Updated on: November 08, 2024 | By: @rprasanth_kumar
Inviting family members to France often involves navigating the country’s visa requirements, which can vary depending on the relationship and nationality of the invitee. Whether you are inviting your spouse, children, siblings, parents or your grandparents, understanding the right type of visa and the application process is crucial for ensuring a smooth and successful visit.
This guide will walk you through the key steps when inviting a family member to France, helping you bring your loved ones closer.
Note: Short-stay visas (Type C) can neither be renewed nor extended in France.
Schengen Tourist Visa
A schengen tourist visa allows visiting the following 29 countries for stays up to 90days during a 180-days rolling period.
Austria 🇦🇹, Belgium 🇧🇪, Bulgaria 🇧🇬, Croatia 🇭🇷, Czech Republic 🇨🇿, Denmark 🇩🇰, Estonia 🇪🇪, Finland 🇫🇮, France 🇫🇷, Germany 🇩🇪, Greece 🇬🇷, Hungary 🇭🇺, Iceland 🇮🇸, Italy 🇮🇹, Latvia 🇱🇻, Liechtenstein 🇱🇮, Lithuania 🇱🇹, Luxembourg 🇱🇺, Malta 🇲🇹, Netherlands 🇳🇱, Norway 🇳🇴, Poland 🇵🇱, Portugal 🇵🇹, Romania 🇷🇴, Slovakia 🇸🇰, Slovenia 🇸🇮, Spain 🇪🇸, Sweden 🇸🇪 and Switzerland 🇨🇭.
You do not have to provide any documents and so the visa applicants must do everything using their own documents, finances, accommodation booking, etc. Of course, you can do it for them but using only their documents.
Here is a practical example with all the required information including documents, accommodation, financial resources, etc.
- Schengen Tourist Visa Application experience – Delhi.
- VFS Checklist: Documents for Schengen Tourist Visa application
- Travel: List of Schengen countries in Europe and Travel Regulations
- Schengen Area: List of Temporary Border Controls by various EU countries 2024-2025
Attestation sur l’honneur
- The document (affidavit) should explicitly mention that the visa applicant will not engage in any kind of professional activity during the stay in France.
- This can be done on a simple A4 sheet with the following text and your actual signature.
- Sample Text: Attestation sur l’honneur Template for Schengen Tourist and Visitor visas
Important Note
- Adding a clear travel itinerary is very important. If not, the visa application might not be seen as a reliable one and can be rejected.
- Spouses can apply but there is a higher chance of rejection. Apply for a dependent visas explained in the end.
- Young working age adults can easily receive a visa rejection.
- So, submitting a signed affidavit stating that they will not engage in any professional activities during the stay and will leave the country on or before the visa expiry date.
- The affidavit must be accompanied by supporting documents to explain the need for returning back to home country.
- For example: a NOC from college (if student), employer, business activity, family commitments, etc.
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Short-stay Visitor Visa
The Short-stay visitor visa can be used for inviting your spouse, children, siblings, parents and grandparents for visits up to 90 days. Some of the most common uses of this type of visitor visa are,
- Students inviting their parents and siblings for the graduation ceremony.
- Couple inviting their parents or grandparents for assistance during childbirth.
- People inviting their parents, grandparents and siblings for family visits and touristic purposes.
- Parents and siblings invited for marriage in France.
Here is a practical example with all the required information including documents, accommodation, financial resources, etc. Short-stay Visitor Visa Application Experience by Nikitha – Hyderabad
Attestation d’accueil
- Before starting the visa application, an important document known as “attestation d’accueil” must be obtained from the local Mairie in France.
- It costs 30 euros (stamp fee) and takes around 2-4 weeks.
- This original attestation must be sent to the visa applicant in India and submitted during the visa appointment. Photocopies will not be accepted and lead to a rejection.
- The visa duration will be based on this attestation.
- Flight tickets are not required for obtaining the attestation but mandatory for the visa application.
Attestation sur l’honneur
- The document (affidavit) should explicitly mention that the visa applicant will not engage in any kind of professional activity during the stay in France.
- This can be done on a simple A4 sheet with the following text and your actual signature.
- Sample Text: Attestation sur l’honneur Template for Schengen Tourist and Visitor visas
Important Note
- Spouses can apply but there is a higher chance of rejection. Apply for a dependent visa explained in the end.
- Young working age adults can easily receive a visa rejection.
- So, they must submit a signed affidavit stating that they will not engage in any professional activities during the stay and will leave the country on or before the visa expiry date.
- The affidavit must be accompanied by supporting documents to explain the need for returning to India.
- For example: a NOC from college (if student), employer, business activity, family commitments, etc.
- Also, adding a return flight ticket shows a strong intention to leave France and helps in avoiding a visa rejection.
Long-stay Visitor Visa
The VLS-TS long-stay visitor visa can be used for inviting your spouse, minor children, parents and grandparents for visits lasting more than 90 days. However, it is not really recommended for spouses and children. Some applications were successful but there have been so many visa rejections. Ideally, they must be invited via the family reunification visa process or Passport Talent family visa.
Some of the most common uses of the long-stay visitor visa are,
- Couple inviting their parents or grandparents for assistance during childbirth.
- People inviting their single parent (father or mother passed away) to spend their life in France and avoid staying alone in India.
Example Visa Applications
Here are a few practical examples with all the required information including documents required, accommodation, financial resources, etc.
- Long-stay Visitor Visa Application experience – Delhi
- Long-stay Visitor Visa Application experience – Mumbai
Attestation sur l’honneur
- The document should explicitly mention that the visa applicant will not engage in any kind of professional activity during the stay in France.
- This can be done on a simple A4 sheet with the following text and your actual signature.
- Sample Text: Attestation sur l’honneur Template for Schengen Tourist and Visitor visas
Financial Resources
- Each visitor must have sufficient proof of your resources reaching an annual amount at least 17,115.69 € per person (bank balance certificates, bank statements, pension documents for pensioners, savings, etc.).
- If visa is applied for a period less than a year, then it will 1,426.30 € per month per person.
- These values are based on SMIC and will keep changing regularly.
- For more information, SMIC: French Minimum Salary increases on 1st November 2024.
- If you are inviting your parents and showing your own funds including the salary income France, then you must provide all the relevant documents as explained in the 2 examples mentioned earlier.
- Your total income must be sufficient for the entire family in France, including the invitees and family members already living here.
- Failure to show these minimum financial requirements can lead to a visa rejection.
Comprehensive Health insurance
- Mandatory for all the applicants. For more information: Which travel insurance for long-stay visitor visa?.
- It must be a single policy for the entire duration of the stay. For example, If you are going to stay for a year but purchase a 2 x 180 days policy, it might be rejected in most cases.
- Inadequate insurance is one of most common reasons for rejection of long-stay visitor visas. Avoid the regular travel insurances.
- After completing three months in France, people on VLS-TS long-stay visitor visa can apply for their French Social Security Number. For more information: How to Apply for a Social Security Number in France?
After Arrival in France
- These visitor visa holders must validate their VLS-TS visa within 3 months of arrival in France. For more information: Should I validate my long-stay visa or do I have to apply for a residence permit directly?.
- After the validation, the visa becomes valid for the entire duration and can be renewed every year via the ANEF website.
- After completing 5 years in France, a 10-year resident card can be applied. For more info: French PR | Carte de Resident | Personal Experience from Nanterre Prefecture
Family Reunification Visa
People having resident permits other than “Passeport Talent” must follow the very long family reunion procedure known as “regroupement familial”.
- Applicable for inviting spouse and minor children.
- You must be residing in France regularly for at least 18 months, before you can start the process for your dependents.
- The entire regroupement process can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months.
- It involves 3 parts. First the OFII process in France, then the approval by Prefecture and finally the family visa application at a French Embassy/Consulate outside France.
- The following article explains this topic in detail. Family Reunification: How to bring your family to France?
Note: Adult children, parents and grandparents cannot be invited to France using this visa.
Passport Talent Family Visa
Passport Talent resident permit holders in France can invite their spouse and minor children as dependents to France. These dependents benefit from a simplified invitation procedure. So, the entire visa process takes 2 to 4 weeks.
- Applicable for inviting spouse and minor children.
- A dependent spouse can apply for this visa, as soon as the host spouse receives the “Attestation de décision favorable” in France.
- They do not have to wait until the availability of your resident permit card.
- The following article explains this topic in detail. Dependent visa for spouse and children of Passport Talent visa holders
Note: Adult children, parents and grandparents cannot be invited to France using this visa.
Support This Blog!
If you’ve found my articles helpful, interesting or saving your time and you want to say thanks, a cup of coffee is very much appreciated!. It helps in running this website free for the readers.
I am working with CDI, with salary visa, I have in my account 4000euros and every month I sent to my wife account, in her account we have 7lakhs, she is housewife.
Now how much I can show her account,
Some people they told don’t show in her account, because already has in her account every month she manages my loans in loans
Now how much I can show in her account and my account
Hello Anjaneyulu,
Need some basic details before I can answer your questions.
1. Whom are you inviting & for how long?.
If you are going to invite your married spouse, a visitor visa is not a ideal option. I have already explained the reasons in the article and the options for inviting spouses. You can apply but the risk of visa rejection is very high.
2. If you are going ahead, it’s sufficient to show your French payslips, French income tax returns & French bank statements for her visitor visa application. Add a cover letter as a sponsor. All these things are already explained in detail on the short-stay visitor visa example mentioned in the article.