1- Main features

A Schengen visa (or short stay visa) is valid within the whole Schengen space. The following states are part of the Schengen space :

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungaria, Iceland, Italy, Lettonia, Lituania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovaquia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. This visa allows you to go to these 25 countries. It is issued for a maximum of 90 days per semester.

2- Where do you have to apply for a Schengen visa ?

In order to know where you have to apply, please read carefully the following informations.

a) You have to apply with a French Consulate, if :

 You wish to go only to France ;
 You wish to travel to several Schengen States, but France is the country where you are going to spend most of your time ;
 You wish to travel to several Schengen States, with no main destination (the duration of your stay is the same in each country), but France is your first point of entry (but not only as transit).

NOTA : If you do not need a visa for the Schengen country of your main destination or first point of entry, please note that you may require a visa for other Schengen countries you wish to visit. You should then apply with the Embassy or Consulate of the first country which does require a visa.

The visa is issued only by a Consulate of France if Monaco is the main destination.

b) You have to apply with the French Consulate in Houston only if you reside in one of the following states : Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

If you do not reside in one of those states, you have to apply with another French Consulate, depending on where you live in the United states. To know where to apply, click here.

3- Do I need a Schengen visa to go to France ?

1- NO VISA is required for a SHORT STAY not exceeding 3 months in a SCHENGEN STATE for tourism or business purposes for the applicants of the following countries :

Andorra*, Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, South Korea, Czech Rep., European Union* and EEE (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, The United-Kingdom, and Sweden), Hong-Kong (only passport issued by the HKSAR), Hungary, Israël, Japan, Liechtenstein*, Macao (only pasport issued by MSAR), Malta, Mexico, Monaco*, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, San Marino*, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland*, The Holy See*, Uruguay and USA.

The citizens of the countries marked with the sign * do not need a visa for a long stay in France.

2- SPECIFIC CASES :

For Australia, Brunei, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Latvia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore and Venezuela no visa is required for France. Check with the consulate of the other Schengen States. However, the citizens of Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malta, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, USA and Venezuela should apply for a visa if they are to receive a salary in France. The visa is required by France for US citizen holders of diplomatic or official passports on mission and journalists on assignment.

3- YOU NEED A VISA IF YOU ARE OF A NATIONALITY NOT MENTIONED ABOVE AND/OR FOR A LONG STAY. A delay of procedure may be required.

If you have any doubt, please contact the visa section at the following e-mail address : visa@consulfrance-houston.org

4- The different kinds of Schengen visas

a) The short stay visa © is issued for private, family or business visit in France for a maximum of 90 days.

b) The « circulation » visa is a short stay visa valid for several short visits within 1 year. This visa is issued for business purposes to businessmen or tradesmen having an invitation letter from France or for people having special interests in France.

IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICES, IT IS MANDATORY TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT ON LINE- TO GET A VISA. NO APPOINTMENT WILL BE GIVEN BY PHONE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES

5- Requirements

An average processing time with a minimum of 2 weeks may be necessary.

You have to apply with the originals + one set of photocopy of all the following documents . The visa section does not make any copies.

 Original passport or travel document (+ ONE COPY of the identity pages). Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years ago, be valid for at least three months after your return to the US and have at least 2 blank visas pages left.

 1 short stay application form clearly filled out. Please print in black. Indicate also your phone numbers and e-mail.

 a recent passport size photograph . DO NOT GLUE to the form.

 For non American citizens, a proof of resident status in the USA and its copy.( green card, valid US visa and copy of valid I-20 or valid I-AP66, visas…). Applications for a short stay visa from holders of B1/B2 visas in the United States are subject to a heavier and longer procedure, and personal appearance is required. + ONE COPY

 the visa issued by the country of final destination, if needed.

 Reservation of airplane trip with detailed itinerary.

 A letter from your insurance company stating plainly that you will be covered for at least $ 37000 during your stay in Europe for any medical and rapatriation expenses (+ 1 copy).

 Proof of employment (for example, letter from the company stating continuing employment after the period of leave, and last payslip) (+1 copy)

 Depending on the purpose of the trip , one of the documents listed below :

• For tourism : Hotel reservation, proof of registration with an organized tour, "attestation d’accueil" ie accommodation certificate (ORIGINAL + 1 COPY), etc.(+ 1 copy) for the duration of your stay within the Schengen space.
  
• For business : official business invitation letter from a company in France (+ 1 copy).
  
• For private visit (family or friends) : "Attestation d’accueil" ie accommodation certificate (ORIGINAL + 1 copy). Your host in France can obtain this document at the City Hall, by showing a proof of identity and 2 proofs of lodging (rental contract, and phone bill or power bill…)

 Proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of your stay : 2 last bank statements , travelers checks if visiting the United States, 100 dollars per day are suggested. For business: letter from the employer indicating the name and address of the companies in France, and guaranteeing the travel expenses (+1 copy)

 For a minor, if traveling alone, a notarized parental authorization signed by both parents or guardian. If the minor travels with 1 parent, an authorization signed by the 2nd parent is required (+ 1 copy).

Processing fees: by credit card (Visa, Mastercard) cash or money-order only. Personal checks or American Express are not accepted.

Personal appearance is required. An average processing time with a minimum of 2 weeks may be necessary. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICES, IT IS MANDATORY TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT ON LINE TO GET A VISA. NO APPOINTMENT WILL BE GIVEN BY PHONE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

REMARKS: The Consular Administration has full authority to appreciate and request more documents than those submitted by the applicant. Note that the visa does not in itself grant you the right to enter a French territory. It is necessary that you carry the original documents used to obtain the visa with you at all times. Border authorities may request that you show them upon entry to France.

Apart from France, the other Schengen States representations in Houston delivering visas are Germany, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Following is a list of all the Schengen States representations in Houston :

Consulate general of the Republic of Austria P.O Box 35841, Houston TX 77235-5841 Phone : (713) 723 9979

Consulate of The Kingdom of Belgium 2009 Lubbock Street Houston,TX 77007 - 7621 Phone : 713 426 3933 Fax : 713 224 1120 Website : www.diplobrl.org/usa

Consulate General of the Czech Republic P.O. Box 8 West, Houston TX 76691 Phone : 254 826 3004 / 713 629 6963 Fax : 254 826 7727 / 713 629 9606 Web site : www.stephensonlaw.com

Consulate of the Kingdom of Denmark 4545 Post Oak Place Suite 347 Houston TX 77027 Phone : (713)622 9018

Consulate of the Republic of Finland 14E. Greenway Plaza #22R Houston Texas 77046-1400 Phone : 713 552 1722 Fax : 713 552 1676

Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany 1330 Post Oak Boulevard Suite 1850 Houston TX 77056 Phone :(713)627-7770

Consulate of the Hellenic Republic (Greece) 1360 Post Oak Boulevard Suite 2480 Houston TX 77056 Phone :(713)840-7522

Consulate General of the Republic of Hungary 11850 Hempstead Road, Suite 230 Houston TX 77092 - 6012 Phone : 713 476 0497 Fax 713 476 0437

Consulate of the Republic of Iceland 2348 W. Settlers Way The Woodlands, TX 77380 - 1438 Phone : (281) 367 2440 / 2777 Fax : (281) 362 4385

Consulate General of the Italian Republic 1300 Post Oak Boulevard Suite 660 Houston TX 77056 Phone :(713)850-7520

Consulate of the Republic of Lithuania 4030 Case Street Houston, TX 77005-3606 Phone : 713 665 4218 Fax : 886 764 8622 Web site : www.Itembassyus.org

Consulate General of the Republic of Malta Commonwealth Manor, 2602 Commonwealth street, Houston, TX 77006-2609 Phone : 713 654 7900 Fax : 713 650 6815

Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (visas for Belgium) 2200 Post Oak Boulevard Suite 610 Houston TX 77056 Phone :(713)622-8000

Consulate General of the Kingdom of Norway 2777 Allen Parkway Suite 1185 Houston TX 77019-2136 Phone : (713)521-2900

Consulate of the Republic of Poland 35 Harbor View Drive, Sugar Land, TX 77479-5854 Phone : 281 565 1507 Fax : 281 565 1507 Website : www.forum-polonia-houston.com

Consulate of the Portuguese Republic 4544 Post Oak Place Drive, Suite 350, Houston, TX 77027-3161 Phone : 713 759 1188 Fax : 713 237 0401

Consulate of the Republic of Slovenia 2925 Briarpark Drive, 7th floor, Houston, TX 77042-3720 Phone : 713 361 4900 Fax : 713 430 7077

Consulate General of the Kingdom of Spain 1800 Bering Drive Suite 660 Houston TX 77057 Phone :(713)783-6200

Consulate of the Kingdom of Sweden 2909 Hillcroft Street Suite 515 Houston TX 77057-5852 Phone :(713)953-1417

Consulate General of the Swiss Confederation 11922 Taylorcrest Road Houston TX 77024 Phone + Fax : (713) 467 9887