France Visa from the UK: 2026 Guide to Applying
Last checked: 25 October 2026
British citizens do not need a visa for France for stays of up to 90 days in any 180 day period. Holders of other passports who live in the UK check with the French Embassy and, if a visa is needed, apply for a France Schengen visa. Apply on the official France-Visas website, then lodge the application at a TLScontact centre in London, Manchester or Edinburgh, up to 180 days before travel and at least 15 days before it.
Who needs a France visa in the UK
GOV.UK says British citizens do not need a visa for France for up to 90 days in any 180 day period, and refers holders of other passports to the French Embassy in the UK. If you do need a short stay Schengen visa, you apply from the country where you legally live, so UK residents apply in the UK.
A Schengen short stay visa covers visits of up to 90 days in any 180 day period. The type you are issued depends on your plans:
- A single entry visa allows one entry into the Schengen area.
- A multiple entry visa allows several visits while it is valid.
- An airport transit visa only covers the international transit area of an airport.
If France is not your only destination, apply at the consulate of the country where you will spend the longest time, the main destination. If the stays are equal, apply to the country you will enter first. Our Schengen visa guide covers the wider rules and the Schengen calculator helps you count days.
Applying on France-Visas
France-Visas is the official French visa website: you check whether you need a visa with its Visa wizard, complete the application online and then submit it at your visa centre. The wizard also tells you which documents to include and the fee that applies.
The order of work is:
- Run the Visa wizard on France-Visas to confirm the visa type you need.
- Complete the application form online and note the documents and fee the site lists for your case.
- Book an appointment at a visa centre, then attend in person to lodge the application and give fingerprints.
- Track progress on France-Visas, which tells you when your passport is ready and how to collect it.
One exception: only short stay applicants who are the spouse of a French national or a family member of a European national can apply directly at the Consulate General in London instead of through TLScontact. Everyone else lodges through the centre.
Visa centres in the UK
France-Visas says TLScontact receives applications at three visa application centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, and UK residents can apply at any of them because there is no consular area. Pick the centre that suits your travel, not your postcode.
Because there is no consular area in the UK, you are not tied to the nearest city. Check appointment availability at all three before booking, since waiting times vary with the time of year. You need an appointment before you can lodge the application, so book it as soon as your travel dates are fixed. Bring the passport, the completed form, the photo and the supporting documents listed for your case, and expect fingerprints to be taken unless you are exempt.
Fees and service charges
TLScontact London lists the French short stay Schengen visa fee as EUR 90 (GBP 77.99) for adults and EUR 45 (GBP 38.99) for children aged 6 to 12. The fee is set in euros but payable only in pounds, at a rate set by the French consulate.
On top of the visa fee, TLScontact charges its own service fee per appointment. That fee is also set in euros and is collected in pounds by card when you book on the TLScontact site. American Express is not accepted, so use another card. Some categories of applicant can have the visa fee waived, and the France-Visas wizard shows the fee that applies to your case before you pay anything. Budget for both amounts, since the service fee is separate from the EUR 90.
Documents for a France visa
A France Schengen visa application needs a passport valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, a completed application form, an ICAO standard photo, travel medical insurance and supporting documents on the purpose of the trip, your money, your accommodation and your return home.
The insurance must cover emergency medical care, hospital treatment and repatriation, including in case of death, be valid in all Schengen countries for the whole stay, and have minimum cover of EUR 30,000. Fingerprints are taken when you apply, with some exemptions, and a consulate may ask for more documents. The France-Visas wizard lists the exact documents for your situation, so build your folder from that list rather than a generic checklist.
Processing time
France-Visas advises applying up to 180 days before your planned travel dates and allowing at least 20 working days for processing. Submit no earlier than 6 months before the trip and at least 15 days before it.
A decision is normally made within 15 days. This can be extended to up to 45 days when the application needs a closer look or more documents. The French Embassy in the UK says appointment and processing waiting times vary with the time of year, so a summer or holiday season application needs more slack than a quiet month. Book the appointment early, keep the 15 day minimum in mind as a hard floor, and do not buy non refundable travel before the passport comes back.
The 90/180 rule in France and the rest of Schengen
The 90/180 rule is a moving window: on each day of a stay, count back 180 days, and the days spent in the Schengen area in that window must not exceed 90. The day of entry and the day of exit both count, and all Schengen countries share one allowance.
The Schengen area has 29 member countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025. Cyprus and Ireland are EU countries that are not in the Schengen area.
Days spent in the UK do not count towards the 90 days, and time under a residence permit or long stay visa from a Schengen country is not counted either. After 90 days in a row outside the Schengen area, a new stay of up to 90 days is possible.
Two systems sit alongside the visa rules:
- The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) records non EU nationals on a short stay at the external Schengen border: passport details, fingerprints, a facial image and the date and place of each entry and exit. It started on 12 October 2025, has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, and replaces passport stamping. Registration is free, there is nothing to apply for in advance, children under 12 do not give fingerprints, and holders of a long stay visa or residence permit from an EES country are not registered. See our EES page.
- ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation for visa free visitors only. People who need a Schengen visa do not apply for ETIAS. It is not yet operating and is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a fee of EUR 20.
Data in France
Slashtel's Europe+ eSIM works in all 29 Schengen countries, plus the UK and Turkey, so data keeps working when you cross a border. It is data only: no local phone number and no calls or SMS, though WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data.
Keep the home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges. The eSIM is bought online with an email address and a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and the QR code arrives by email within minutes. Someone else can buy it and enter the traveller's email, so the code goes straight to the person who will use it. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects at the destination, so it can be installed at home before the flight. The network is chosen automatically, more data can be added later with no new QR code, and the phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible. See Europe eSIM, the data calculator and our notes on calls, texts and OTPs with a data eSIM. Slashtel also sells mobile top ups to more than 100 countries, delivered in minutes, which keep a prepaid home line active.
Sources
Checked 25 October 2026. Rules and dates can change, so check the official pages before you rely on them.
- https://uk.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/applying-for-a-visa
- https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/royaume-uni
- https://visas-fr.tlscontact.com/fr-fr/country/gb/vac/gbLON2fr/application-fees
- https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/schengen-area_en
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/bulgaria-and-romania-join-schengen-area-2025-01-03_en
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02009R0810-20200202
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/border-crossing/short-stay-calculator_en
- https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/visa-calculator/docs/short_stay_schengen_calculator_user_manual_en.pdf
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/smart-borders/entry-exit-system_en
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/entry-exit-system-fully-operational-10-april-2026-who-exempt-2026-07-27_en
- https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/main-differences-between-ees-and-etias-what-travellers-need-know-2026-04-28_en
- https://slashtel.com/esim/europe
Questions, answered
Do I need a France visa from the UK as a British citizen?
No. GOV.UK says British citizens do not need a visa for France for up to 90 days in any 180 day period. Holders of other passports should check the French Embassy in the UK and run the France-Visas Visa wizard.
Where do I book a France visa appointment in the UK?
Through TLScontact, which receives applications at three visa application centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. There is no consular area in the UK, so you can apply at any of the three.
How much are France visa fees in the UK?
TLScontact London lists the short stay Schengen visa fee as EUR 90 (GBP 77.99) for adults and EUR 45 (GBP 38.99) for children aged 6 to 12, payable in pounds at a rate set by the French consulate. TLScontact also charges its own service fee per appointment.
How early can I apply for a France Schengen visa?
France-Visas advises applying up to 180 days before your planned travel dates and allowing at least 20 working days for processing. Submit no earlier than 6 months before the trip and at least 15 days before it.
How long does a France visa take to process?
A decision is normally made within 15 days, extended to up to 45 days when the application needs a closer look or more documents. Appointment and processing waiting times vary with the time of year.
What is the official website for France-Visas?
France-Visas is the official French visa website. You use its Visa wizard to check whether you need a visa, complete the application online, see the documents and fee that apply, and track when your passport is ready.
Can I apply directly at the consulate instead of TLScontact?
Only short stay applicants who are the spouse of a French national or a family member of a European national can apply directly at the Consulate General in London. Everyone else lodges through TLScontact.
Does a France visa cover other Schengen countries?
Yes. A Schengen short stay visa allows up to 90 days in any 180 day period across all 29 Schengen countries, and all of them share one allowance. Apply to the country where you will spend the longest time, or the first country you enter if stays are equal.
Do I need ETIAS if I have a France visa?
No. ETIAS is a travel authorisation for visa free visitors only, and people who need a Schengen visa do not apply for it. ETIAS is not yet operating and is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a fee of EUR 20.
Will my phone data work across France and the rest of Schengen?
Slashtel's Europe+ eSIM works in all 29 Schengen countries, plus the UK and Turkey, so data keeps working when you cross a border. It is data only, so keep the home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes with data roaming turned off.