according to the duration and purpose of the stay and by reference to the average prices for accommodation and food in the Member States;
• Your return ticket or the financial means to acquire one at the envisaged return date;
• Any document providing details on the profession or the capacity of the traveller as well as on the establishments or organization located in France which are expecting you, if you are on a professional trip.