Published on: March 20, 2025 | Article No: 316 | By: @rprasanth_kumar
Are you in France on a short-stay Type C tourist or visitor visa and need to extend your stay? It’s not allowed usually, but possible in some exceptional cases. Here’s what you need to know about the conditions and process.
French Keywords: Prolongation de visa, visa de court séjour, visiteur, séjour touristique, préfecture, APS, and force majeure.
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Can you extend a short-stay visa in France?
Yes, it is possible but only in certain exceptional situations, which are outside the control of the visitor or tourist. The immigration law allows for extensions only in very specific situations. According to Article 33 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament, an extension can only be granted if you are facing a force majeure situation or have an exceptional reason, such as:
- A humanitarian reason: unforeseen medical reasons that prevent you from traveling.
- A family-related reason: serious illness, accident, or death of a close relative in France.
Keep in mind that these extensions are exceptional and granted under strict conditions on a case-by-case basis. So, any anecdotal experiences from other people will not be useful. Whatever the situation, the extension must be requested before the expiry of the visa.
Note: If you do not fall in one of these categories, you must leave France on or before the date mentioned in your visa. If you overstay, it will have a negative impact on your future Schengen visa applications.
Which documents are required for a short-stay visa extension?
If you meet one of the above conditions, you must submit your request at the prefecture with a complete application, including:
- Scanned copy of your valid passport (identity page, last French visa, and all your pages with entry/exit stamps). If you made multiple trips to the Schengen area with your last visa, include all entry and exit dates for each trip, along with the duration of stay in days for each period.
- Scanned copy of your valid short-stay tourist or visitor visa which will be expiring in less than a week delivered by the French consular authorities.
- Proof of residence in France, less than one month old:
- If tourist visa: Attestation from Airbnb, Hotels, etc.
- If visitor visa: Copy of the Attestation d’accueil issued and stamped by the Mairie (town hall), which your host has already completed and submitted to the Consulate for the visa application.
- Fees: 30 or 60 euros in timbres fiscaux (tax stamps) depending on the extension period requested.
- Any supporting documents related to the reason for your visa extension request:
- Humanitarian reason: a medical certificate from a hospital or treating doctor confirming the unpredictable nature of the illness, inability to travel, and required treatment duration. In case of doubt on the certificate produced, the Prefecture may request the medical opinion of the OFII doctor.
- Family-related reason: proof of your relationship with the affected person, along with a death certificate, medical certificate, or document confirming the severity of the situation and the need for your presence in France.
- Professional reason: an attestation from the employer justifying the occurrence, after the issuance of the visa, of unforeseeable events at the time of the visa application and likely to constitute a reason for extending the visa.
How to request a short-stay visa extension in France?
To request a short-stay visa extension, you must submit your application directly to your prefecture. It must be requested before the expiry date of the visa. The process will depend on the Prefecture and so it might be done online, by postal or via an appointment. Please refer to the website of the local Prefecture for the specific process.
For most Prefectures in France, you can send an email with all supporting documents. In the email, you must mention your Last name, First name (as indicated on your passport), and the current full address in France. Some examples of Prefectures,
- Paris Prefecture (75xxx): pp-dpg-sdae-prolongationvisa@interieur.gouv.fr
- Yvelines Prefecture (78xxx): pref-etrangers-prolongation-visas@yvelines.gouv.fr
- Nanterre Prefecture (92xxx): pref-bse@hauts-de-seine.gouv.fr
How does the prefecture make a decision?
If your request is valid, you will be summoned to the prefecture to present the original versions of your documents.
In case of doubt regarding the circumstances behind the visa extension request, the prefecture reserves the right to consult the Embassy/Consulate that issued the short-stay visa to verify the reasons for issuance and the supporting documents provided.
The extension approval will depend on the duration required,
- The total length of stay in France must not exceed 3 months. However, it may exceed the validity date of the visa. This type of extension will cost €30.
- If exceptionally, the applicant is allowed to stay beyond this period of 3 months, an autorisation provisoire de séjour (APS) will be issued. This type of extension will cost €60.
Final thoughts
Extending a short-stay tourist or visitor visa is not a right but an exception. If you find yourself in a force majeure situation or have a compelling reason, you can apply at the prefecture with the necessary documents. Make sure your application is complete and submitted on time to avoid any complications!
Source: Official Prefecture websites in France.
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