The Schengen visa France from Saudi Arabia is available to passport holders who want to travel to France for short trips. This visa is issued by the French embassy in Riyadh to applicants who have gone through the application process and submitted the relevant documents. To understand how the process works, we have compiled the necessary information you will need to increase your chances of getting the visa, so keep reading to learn more.
Who Can Apply For This Visa?
This visa is open to Saudi citizens who wish to visit France for a short time. To qualify, you must have a valid Saudi Arabian passport and must be living in Saudi Arabia. Citizens of Saudi Arabia who live in a foreign country must present their passports and a temporary or permanent resident permit of the French embassy in their host country.
Types Of Schengen Visa France From Saudi Arabia
Passport holders can apply for any of the following Schengen visa types depending on the reason why they want to visit.
Tourist Visa: France is the cultural capital of Europe with so many amazing cities and side attractions. The country is also famous for its UNESCO world heritage sites and other historic landmarks. Saudis can spend their vacation in the country with this visa.
Visitor Visa: Persona who has family or friends in France and wishes to visit them can do so with a visitor visa. This visa is required even if the family or friend is an EU citizen.
To qualify for it, the person must send you an invitation letter
Business Visa: Business visas are issued to Saudis coming to conduct business in the country. If an individual or company invites them, they must provide a signed invitation letter.
Medical Visa: A medical visa is for patients visiting France for medical attention. France has a vibrant health sector that attracts foreigners coming. For surgeries and other medical procedures and treatments. The patient applying for the visa must provide proof that they can cover the medical cost and show a letter of invitation sent to them by the medical facility.
Student Visa: Saudi Arabian citizens coming to France for a short term course can apply for a Schengen student visa. This visa is only ideal for short courses that will not extend beyond 90 days.
Official Visit Visa: Saudi Arabian government officials coming to France for an official assignment, program, consultation, or negotiations will be issued this visa as long as they meet certain conditions.
Cultural Exchange Visa: This visa is designed for social events in France. It is a flexible option for visitors for religious, sports, film crews, and cultural events.
Transit Visa: The transit visa is also a short term visa issued to persons traveling to another country en route to France. It allows the holder to switch flights to France.
Do Saudi Citizens Need To Book A Visa Appointment?
The embassy in Riyadh is always occupied with visa applications, so applicants are advised to book an appointment at least 4-6 weeks in advance. If the application is submitted through a visa application center, it may take longer. The average time to process the visa is two weeks or 15 calendar days, so it is best to apply at least two weeks above the processing time or even more. Applicants may even book appointments six months in advance.
Where To Apply For The Schengen Visa
The French embassy is the first port of call to submit your Schengen visa application. Without submitting your application, you have not applied for the visa yet. The embassy will receive your application, process it and get back to you through email or phone to inform you about the success or failure of your application.
Schengen Visa Validity
This visa is valid for 180 days and becomes active when the embassy issues it to the traveler.
Furthermore, the time starts counting whether the visitor uses it or not. Schengen visas are normally not extendable unless under special circumstances.
How Many Countries Can I Visit?
Although the French embassy for France issues the visa, it can be used to visit other countries in the Schengen zone. This visa is multinational, and all 27 countries in the zone recognize it as long as it is valid and issued by a member state.
Schengen Visa France Requirements
The visa application form must be correctly filled and signed. These documents should also be attached to it
Valid Saudi Arabian passport
Two recent photographs
Cover letter
Invitation letter, where applicable
Proof of financial means
Visa fee receipt
Travel health insurance
Proof of accommodation
Civil status certificate
Round trip itinerary and flight reservation
Ensure you only submit valid documents when applying for a Schengen visa France from Saudi Arabia.