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Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

France visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a France Schengen visa through TLScontact in London, Manchester or Edinburgh, and you can use any of the three. The visa fee is €90, plus a €40 TLScontact service fee. Allow at least 20 working days for a decision.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed · sources at the foot of the page
The Eiffel Tower framed by Haussmann apartment buildings on a Paris street in warm golden-hour light
Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.
€90
TLScontact in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Its charge is added at the centre.
3 centres
Standard processing after the appointment.
15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.
6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You can apply in the UK if you live here, for example on an eVisa as a worker, student, family member or with settled status. The EU's common document list for UK applicants asks for UK residence valid for at least one month after you leave the Schengen area.

France must be your main destination, judged by the length or the purpose of your stay. If no country stands out, you apply to the Schengen country whose border you will cross first.

You can use any of the three TLScontact centres. France has no consular areas in the UK, so where you live in the UK does not limit your choice.

Spouses of French nationals and family members of EU nationals can apply directly at the French Consulate General on Wednesday mornings. Everyone else applies through TLScontact.

If you do not live in the UK, you apply where you legally reside. France-Visas says an application elsewhere is only considered if you can explain why you could not apply at home.

Documents for a France visit visa

You provide

  • Passport Issued in the last 10 years, valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with 2 blank pages.
  • UK immigration status Your eVisa share code and printout from the Home Office's View and prove service, valid for at least one month after your trip.
  • Photo A recent colour passport photo that meets the ICAO standard.
  • Bank statements UK statements in your name for at least the last three months, showing your balance. Add credit card statements that show the monthly limit.
  • Job or study evidence Employees: a signed letter from your employer with your role and salary, plus three months of payslips. Self-employed: an accountant's or solicitor's letter and your self-assessment. Students: a university letter with weekly hours and attendance.
  • Proof of accommodation from your host Staying with a friend or relative? Your host gets an attestation d'accueil from their town hall in France. France-Visas says it is mandatory for anyone hosted by a private individual.
  • Children's documents Birth certificate. If a child travels with one parent or alone: both parents' passports, written consent and a UK school certificate.

We provide

  • Application form Completed on France-Visas, with the form and receipt printed and signed by you.
  • Cover letter Sets out your dates, plans, who pays and your ties to the UK.
  • Return flight reservation A reserved return ticket to the UK matching your dates.
  • Hotel bookings Confirmed bookings covering every night of your stay.
  • Travel medical insurance At least €30,000 of cover in every Schengen country, including hospital costs, medical repatriation and death. A GHIC or EHIC card is not enough.
  • TLScontact appointment We register your request with TLScontact in your name and watch for the allocation email, so the service fee is paid and the slot confirmed within the deadline.

Where and when to apply

France takes UK short-stay applications through TLScontact in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

TLScontact receives applications and returns passports for the French Consulate General in London, which takes every decision. Spouses of French nationals and family members of EU nationals may book a direct appointment at the consulate instead.

Appointments in London →Appointments in Manchester →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

  • Since 1 August 2026, TLScontact allocates short-stay appointments in London and Manchester instead of letting you choose. Edinburgh followed on 11 September 2026. When the allocation email arrives, you have 12 hours to pay the service fee and confirm, or the slot is lost.
  • The London centre is at 18 Ryeland Boulevard, Wandsworth, SW18 1UN. Manchester is at 1 Portland Street and Edinburgh at Argyle House, 3 Lady Lawson Street.
  • TLScontact's service fee is set in euros, €40 for a short stay, and collected in pounds by debit or credit card. American Express is not accepted. The fee is refunded only if you withdraw before your fingerprints are taken.
  • The €90 visa fee is also charged in pounds, at a rate the consulate sets and revises. It is not refunded if you are refused.
  • France-Visas advises allowing at least 20 working days. Once TLScontact sends your file to the consulate, it is generally decided within 2 to 15 working days.
  • If a friend or relative hosts you, they must get an attestation d'accueil from their town hall in France and send it to you. Ask them to start early, because your file is not complete without it.
  • You can apply up to 180 days before you travel. The consulate may ask for more documents or an interview.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

  • Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a French airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. France exempts holders of a UK residence permit that guarantees your return to the UK.

Bangladeshi passport holders

  • Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a French airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. France exempts holders of a UK residence permit that guarantees your return to the UK.

Nigerian passport holders

  • Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a French airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. France exempts holders of a UK residence permit that guarantees your return to the UK.

Sri Lankan passport holders

  • Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
  • Only changing planes at a French airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. France exempts holders of a UK residence permit that guarantees your return to the UK.

Ghanaian passport holders

  • Only changing planes at a French airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. France exempts holders of a UK residence permit that guarantees your return to the UK.

Turkish passport holders

  • France requires Turkish nationals to hold an airport transit visa when changing planes at its airports. This applies to ordinary passports. France exempts holders of a UK residence permit that guarantees your return to the UK.

Filipino passport holders

  • France requires Filipino nationals to hold an airport transit visa when changing planes at its airports. This applies to ordinary passports; seafarers with a seafarer's identity document are exempt. France exempts holders of a UK residence permit that guarantees your return to the UK.

Gambian passport holders

  • EU restrictions on The Gambia (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Somali passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Somalia (a Council decision of 25 June 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Guinean passport holders

  • EU restrictions on Guinea (a Council decision of 10 July 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

How a France application runs, day by day

  1. Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
  2. Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
  3. VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
  4. 15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at TLScontact, then we track the file.
  5. DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.
€90
TLScontact service chargePaid at the centre. TLScontact sets the amount, and we confirm it in your quote.
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

France visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for a France visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. Bring your share code and printout from the Home Office's View and prove service. The EU's common list for UK applicants asks for status valid at least one month after you leave the Schengen area.

Which TLScontact centre can I use for a France visa?

Any of them. France has no consular areas in the UK, so you can apply in London, Manchester or Edinburgh wherever you live in the UK.

How do I get a France visa appointment in the UK?

Since August 2026 you register your request with TLScontact and it allocates a slot. When the email arrives you have 12 hours to pay the service fee and confirm.

How long does a France visa take from the UK?

France-Visas advises allowing at least 20 working days. Once your file reaches the consulate in London, it is generally decided within 2 to 15 working days.

How much does a France visa cost from the UK?

The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11, charged in pounds. Children under 6 pay nothing. TLScontact adds a €40 service fee, also paid in pounds.

Do I need an attestation d'accueil to stay with family in France?

Yes. If a private individual hosts you, they get a proof of accommodation document from their town hall in France and send it to you for your application.

Can I apply directly at the French consulate in London?

Only if you are the spouse of a French national or a family member of an EU national. Everyone else applies through TLScontact.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on a France visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180, as long as France is your main destination.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed . Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.

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