Do you need a visa ?

For the list of documents report to the section Differents types of visa and select the visa you are looking for. Kindly note that The representative at the visa section of the French Consulate General is entitled to ask you to provide any further documents.

Great Britain HAS NOT signed the Schengen Agreement. Therefore, even if you hold a permanent or temporary residency permit to reside in the UK, you may still need a visa in order to enter the Schengen zone.

1- Nationals from countries who do not need a Schengen visa to go to France as long as the stay does not exceed 3 months

* Only for holders of a biometric passport

(1) From the 11th of January 2011 Taiwanese nationals will be exempted from short stay visas provided that their passport bears their ID card (number usually in page 3 above the date of birth)

However, you may be asked, either at the borders of entry or within the Schengen space, to produce proofs of financial means of support, hotel bookings or your return ticket to your country of residence. Additionally, all foreigners wishing to travel to France must be in possession of a valid medical travel insurance that covers all eventual medical and repatriation costs.

NB : Nationals who do not need a visa to go to France, should contact the other Shengen countries to ascertain visa requirements

Foreign citizens with valid residency permits in a Schengen country may travel freely in the Schengen space for up to 3 months as long as they hold valid recognised passports and valid residency status.

2-Do you need a Visa From the French Consulate ?

Schengen countries : Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Consulate of the Country which is your main destination (according to the purpose of the trip and the lenght of stay).

If you do not have a main destination, you should apply at the consulate of the country which is your first point of entry.

3-Passports issued by the British Authorities

Do you need a Schengen visa for a stay that does not exceed 3 months ?

(*) A visa is required if holding a Refugee Passport Holder (Geneva 1951) without a residence permit in the UK.

As the holder of a British passport, you may travel to France up until the expiry date of your travel document.There is no minimum passport validity requirement but you should ensure that your passport is valid for the proposed period of your stay. Driving licences are not accepted.

Be advised that all foreigners wishing to travel to France must be in possession of a valid medical travel insurance that covers all eventual medical and repatriation costs.

The British Certificate of Identity (brown document) and the British Certificate of Travel (black) are not recognised by the French authorities as a valid travel document. Holders of such documents can therefore not be issued with a visa to France.

4-School trips exemption

Pupils/ schoolchildren/ high school students in general education, nationals of countries who would normally require a visa, travelling on a school trip,are exempt from an entry visa into France if their names are entered on a "List of Travellers" form, available from :

British Council Information Centre

Bridgewater House 58 Whitworth Street
Manchester M1 6BB
Tel : 0161 957 7755
Fax : 0161 957 7762

And online at this address.

This form is not, however, a valid travel document in itself : each individual pupil must carry a valid official document establishing identity and bearing a photograph, such as :

 a valid passport
 a valid travel document
 or a valid ID card

Further information about the schools trip exemption may be obtained from the British Council. Please note that the British Council cannot give general visa advice.