Ten steps to follow in applying for France visa from Nigeria

If your next intended trip is to France, whether to visit beautiful cities such as Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lille, Lyon, Toulouse and enjoy the tourist attractions or to study (French as a second language, degree courses) or perhaps carry out some business or seek medical attention. Then this post is for you, it is very helpful whether you are applying from Nigeria or any other country of the world provided you need a visa to enter France. It has been explained in 10 simple steps.
1. Gather the necessary information and Determine your purpose for visiting France (Tourism, vacation, medical treatment, business, visit relations-parents or children , to visit a partner or spouse, to study , to get married e.t.c)
2. Start planning for your travel, You will be required to know the following:
– Your length of stay , the duration of your visit (Short term i.e less than 30 days or Long term i.e six months and above or permanent settlement).
– Where you want to stay, the accommodation you will live in during your period in France, you will need to know the name of the town, city, the particular address and post code for whichever Hotel, Airbnb, Home, or short let rentals you decide on.
– Your host i.e who is inviting you or a contact of who you will be staying with, it can be a friend, a tourist company, the hotel’s contact, a hospital administrator or a business partner.
– Your sources of fund: Either you are self sponsored i.e. paying for all your expenses, fully sponsored or partially sponsored i.e you will be paying half and another party will help you take care of some expenses such as flights, hotel bookings, or some sort of cash stipends. You will need to provide supporting documents to attest to the type of sponsorship involved.
3. Proceed to the France embassy site and Fill your application form online. (https://france-visas.gouv.fr/web/france-visas/ma-demande-en-ligne).

4. Book and schedule your appointment on Vfs global , you have two options of choosing the Lagos or Abuja centre. Frequent travelers are lucky to get earlier appointment dates. Those who intend to trvale to France/Schengen areas for the first time or those who have been to other countries other than those previously listed can also apply but they must have strong reasons to do so. (That’s where a travel consultant comes in). You will be requested to pay for your appointment booking fees online.

Note: Frequent travelers are those who have traveled to Schengen Countries , United kingdom, Canada or United states of America in recent times or have their visas stamped on their passports.
5. Prepare and get all your relevant documents ready, make copies of all documents. Though you will need one set, but make two sets just in case.
– A valid international passport, the expiry date should be more six months from the date you apply.
-Proof of funds, this must show liquid cash i.e cash you can easily have access to, not fixed deposits, stocks, share certificates, and at least 3 months preceding the day you will eventually submit your documents
(Bank Statement of account -You can obtain this from your bank, download it from your email or your bank mobile app)
– Proof of employment whether you are self employed or work for a company ; pay slips, employment letter, tax certificate, work id card, leave advice from employer, introduction letter from your company, statement of pension account, company’s accounts and registration documents. Your available funds must show enough amount to cover your round trip tickets, hotel bookings, feeding and other miscellaneous for the duration of your stay at least $150 per day.
– Proof of your socio-economic, professional situation; you must show attachment to your home country if you are on a short term visa, this is to prove you will return back to the country; Documents of landed property, Professional licenses or certificates, marriage certificate, birth certificates of kids, if you have any, tenancy agreements, appointment letters, whatever documents that will prove you have strong ties to your home country.

– Proof of Accommodation or living arrangements, hotel bookings, home lease, invitation from host , If you staying with a friend or partner, there must be proof of accommodation signed and stamped from a city council in France, it is called Attestation d’accueil .
– Proof of air return tickets, you are not required to pay and buy the tickets before you are certain you have been given a visa, but a reservation is requested.
– Proof of medical insurance, health insurance should cover at least 30,000 Euros or 33,000 Dollars. This can be obtained from a reputable insurance company for a minimum fee and it must cover the number of days or length of time you intend to stay and the number of trips, it can be for 7 days, 2 weeks, a month or more, single or multiple trips.
– Covid vaccination certificate if you have one.
– Proof of intended trip: Tour itinerary , past medical records, business invoices, conference registration e.t.c
– 2 Passport photographs (Standard size)

P: s The international passport, a passport photo and bank statement are the most essential documents, all others are not equally important but they will aid your visa application, however ensure you do not submit fake or forged documents, otherwise you may get banned from future applications to France or other Schegen countries for at least ten years or even worse Life.
6. Attend your appointment, get there early, do not patronize touts, have copies of your documents readily available, do not submit originals except your international passport and bank statements. At the Vfs centre, your documents will be collected, your biometrics taken and captured. For those how have had their biometrics done in the recent five years preceding a new application, they won’t need to go through the biometrics process again. Here, you will be required for the visa fees; the amount depends on the type of visa you are applying for.
7. Fill in your mailing address, you can either opt for pick up at the vfs center or have your international passport mailed back to you at the address you fill in using a reliable courier service, So ensure you fill in a correct address where you will be sure to receive your passport . It can be a residential or company address.
8. Track your application online, however you will be receiving sms or email updates. A visa typically takes days or weeks or even months to process, tis depends on the type of visa applied for and the verification processing done by authorities , I got mine within five days.
9. After you get your visa , plan early for your trip and if there will be any changes, accommodate them in your new plans.
10. Enjoy your stay and have a safe trip to and fro France.

Note: if you don’t get your visa, don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you can no longer apply , maybe you just need to have more proof or documentation to show your circumstances have considerably improved. The most important advice I will give is to prepare and research for your trip before embarking on your plans, It is better to source advice from a knowledgeable travel consultant to assist with the application process, not so called travel agents who have not been outside the shores of Nigeria , just out to fleece you of some cash.

Most European countries have opened up their borders for travelers, however necessary precautions against the spread of the Covid pandemic are being taken such as covid vaccination, frequent Covid /Antigen tests, quarantine and isolation procedures.

For more information or travel consultation:
Contact me;
Whatsapp only : 2348024606384 or travelandtoursng@gmail.com