1- There are 4 French overseas « départements ».

Guadeloupe (and its dependencies : Saint Martin, Saint Barthélémy), French Guyana, Martinique, Réunion.

The procedure may take up to 20 days. So you have to apply early enough.

2- Do I need a visa to go there ?

a) For a short stay, up to 90 days, the citizens of the following countries can travel without a visa ; they only need a passport valid 3 months after their return in the US :

Andorre, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, South Korea, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, United states, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong-Kong (titulaires du passeport de la Région administrative spéciale seulement), Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Macao (titulaires du passeport de la Région administrative spéciale seulement), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, St-Marin, the Holly See, Singapour, Switzerland, European Union (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovénia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom,), Uruguay , Venezuela.

Citizens from other countries must have a visa to travel to the French overseas « départements »

Special situations:
 Citizens from Australia, Brunei, Canada, South Corea, The United States, Japan, Malysia, Mexico, Singapour and Venezuela must have a visa if they intend to work there.

 American citizens also need a visa to go to the French overseas « départements », if :

 they want to study ;  they hold a diplomatic, official or service passport and go there on an official mission ;  they are journalists on duty.

3- Requirements for a short stay visa.

You have to apply with the French Consulate in Washington Dc, only if you reside in one of the following states :

Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, 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.

 

You have to apply with all the required documents in original and four copies. The visa section does not make any copies.   PERSONNAL APPEARANCE IS MENDATORY : you cannot apply by mail.

 

Your personal situation should qualify you for the visa each time you apply for it. As personal situation may vary from an individual to another, and from time to time for the same individual, as well as the regulation for the visas, your visa may be different each time (or not granted). Previous grants of visas do no automatically qualify you for a renewal of the same or longer visa. A visa is never renewed or extended, each application is a new application. Your personal situation will be studied by the immigration officer each time you apply and the consular administration will determine if you qualify for a visa.

Please prepare carefully your visa application & supporting documentation. Any missing information may lead to a visa application declined, delayed or denied. Any missing or incomplete documentation will require you to make a new appointment and come another time at the visa section (and therefore expose you to reschedule your trip).

 Passport valid for at least three months beyond the applicant’s last day of stay in the Schengen states. Please make sure that :

• your passport has a minimum of two blank pages (to affix the visa and for border stamps). Only visa pages are valid, amendments pages cannot be used for visas or entry stamps.
• your passport is in good condition (any slight damage, even to the cover, can be considered as a compromission of the security of the travel document and declined at the visa section or at the border)
• your passport allows proper identification of the bearer without any doubt (for example, passports of adults with passport pictures in their young ages may not be accepted)
• your passport has been issued less than 10 years ago (first issuance) . Even if it has been renewed since then by your country, we will decline your passport for a visa application and you will have to renew it prior to applying.

The immigration officer of the visa section has full authority to decline a passport that wouldn’t meet the requirements and request a renewed one before you can apply for a visa at the french consulate.

 Copy of ALL identification pages of your passport : identification, picture, signature page, date of expiration date or extensions, endorsement and amendment pages.

 1 or 2 short stay application forms completely and clearly filled out. Please print in black ink. Indicate also your phone numbers and e-mail. Verify the number of forms by clicking here.

 2 passport size photographs (more information about the photograph) . All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph.

 proof of your address in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia (BOTH documents requested) :

• copy of your driver’s license or state ID

AND

• original and copy of a utility bill no old than 3 months OR lease agreement OR deed of house/appartment (For bills, are accepted ONLY : water, electricity, resident phone, cable or rent slip. Other bills, for example cellphone, or insurance bills will be declined), showing the name and proving the address of the applicant and should match the driver’s licence/state ID. Any other situation is subject to review by the immigration officer of the visa section and may not make you illegible for a visa application until met.

 For non American citizens, a proof of resident status in the USA (green card, valid US visa and copy of valid I-20 or valid I-AP66, visas…). The US residen status should be still valid at least 3 months after the last day of stay in the shengen area (+ one copy of the visa, green card or relevant document). Us pre-approval notices for US visas will be declined (only valid US visas affixed in your passport are accepted). Applications for a visa from holders of B1/B2 visas in the United States are not accepted. (they can only apply for an airport transit if needed, which will only allow these applicants in the international zone of the airport, no entry in the shengen area)

 If needed, the visa issued by the country of prior entry to the schengen state of final destination, and/or after the trip in the schengen area. (+ one copy).

 A letter of presentation for your trip, summarizing all the information about your trip on a separate written or printed sheet (days of travel with transportation information, destinations, addresses of stay) that will be checked with the supporting documentation and bookings of your trip (+one copy)

 Trip reservation with detailed itinerary. The roundtrip airline tickets may be required only when the visa is issued, but you have to show up an itinerary booking (airline company, or travel agency) when applying for the visa, with all these information : name of the traveler, airline carrier, places of origin an destination, flight number, days and hours. The trip should be from the US and back (or back to your home country). If you are visiting several Schengen countries at the same time, you have to provide all information about the means of transportation elected (ground transportation included) with bookings, days and hours of trip between the different countries. (+ 1 copy).

 A letter from your insurance company : stating that you will be covered outside the United States, for a coverage of at least $ 40.000, valid in Europe for medical emergencies, urgent care and repatriation expenses (+ 1 copy) (more information). Make sure that your insurance coverage letter will meet ALL the requirements and all information clearly shown (statements with "depending on the terms of the contract" or "generally, under the policies" for example are not sufficient). Insurance card by themselves are not sufficient. Full policies will not be studied. If you don’t succeed to get the required coverage letter from your insurance company, you can buy a specific insurance for the trip, several insurance companies are providing specific health insurances for the shengen visas.

 Proof of employment : letter from the company stating continuing employment after the period of leave and your last 3 payslip (+ one copy of each document). For unemployed spouses : marriage certificate + husband or wife’s ID + proof of employment of husband or wife, same as previously required (+ one copy of each document). For self employed : previous year Tax Return (+copy) + owned company detailled bank statements for the last 3 months. (+copies)

 Depending on the purpose of the trip , one of the 3 documents listed below :

• For tourism : Hotel reservation, proof of registration with an organized tour, etc.(+ 1 copy) for the duration of your stay within the Schengen area. It always should mention the address of the hotel, name of the guest, days of stay and cover your full trip in europe. If staying in several locations, provide a hotel booking for each.
• For business meetings: official business invitation letter from a company in France that should include : purpose of the stay, duration, location of the company and, if applicable, details about the hotel booking if the company in france took care of this for you (+ 1 copy). If the company in France did not prepared the booking of a hotel for your profesionnal stay, you will be requested to provide a hotel booking under your name with address and days of stays, covering your whole trip in europe.
• For private visit (family or friends) : Proof of accommodation (+ 1 copy). attestation of accommodation Your host in France must obtain a certified document at the City Hall of the town he is living on a permanent basis in France, by showing a proof of identity and 2 proofs of lodging (rental contract, and phone bill or power bill…). This document should also be presented as an original and a copy. Simple written letters of invitations from hosts in France will be declined.

 Fundings for the trip and personal finances :

• for tourists and visitors : 3 last months bank statements, ALL bank accounts (checking, saving, money market…) you own or share in the US, with detailed transactions history and daily balance (+ 1 copy). Bank statements must show the name and address of owner(s). An electronic print out update of each bank account, from the last statement up to the day of your appointment at the visa section, is also required. 100 dollars per day of stay are suggested. Bank accounts are subject to a detailed review. Any incoming or outgoing transaction may be subject to inquiries and information. Corporate bank account or companies financial guarantee for tourism or private visits will not be accepted.
• for business travelers : letter from the employer in the US indicating the name and address of the companies visited in France, and guaranteeing all travel expenses (+1 copy). business travelers are informed that even with a financial guarantee is presented, their own financial situation may be requested and studied (3 full months of detailled bank statements, all accounts owned in the US. For details, check same requirement as for tourists right above)

 For a minor :

• If traveling alone, a notarized parental authorization signed by both parents or guardian.
• If the minor travels with 1 parent, a notarized parental authorization signed by the 2nd parent is required (+ 1 copy).
• And for all minors traveling, copy of birth certificate + if not in french or english, certified translation (certification usually made at the embassy or consulate in the US) + copy of both parents passports.

 Processing fees : payment by Cash, Credit Card (Visa, Mastercard) or money-order made out to "Consulate general of France" or certified checks. No personal checks.  

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.

4- Requirements for a long stay visa (more than 90 days).

A visa is always required, except if your are a citizen from European Union or Economic European Space countries, from Lichtenstein, Monaco and the Holly See).

Read General information before applying.

The applicant must apply for the visa and should obtain it in his/her country of residence before arriving in French overseas Département.

You have to apply with the French Consulate in Washington Dc, only if you reside in one of the following states :

Deleware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, 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 procedure takes about 2 months.

You apply for this visa if you intend to settle in a French overseas Département(for example as a retiree). If granted, this visa will allow you to go to a French prefecture and ask for a « carte de séjour » (residency card).

 

REQUIREMENTS :

 

You have to apply with all the required documents in original and four copies. The visa section does not make any copies.   PERSONNAL APPEARANCE IS MENDATORY : you cannot apply by mail.

 

 Passport valid for a period of six months from the date of visa application (+ 4 copies of the identification page).

 Four long stay application formssigned and clearly filled out. Please print in black.

 4 photographs (more informations about the photograph) . All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph.

 A proof of resident status in the US ( e.g. , visa, I-94, IAP66, I-20, resident card ).

 Financial guarantee such as :

• Letter from your bank stating that you have sufficient means of support to live in France;
• Justification of retirement pensions;
• A notarized declaration of your sponsor stating that he/she will be responsible for all your expenses and a proof of his/her assets.

 A note, dated and signed by the applicant, stating that he/she does not intend to have in France any paid professional activity which requires a work permit.

 Proof of medical insurance with coverage valid in France. Letter from the insurance compagny only.

 A non criminal record certificate to be obtained from the police’s office of your city of residence.

 Deed of your house/appartment in one of the French overseas “Département”.

 Processing fees : payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard) (especially for files sent by mail) or money-order made out to "Consulate general of France", certified checks or Cash. No personal checks.

 

The Consular Administration has full authority to appreciate and request more documents than those submitted by the applicant. The latter is hereby informed that submitting the aforementioned documents does not ensure automatic issuance of the visa.