Published on: March 28, 2025 | Article No: 320 | By: @rprasanth_kumar
Community Question: Hello, I am seeking an advice regarding the long stay visa application to be applied, which is the best place to apply, I see 2 VFS centers Mumbai and Pune. Pune is more accessible for my mother to travel. Should I choose Pune VFS or Mumbai VFS?.
Where are French Visa Applications Processed?
All the visa applications in India to France are processed at one of the following locations.
✅ French Embassy in New Delhi: For people living in north-western Indian states Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
✅ Consulate General of France in Pondicherry: For people living in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, UT of Puducherry (Puducherry, Karial, Mahe and Yanaon), Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A Bureau de France is present in Chennai too.
✅ Consulate General of France in Kolkata: For people living in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim and the Kingdom of Bhutan.
✅ Consulate General of France in Mumbai: For people living in Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu.
✅ Consulate General of France in Bangalore: For people living in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. A Bureau de France is present in Hyderabad too.
Regardless of whether you apply at VFS Mumbai or VFS Pune, all French visa applications from Maharashtra are processed by the Consulate General of France in Mumbai. This means that no matter where you submit your documents, they will ultimately be reviewed and decided upon by the French Embassy or Consulates in India. The VFS centers simply collect your visa applications, verify documents, take biometrics (if required), and forward everything to the French authorities for processing.
What matters when choosing a Visa Application Center?
If you have multiple VFS options, here are a few things to consider:
✅ Proximity & Availability of Appointments: Choose the nearest VFS center close to home address. If an appointment is not available, try at the next VFS center which falls under the jurisdiction of the same Embassy or Consulate.
✅ Traffic & Accessibility: Big cities like Mumbai can mean longer travel times. Pune might be slightly easier to navigate, depending on your location. Travel can be tiring, especially for elderly applicants. If one center is closer, go with that.
What to expect at a VFS Center?
No matter which VFS center you choose, the process is fairly standard. You’ll submit your documents, provide biometrics if required, and pay the necessary fees. The staff at VFS centers are generally helpful and will guide you through the steps.
Final Thoughts: Since there’s no major difference in service, the best option is the one that makes the experience easier for you or your family. If Pune is more convenient, go for it! Just ensure you have all your documents in order, and you’ll be good to go.
Have you applied at a VFS center anywhere in India or other countries?. Please, Share your experiences in the comments!
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Hello Prashant,
Thanks for this article and information.
I do have a one question and can be added to page.
If we are applying the Schengen visa (Short stay/tourist) second time within 5 years. I understand that VFS keeps the biometrics for 59 months and biometrics wont be collected every time if its valid.
But does this mean the physical visit of applicants with the same process and only difference is the biometric collections are excluded during this appointment ?
Or is there any other process that application can be sent to VFS along with original passport without being taking appointment for physical visit ?
Is there any exceptions for senior citizens in the process ?
Regards
Ashish
Hello Ashish,
For some applicants, biometric information is not mandatory. However, the applicant’s physical presence at VFS is mandatory in most cases. If not, you can opt for the Visa at your Doorstep service and pay the additional fees. https://www.vfsglobal.com/visa-at-your-doorstep/
Cheers,
Prasanth
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Hello,
I live in a lyon, my first APS visa is expired on 22nd February 2025. For renew it(offline process), I sent my document to the prefecture on 22nd January. Still I didn’t receive renewed APS. I called them so they said send a mail regarding this problem. First they replied to my mail on 23rd of February that they were processing a file sent on date 9th January.
So I was waiting because I sent my documents on 22nd January.
Now they are saying they sent visa on 25th February 2025. I didn’t receive it.
The same thing happens to one more person in the lyon.
I send mail to them by going on “contact us” option on their website. I think they are not giving answer seriously.
Can you please help? It’s really stressed.
If they really sent it then what is a procedure to re-apply?
Hello Harsh,
Some Prefectures do sent it by Post. So, check with your local Post office too.
If not, it might be returned to the Prefecture. So, take an appointment & try to collect it.
Cheers,
Prasanth
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Hi Prashant
I applied for APS twice from India but they rejected my visa saying my insurance is wrong but 2 of my friends applied with same insurance from Chennai and bombay and got their APS
CAN I please connect with you to understand,
Hello Vasudha,
Please refer to my detailed explanations about the APS visa application in https://prasanthragupathy.com/2024/11/how-to-submit-an-application-for-aps-or-cds-rece-inside-and-outside-france/
What you need is a health insurance for the stay and not a travel insurance.
All the best.
Cheers,
Prasanth
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