Due to the procedure requested for biometric visa, please note as per the 4th of January 2010 all visa applicants have to appear in person.
How to make an appointment with the Consulate?
Prior to handing in the visa application, an appointment needs to be made ( see our address details and opening hours). Please contact our Call Centre which manages our appointments on this number :
086 7 444 003
Please call from a landline only as the call center does not accept cell calls.
Mondays to Fridays between 9.00 and 4.00 and Saturdays between 9.00 and 12.00 (please note as the call center is experiencing high call volumes in the mornings, it is recommended to phone in the afternoons).
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE CONSULATE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AS THIS IS ONLY DONE BY THE CALL CENTRE.
Even if all required documents have been presented it does not mean that the visa will be issued.
All the original documents are to be presented, accompanied by photocopies.
The visa application fee is non refundable.
Please check the validity of your passport prior to applying for a visa. Your passport must be valid at least 3 months after the expiry date of the visa. SOUTH AFRICAN TEMPORARY PASSPORTS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED TO TRAVEL TO FRANCE.
Please note that the passport must contain at least 2 empty pages as one page is required for the visa sticker and the opposite pages for the entry and exit stamps.
Please present 1 photos as prescribed.
The French Consulate in Cape Town issues the following visas:
Short stay Schengen visas (less than 90 days)
Long stay visas
Visas for the French overseas Departments and Territories
Visas issued on behalf of other countries
As from the 4th of January, the French Consulate in Cape Town will implement biometry for the issuance of visas.
The biometric visa procedure, set by the Council of the European Union (decision N° 2004/512/EC from June 8th 2004) to secure travelling and identity documents. This procedure will facilitate travelling between the Schengen States and third countries and speed up passenger control when entering European territory. It requires the applicant to come in person to have his fingerprints registered and a digital photograph taken (except for children under the age of 12 years - they need not come in person and their files may be handed in by their parents)..
[The procedure described here only concerns short stay visas ( less than 3 months ). For long stay visas, please contact the French Consulate directly.]
Visas issued are Schengen Visas and are valid for 25 countries: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
The Schengen visa must be obtained from the Consulate of the country where you will be staying for the longest period. If this cannot be determined because of equal duration of stay in several countries, the Schengen visa must be obtained from the country of first entry.
Please click here to find out at which French Consulate in South Africa you must apply.
If you are not South African, contact the French Consulate directly.
[The list of documents mentioned below is only a guideline: other supporting documents may also be requested.]
Required documents for a tourist/private purpose visa application:
Required documents for a business/professional purpose visa application:
Required documents for crew members of a yachts/boats visa application:
For the French Overseas Departments ( Reunion, Guadeloupe, Guyane and Martinique ) or the French overseas Territories ( French Polynesia, New Caledonia ) and Mayotte, you must apply for a separate visa, even if you have a Schengen visa. In this case the requirements are the same as the above.
The French Consulates in South Africa issue visas on behalf of the following countries: Togo and Djibouti.
The addresses of diplomatic representations of African Consulates in South Africa which are not mentioned above, may be obtained from from the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria at Tel: 012 351 1000.
French citizens need to follow the same procedure as for the Schengen visa and need to complete a Schengen visa application form. For other nationalities, please contact the Consulate.
Amount of funds required
Please make provision a sufficient funds for the duration of your stay. Presently this amounts to 55€ per day. If you present an ‘attestation d’accueil’, the amount required is 30€ per day.
Minors
Minors travelling alone or with one of their parents must have a parental authorisation form which must be signed before a Commissioner of Oath or before a visa clerk by their parents or by the parent that is not accompanying them.
Issuing delays and Visa Application Fees
| Type of visa | Price | Issuing delay in working days |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen visa less than 90 days per semester | 60€ | 3 days |
| Transit visa | 60€ | 3 days |
| Airport transit visa | 60€ | 3 days |
| Visa for less than 90 days for French Guyana, Guadeloupe and Martinique | 60€ | 3 days |
| Visa for less than 30 days for Reunion | 60€ | 3 days |
| Visa for 30 to 90 days for Reunion | 60€ | 15 days |
| Visas for less than 90 days for French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, TAAF, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, New Caledonia and Mayotte | 9 € | 3 days |
| Long Stay visa | 99€ | Varies according to type of visas |
The visa fees are payable in the equivalent rand amount and must be paid in cash.
The issuing delays may vary and do not include the time required to get an appointment (1-2 weeks). They are only applicable for South African passport holders.
For other nationalities please enquire at the Consulate.
Spouses of French nationals and family members of UE or EEE nationals
For spouses of French nationals, the visa application fee is free of charge on condition that they supply the following: Livret de famille, identity document of the French spouse, visa application form, 2 photos, return ticket back to SA and medical insurance (plus photocopies).
For family members of EU or EEE Nationals, the visa application fee is free of charge on condition that they supply the following: the passport of the EU spouse, the marriage certificate, a visa application form, 2 photos, return ticket back to SA and medical insurance (plus photocopies). For children travelling alone the following is required: a birth certificate, a copy of their parent’s EU passport/s, a visa application form, 2 photos, a return flight ticket back to SA and medical insurance (plus photocopies).
