Documents to travel to France

There probably isn’t a single person in the world who doesn’t want to get to know France; at least among the tourism enthusiasts Y frequent flyers, this country is a mandatory visit within their itineraries. And we agree with them because, among many other things, the nation currently has 49 wonders declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

By virtue of his incomparable beauty, France has led the rankings of the most visited sites by tourists in the last two decades. It is, without a doubt, a well deserved rating; since, in each French department, there is a countless points of interest that constantly attract visitors.

Its great attraction is Paris, its capital, also known as the City of Light. Her beauty and charm is a source of inspiration for millions of couples who visit her, in order to celebrate her love in the most romantic setting on the planet. But it is not only a popular place among boyfriends or husbands; since monuments, museums, squares, cathedrals and, of course, the Eiffel Tower, are wonders that no tourist can resist.

If you want to discover each of the lovely places that are in France, don’t think about it anymore, decide to visit this beautiful country. But first, make sure you travel with the necessary documentation to legally enter and remain during your visit.

Requirements for entry to the country

Although tourism conveys the image of being an activity characterized by improvisation, it is not exempt from certain regulations. Therefore, the illusion of knowing a such a captivating country like France, it should not prevent you from preparing yourself in legal terms. Next, we detail the required documents by the border police:

• Valid passport. That it has been issued in the last 10 years and whose validity extends for at least three months following the date of return.
• Visa. If required, it must be in force.
• Return flight reservation. Visitors who do not have a permanent residence must prove their intention to leave the country within the period allowed by the visa they present. Persons exempt from this permit will be governed by the rules established in international agreements.
• Proof of economic solvency. The means of subsistence available during the stay will be evaluated. For this purpose, financial statements, credit card references and information about the cash you have on arrival will be required.
• Lodging reservation. The receipt must state that it covers the time that the visitor intends to be in France.
• Letter of Invitation. It will be valid as proof of accommodation if you do not have a hotel reservation. It must be requested by the host in a mayor’s office or prefecture of the city where he resides. If it is a family visit, it will be necessary to attach a document proving the affiliation.
• Health insurance. It must cover hospital, death and repatriation expenses.

Steps to process the short-term Schengen visa

France is one of the countries that are part of the schengen area. Consequently, the rules for the issuance of visashave been regulated by the agreements established between the members of said area.

Tourists who wish to travel to France and stay for a maximum of 90 daysthey must process the short stay visa. Said permit is granted to those who visit the country for leisure, business, family gatherings, studies or in order to submit to Medical treatments. Those who aspire to obtain it will have to follow the steps mentioned below:

Once there, the interested party must provide the data requested and later, the system will indicate their immigration status.

• Make the request. Those people who are required to obtain a visa to enter France will have to complete the online form. The questionnaire is available on the following web portal: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/main-page?p_p_auth=P1nYM0ns&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=v
• Schedule the appointment. Using the date of the trip as a reference, the applicant will select the day on which he will go to the consulate to complete the interview. All persons over 12 years of age are required to carry out the procedure themselves and it is recommended that this step be carried out well in advance. The ideal is to have a minimum margin of two weeks prior to departure.
• File presentation. When attending the appointment, the interested party will be attended by a representative of the French government. Said official will be in charge of verifying his documents, receiving payment for processing fees and collecting his biometric data. For the purposes of reviewing the application, the original passport will be recorded, which will be returned at the end of the procedure.
• Follow-up of the request. Each applicant will be able to find out the progress of their request by accessing the official French visa website: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/follow-up-of-the-visa-application

In any case, once the review of the file is completed, the consulate will inform you of the approval or rejection of the visa and will indicate the day on which the person can go to pick up their passport.

Documents that must accompany the visa application

Before proceeding with the online application, it is important to verify that you have all the requirements to assemble the file to present at the consulate or visa center. To this end, the authorities recommend having at least the elements mentioned below:

• Original passport and copy, which is in good condition and has been issued within the previous ten years. Similarly, it is essential that it contains two blank pages and its validity extends for three months, counted from the date on which you leave the country. On this last criterion, an exception may be made if a justified urgency is demonstrated.
• Two recent photostaken in ISO/IEC format.
• Proof of reason for the trippresented in original and copy.
• Payment of the application.
• Application form Properly filled.

It is crucial to bear in mind that, by the end of 2022, the entry into force of the ETIAS travel permit. This authorization is part of a system that will have the purpose of allowing and monitoring the entry of tourists who do not require an entry visa to the Schengen area. Therefore, it is convenient to keep an eye on the developments that arise in this regard.

COVID-19 | Restrictions for tourists traveling to France

In order to fight against COVID-19 and limit the introduction of new variantsthe French government developed a border reopening strategy. In it was established a ranking of all countries according to the level of incidence of cases they register. In this sense, they will be identified with the following colors:

• Green. Included in this group are nations whose contagion rates are very low and do not register new variants.
• Orange. In this classification are those in which the virus circulates in a controlled manner and no cases related to worrying variants have been detected.
• Red. This classification is given to countries that register a high level of infections and the presence of alarming variants.

This classification varies according to the effectiveness of health measures established by different governments. Therefore, those who have been distinguished with a color could change their status if the conditions get better or worse. Hence, each passenger must verify how their country of origin in relation to the terms provided in said strategy.

The biosecurity requirements that are required of travelers will depend on the classification of their birthplace. However, among the documents that the border police may require are:

• Vaccination certificate. Those in which compliance with the complete guideline is verified will be valid. France only admits those endorsed by the European Medicines Agency: Pfizer, Moderna, Jansen and AstraZeneca.
• Negative PCR test. Provided that it has been carried out within the established time frame, according to the classification of the country of origin.
• recovery certificate. Issued, signed and stamped by a health entity within six months prior to the trip.

Remember that these conditions may change at any time. Therefore, we advise you to visit the official website of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/. There, you will find the latest decisions that the government makes in relation to COVID-19.