1- The visa section of the French Consulate in Washington DC.

The French Consulate in Washington DC will accept applications only from residents of the following states :   Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia.

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.

The visa section is located at 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington DC 20007 and is open to the public, by appointment only, between 8:45 am and 12:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

You also can reach us by fax (202 944 6212) or by e-mail (visas@consulfrance-washington.org), if you still have questions after reading all the information on our web site (making sure your nationality and status in the US is systematicaly precised).

There is a bus stop in front of the Consulate (bus D6). The nearest metro station is Dupont Circle, which is within a 45 minutes walk to the Consulate. There is no visitor parking within the Consulat ; you can park your car in the surrounding streets.

 

To apply for a visa, you have to come with all the necessary documents in original and a copy : the visa section makes no photocopies.

 

In 2010, the visa section will be closed on the following days :

 1er janvier - January 1st

 18 janvier - January 18th : Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday

 15 février - February 15th : President’s day

 5 avril - April 5th : Easter Monday

 31 mai - May 31st : Memorial Day

 5 juillet - 5th July : Monday following Independance Day

 14 juillet - 14th July : Fête Nationale Française / Bastille Day

 6 septembre - September 6th : Labor Day

 11 novembre - November 11th : Veteran’s Day

 25 novembre - 25th November : Thanksgiving

 24 décembre - December 24th : Christmas

2- Processing fees.

According to regulation passed by the Council of European Union in 2003 (2003/454/CE), the payment of visa fees has been totally modified :

The applicants are now charged for the visa process : they have to pay in advance, when filing the demand and no longer when the visa is issued.

In case of a visa refusal, absolutely no refund will be granted.

The visa is free of charge for assistants working at a French high school, for the spouse of a French or European Union citizen and for holders of diplomatic or official passports.

Payment (US dollars only) is made in cash if you apply in person or by credit card (visa or mastercard only). Fees are subject to change following the exchange rate.

To know how much the current processing fees are : click here.

3- The differents kind of visas.

 The airport transit visa (A) allows you to transit through the international zone of a French airport without entering the Schengen space and France.

 The transit visa (B) allows you to transit no more than 5 days through France and other Schengen countries (ie by car or coach..) on your way to another non Schengen country.

 The short stay visa © allows you to go to France and the others Schengen states for tourism, business or family visits, up to a maximum of 90 days.

 The circulation visa © is a short stay visa valid for at least a year. It is mainly issued for business visits in France.

 The long stay visa (D) allows you to stay in France for more than 3 months, for example to study, work, retire…

4- Delays and procedure.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to be aware of the delays and the requirements for the issuance of the visas before making travel arrangements and before applying for a visa. Note that applying by mail, and neglecting to include a document or to fill out the forms correctly may extend the processing time or lead to a visa denial.

Processing time for a short stay visa (90 days of stay or less) is around an average 2 to 3 weeks (some visas may be granted on the spot, some not, depending on nationality, type of visa…). When allowed for the type of visa you apply for (check relevant page), if you apply by mail, you have to do so a minimum of 5 weeks before your travel.

Processing time for a long stay visa (more than 90 days of stay) can be up to 2 months.

Personal appearance is the basic rule and may be required at any times. The Consulate may accept files sent by mail in a few cases (check specific information page for the visa you apply for), but the applicant must enclose a prepaid self-adressed envelope, only Express mail, Priority mail, certified mail (a registered mail) will be accepted; if not the personal appearance will be required. If you decide to apply by mail, never send us your original green card but send a photocopy unstead.

Note that applicant must apply for the visa and get it in his/her country of residence before the departure.

The applicant should contact the appropriate consulate depending on his/her residence and destination (refer to the list of the Consulates General of France and jurisdictions)

Visas for Monaco as a main destination, and for the French overseas departments and territories are issued by a Consulate of France.

Holders of non-US diplomatic or official passports should contact their Embassy in order to obtain the proper documents before applying for a visa, if needed. (see specific section of this ebsite for more informations)

US citizens do not require a short stay visa, except in the following cases :

• holders of diplomatic or official passports on mission : holders must apply at the Consulate General of France in Washington-DC, in New-York, Los Angeles or San Francisco depending on their jurisdiction. (see specific section of this website)
• journalists on assignment (these applicants must submit 1 application form, a passport size photograph, a valid passport, a cover letter from their company)
• Artists, scientists, researchers and some other workers, if they have a paid activity in France (even for one day).

Residents aliens, all along with rest of requested documents, should always present a residency card, or a valid US visa at least from the time they apply and still valid 3 months after their last day of stay in France. (otherwise US status should be renewed prior to apply for a visa)

Non-resident aliens holders of a re-entry permit or a refugee travel document cannot apply for a long-term visa.

Holders of B1/B2 visas in the United States, cannot apply for a visa. A visa application can only be made in the country of residence of the applicant.

Individuals married with an E.U citizen , or intending to marry soon, please contact the consulate for further information.

Citizens of the European Union and EEE, Liechtenstein, Monaco and the Holly See do not need a long stay visa for France and the French overseas departments. Citizens of Andorra, Switzerland and San Marino do not need a long stay visa for continental France. (and do not need a short stay visa)

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.