France was the most visited country on the planet with more than 89 million visitors in the year 2017 alone. The rich cultural heritage and luscious landscapes are sure to keep attracting millions more to its shores year on year.
Needless to say, the high volume of applications implies that at times, getting a France Schengen visa appointment can be a tedious and cumbersome process.
Fret not! This article will help you understand how to get that coveted France Schengen visa appointment and what you can do if you are unable to get an appointment date. We can also help you book your France Schengen visa appointment. Just fill out our Schengen visa appointment form to initiate the process.
Update : It is now mandatory to get COVID Insurance when you travel Abroad. Click the below link to get your COVID Insurance at cost price.
Once the appointment has been booked, you can head on over to our related article to get all of your required documentation in order.
How to get a France Visa appointment in New York – The Basics
Here’s what you need to do to book a France Schengen Visa appointment from New York:
Book France Visa Appointment at $10
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The France Consulate has outsourced all visa applications from India to VFS Global.
Visa applications from Bangalore are collected and examined by the French Consulate after they go through the VFS Global appointment and tracking systems.
After filling in the visa application form, you will be redirected to the VFS Global official website.
Click on “Schedule an appointment“.
You will then be redirected to the following page:
You will have to register as a new user. For this, click on ‘New User‘.
To gain access to the online appointment booking portal, fill in the details in the form below. You can select any available date and time slot.
VFSGlobal has the bandwidth to support at least 30 applicants a day. An appointment at VFSGlobal is subject to availability and is not usually easy to get. The handling charge for this service is $25 or more based on when you want your appointment slot.
Head on over to the France visas official website for more information on the application process.
What to do when there are no appointment slots available for France visa?
In case you are having trouble getting a France Schengen visa appointment date, you can try one of the following methods:
Try applying in a different jurisdiction
If the wait for your France Schengen visa appointment is cutting too close to your travel date, you should try and apply at the next closest jurisdiction. We advise you to turn your attention to other nearby centers.
In case you are applying for a France Schengen visa from Bangalore and are unable to secure an appointment, you can try the nearby VFS global offices in Kochi, Pondicherry and Chennai.
Change the main Schengen consulate of your visit
The consulates for the main Schengen countries like Germany, France, Italy, and Spain are usually booked out for a couple of months at a stretch. In these cases, you can try your luck by applying to another consulate.
Countries like Slovakia or Malta do not have a large influx of applicants which makes it easier to secure an appointment with these consulates.
In case you are planning to travel to multiple Schengen countries, the first country of your visit is the main Schengen consulate that you should be applying to. You will however, have to show tentative travel plans to this country in order to secure a visa. We can help you out in getting these temporary flight and hotel bookings.
To know more about what we mean by applying to a different jurisdiction, check our article on how to book an appointment when no appointment slot is available.
Wait for someone to cancel their France visa appointment
This option is slightly risky and there are no guarantees that you will be able to secure a visa. You can wait for someone to cancel their France Schengen visa appointment and immediately try and book that slot once it becomes available. For this, you will have to keep multiple browser tabs open for all the consulates in your area. Do not forget to keep refreshing the tabs.
There have been multiple cases wherein our customers have secured an appointment just by waiting for a cancellation. So we strongly suggest that you do not discard this option.
We also have a dedicated team that watches for any Schengen visa appointment cancellations and can help secure a booking once a slot opens up. If you are interested in this service, please fill out our Schengen visa appointment form.
Want us to get you your France visa appointment?
We can help you get your France Schengen visa in the following countries:
- UK
- US
- India
- Dubai
We have customers residing in India, US and UK, who are corporate employees and business professionals, usually in need of a visa immediately. We can arrange for Schengen visas for our customers within 7-15 days.
This option however, is subject to the availability of slots in the consulate of your choice. We will also try in all the nearest consulates.
We do not fix the fee for an appointment, but we need to get in touch with the travel agents to get a price quote from them for an appointment and this price depends on the demand.
Click here for our Schengen visa appointment form.
Click to Get France Visa Appointment
- Fill the above form . No payment needed initially . We will contact our agents for an appointment for you in France.
- Within 8 hours of the payment, you will receive an email regarding the availability of a slot and the consulate.
- Once we receive your confirmation, we will send you the appointment details and reference number for verification.
You can then attend your France Schengen visa appointment.
Read more about getting a French Schengen visa appointment in 7 days here.
FAQs on France Schengen visa appointments
Read on to have your questions answered.
Can I take an appointment for my whole family?
No. You will have to make individual appointments for each member of your family. If you are making an appointment through VFSGlobal, then you can book up to five Schengen visa appointments using a single account. Note that the dates might vary for each of the 5 appointments as they may not be available on a single day.
Can you make an appointment on my behalf?
Yes! We can assist you in getting a France Schengen visa appointment. We can handle the appointment request for your whole family as well. Just fill our Schengen visa appointment form.
Where can I have my appointment verified?
You can get your appointment verified on the government or the VFSGlobal website.
What amount do I pay to get an appointment?
The amount to be paid varies from consulate to consulate. We charge INR 1000 as the service fee, over and above the quote specified by the agents. The date of the appointment also contributes in determining the fee for an appointment. The earlier your request for an appointment, the higher you will have to pay.
Can I pay a higher fee and get the appointment on priority?
We operate only on a first come first serve basis. You will have to wait for your turn to come up.
Is the appointment fee refundable?
It is fully refundable if you cancel before we get you an appointment or if we are unable to get you one. But once we get you an appointment, we will not be able to refund you.
Could my France Schengen visa application get rejected?
Yes, your France Schengen visa application could be rejected by the consulate for a number of reasons. Common reasons are:
- Travel insurance invalidity
- No evidence of travel itinerary
How early can I apply for France Schengen visa?
Applicants can apply up to 90 days prior to the date of travel. We recommend that you apply at least 3 weeks prior to the date of travel to accommodate any processing delays.
Can I apply for my visa if my passport is more than 10 years old?
All applicants must have a passport that is not more than 10 years old. The same can be said about passports issued more than 10 years ago and have not been extended. Applicants must renew their passport before making their visa application.
What are the details required in order to book the appointment?
Your name, passport number, expiry date, and passport issue date are needed. The information needed varies from one country to another. For additional information, we will correspond with you by email.
Do I need to have a travel insurance for France Schengen visa?
Yes, you have to provide proof of travel insurance that covers emergency medical expenses up to a minimum of 30,000 Euros.
How long will it take for you to get me my France Schengen visa appointment in Bangalore?
We usually take around 8 to 10 hours to get back to you, as we will be checking with all nearby consulates for the availability of a slot.
Within how much time do I have to complete the payment?
We make close to 250 appointments a day. You will have an hour to complete the payment once we inform you about an appointment slot. In case we do not hear back from you within the hour, our reseller may put the appointment to auction for other customers in need of an appointment.
What mode of payment is accepted?
You can make a direct bank transfer to complete the payment. You can also make the payment via PayuMoney or Western Union.
In which countries do you provide the service for booking a Schengen visa appointment?
We currently operate in India, UK and USA. We are adding more countries regularly.
VFS Global, Bangalore Contact Information
VFS Global Bangalore Address:
No: 11, O’ Shaughnessy Road
Global Tech Park, First Floor
Langford Town, Bengaluru 560025
Karnataka – INDIA
Tel: (+91) 22 67866014
Bangalore French Embassy Contact Information
Address:
21 Palace Road
Vasanthnagar
Bangalore – 560 052
Karnataka, India
Tel: (+91) 80 2214 1200
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France Schengen visa in 7 days
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