Diplomatic, service, or official passports
How to apply:
The Diplomatic Department is open Monday to Thursday, at 2 pm and Friday at 1 pm only (except French and British Bank holidays). Applicants must apply at the following address:
Consulat Général de France
Visa Section
6a Cromwell Place
Londres, SW7 2EW.
This service is reserved to holders of diplomatic, service and official passports travelling to France . Employees of Embassies/ Consulates holding ordinary passports must follow the usual procedure of arranging an appointment via our website and provide all requested supporting documents.
Documents requested - Originals + Photocopies:
1. A national passport or official travel document valid for more than 3 months beyond the validity of the requested visa, with a blank visa page to affix the visa sticker. Your British Residence permit must also exceed by more than 3 months the validity of the requested visa.
2. 2 photographs. Please read photo guidance document
3. An application form fully completed and signed by the visa applicant.
4. An official letter from the applicant’s embassy. This ’Note Verbale’ should state the full identity of the visa applicant and the grounds for him/ her holding a diplomatic/ official passport (position within the diplomatic forces or family links with an official), the full details of the travel document, and finally the purposes and dates of the stay in France.
New rules observed by the French Authorities regarding unofficial applications for visas by holders of diplomatic and official duty passports:
Short stay Schengen visa applications (validity for less than 90 days) requested for professional but non-official purposes (for instance, business or journalist purposes, study or training in France) must be lodged with ordinary passports.
Long stay visa (validity for over 90 days) requested for non-official purposes in France (such as children going to school, training, study, etc.) must also be lodged with ordinary passports.
Ensure that all documents requested are provided.
You must ensure you bring photocopies of the main pages of your passport.
If deemed necessary, additional documents may be requested.
Delay:
Visas will be available for collection the following working day (between 2.00 and 3.00 pm) except for Nationals whose countries are listed below. Those need to expect a delay of 2 weeks minimum for the processing of their applications (Please note that those waiting times are given as general guidelines and that actual waiting times may vary):
| Afghanistan | Korea North | Qatar |
| Algeria | Kuwait | Rwanda |
| Bahrain | Lebanon | Saudi Arabia |
| Burundi | Liberia | Sudan |
| Chad | Libya | Somalia |
| Congo (Rep Dem.) | Mali | Surinam |
| Egypt | Morocco | Syria |
| Indonesia | Niger | Tunisia |
| Iran | Nigeria | United Arab Emirates |
| Iraq | Oman | Yemen |
| Jordan | Pakistan | |
| Kazakhstan | Palestine |
Contact the Diplomatic Department:
Telephone: 020 7073 1261. This line is open from 9 to 12pm, Monday to Friday. Only queries regarding diplomatic passports will be dealt with.