Getting a French visa is the first step for any Chinese citizen who wants to visit, study, work or settle in France. France is in the Schengen area: short trips need a Schengen visa, while stays of more than 90 days need a French long-stay visa. Since June 2024 the Schengen visa fee has been €90, and since October 2025 the EU has been rolling out its Entry/Exit System (EES), so much of the advice in older guides is out of date.
This guide follows the order of real questions: do Chinese citizens need a visa for France, which visa fits, how to apply, and how to move on to long-term residence. It covers the process, documents, fees and timing for tourist, student and work visas. The information comes from France-Visas, the French Embassy in China and the European Commission as of October 2026; check the official sites again before you apply.
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for France?
Yes. PRC ordinary passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) or a French long-stay visa (type D) to enter metropolitan France. There is currently no visa-free, visa-on-arrival or e-visa arrangement for ordinary Chinese passports.
Changes in 2025–2026 worth knowing:
- Higher fee: since 11 June 2024 the Schengen visa costs €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12.
- Entry/Exit System: the European Commission set 12 October 2025 for the progressive start; EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Non-EU short-stay travellers have their name, travel document, fingerprints and facial image recorded with entry and exit dates and places, replacing passport stamps.
- ETIAS: the French Embassy in China says ETIAS should start at the end of 2026, no action is needed for now, and websites offering ETIAS applications are scams. ETIAS is for visa-exempt nationals; Chinese citizens who travel on a visa do not need it.
- Overseas territories: France-Visas notes that Chinese tourists on approved group tours of up to 14 days may be exempt from visas for Réunion and French Polynesia.
Visa types at a glance
| Type | Who | Length | Visa fee | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schengen short-stay (tourism/family) | Tourists, family and friend visits | Up to 90 days in any 180 | €90 (ages 6–12: €45) | TLScontact centre |
| Schengen short-stay (business) | Business trips, trade fairs, meetings | Up to 90 days in any 180 | €90 | TLScontact centre |
| Student long-stay (VLS-TS études) | Bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, exchange students | 4 months to 1 year, renewable | €50 (via Campus France) | TLScontact centre |
| Talent Passport | Skilled employees, researchers, founders, investors | Visa then residence permit up to 4 years | €99 | TLScontact centre |
| Salaried work long-stay | People hired by a French employer | Depends on contract | €99 | TLScontact centre |
| Visitor long-stay (visiteur) | People with steady income who will not work | 1 year, renewable | €99 | TLScontact centre |
| Spouse of a French citizen | Spouses of French nationals | Short or long stay | Short-stay free; long-stay see official site | Directly at the embassy or consulate |
Note that France does not represent any other Schengen state in China. If most of your trip is in Italy, Germany or elsewhere, apply to that country instead; see our Italy visa guide.
Short-stay application process
- Apply onlineUse the France-Visas “visa wizard” to confirm the visa type and documents, create an account and fill in the form.
- Book an appointmentChoose the TLScontact centre for where you live and book a slot.
- Prepare documentsPassport, photo, itinerary, funds and employment proof as listed; translate Chinese documents where required.
- Submit and enrolFile at the centre, give fingerprints and pay the visa fee plus a service fee of about ¥250.
- WaitUsually 24 or 48 hours for complete files; up to about two weeks for long-stay visas, longer in peak season.
- Collect your passportCheck your name, validity, number of entries and permitted days on the spot.
Document checklist
Follow the list France-Visas generates for you. A tourist short-stay application usually includes:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport | Original and copy of the data page; valid for at least three months after your planned exit from Schengen, issued within the last 10 years, with at least two blank pages |
| Application receipt | Printed after completing the France-Visas form |
| Photo | Recent colour photo on a white background, to the centre’s specifications |
| Travel medical insurance | Minimum cover €30,000 including medical repatriation, valid for the whole Schengen stay |
| Itinerary and accommodation | Return flight booking, hotel bookings or host’s address proof |
| Proof of funds | Recent bank statements, deposit certificates, etc. |
| Employment or study proof | Letter from employer or school stating position, income and approved leave; retirees provide retirement proof |
| Identity and household documents | ID card, hukou booklet etc. as required by the centre |
Never submit forged or “dressed-up” bank statements, employment letters or hotel bookings. False documents lead to refusal and can hurt future applications anywhere in Schengen. Be wary of agents promising “guaranteed approval” or “inside fast tracks”.
Long-stay visas usually also need diplomas, admission letters or employment contracts. Some documents must first be notarised or apostilled in China; see our apostille and notarisation guide. If your passport is close to expiry, start with getting or renewing a passport.
Fees and processing times
| Item | Amount / time |
|---|---|
| Schengen visa fee (adult) | €90 |
| Schengen visa fee (ages 6–12) | €45 |
| Long-stay visa (type D) | €99 |
| Student long-stay visa (via Campus France) | €50 |
| TLScontact service fee | About ¥250 per file, refundable if cancelled before biometrics |
| Payment | RMB cash, UnionPay debit or credit card |
| Short-stay processing | Usually 24 or 48 hours for complete files |
| Long-stay processing | Up to about two weeks |
| Earliest filing | Six months before departure |
Children under 12 do not give fingerprints; long-stay applicants aged 12 or over must attend in person even if enrolled before. Centres offer optional paid extras such as photos, copies and passport courier, which you can skip. Visa fees are charged in RMB at the current rate shown at the centre.
Work and long-stay visas
French work visas fall into two groups: ordinary salaried visas, for which the employer obtains a work authorisation, and the Talent Passport family, covering skilled employees, researchers, founders of innovative companies, investors and renowned talent. For the “Talent – EU Blue Card”, Business France lists a contract of at least six months, at least three years of higher education or five years of comparable experience, and an annual gross salary of at least €59,373 (reference as of 31 August 2025). With a contract of two years or more, the permit can last up to four years.
For stays of up to a year you can enter on a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS), which must be validated online after arrival and can later become a four-year Talent permit. Service-Public.fr lists an annual gross salary threshold of €39,582 for “Talent – qualified employee”. For jobs and sectors, see working in France.
Student visas
Students applying from China normally first complete Campus France’s “Études en France” procedure, including a file check and interview, and then file for a student long-stay visa (VLS-TS études) at TLScontact once admitted. The visa must be validated online, with the related tax paid, within three months of arrival. Non-EU students may work up to 964 hours a year (60% of the legal annual working time).
Students and visitors who do not work can join public health insurance (PUMa) only after three months of stable residence, so private insurance must bridge the gap. For universities, fees and scholarships, see studying in France.
Family reunification
Spouses of French citizens can apply for short-stay or long-stay spouse visas. These do not go through TLScontact but directly to the French Embassy or consulates; applicants living in the Beijing district can file at the embassy without an appointment, Monday to Friday, 8:30–12:00. Marriage visas to wed a French citizen must also be filed directly at the embassy by residents of the Beijing and Shenyang districts.
Non-EU foreigners with legal residence who want to bring family usually go through “regroupement familial”: the resident generally needs 18 months of legal residence in France, average monthly income over the previous 12 months of at least the gross minimum wage (about €1,867.02 for a family of two or three, €2,053.72 for four or five) and housing that meets size and health standards. The application goes to the French immigration and integration office (OFII), the prefect must decide within six months of a complete file, and the family member then applies for a visa in China.
Investor, digital nomad or retirement visas
France has no property-based golden visa and no dedicated digital nomad visa. Investors and entrepreneurs can look at the Talent Passport categories for business founders or economic investors: according to Service-Public.fr, economic investors must invest at least €300,000 in France and hold at least 30% of the company’s capital, while business creators need project funding of at least €30,000. Retirees and people with steady passive income who will not work usually apply for the visitor long-stay visa, proving sufficient funds and undertaking not to work. For comparison, Spain abolished its golden visa on 3 April 2025, and investment migration across Europe is tightening.
Where to apply in China
TLScontact receives French visa applications at 15 centres in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Shenyang, Jinan, Changsha, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Fuzhou, Kunming and Xi’an. Only the French Embassy in Beijing and the consulates-general in Guangzhou and Shanghai decide on visas; the centres forward the files.
The following go directly to the embassy or consulates rather than TLScontact: business or self-employment long-stay visas (except the Talent Passport), short-stay visas for family of EU/EEA citizens, short- and long-stay visas for spouses of French citizens, marriage visas and adoption visas. Hong Kong and Macao residents have separate arrangements. See the France-Visas China page.
Common refusal reasons and tips
- Unclear purpose: itinerary, hotels and flights that don’t match. Keep the plan simple and consistent with your bookings.
- Insufficient or unexplained funds: sudden large deposits, statements that don’t fit your income. Provide several months of genuine statements.
- Weak ties to China: no stable job, family or assets. An employment letter with approved leave and return date helps.
- Wrong country: apply to the country where you will spend the most days.
- Past violations: overstays or breaches of visa conditions weigh heavily on future applications.
Use your visa strictly for its purpose and permitted days. With EES fully running, entry and exit dates are counted automatically and overstays are recorded precisely.
From visa to permanent residence and citizenship
A long-stay visa is only the start. Before a VLS-TS expires you switch to a residence card, then a multi-year card; after meeting residence, language and integration conditions you can apply for the ten-year resident card and eventually citizenship. Many long-stay visas and later residence steps ask for a criminal record certificate, best obtained in China in advance; see getting a police certificate. For each card’s conditions and renewals, see residency in France.
Remember that China does not recognise dual nationality: becoming French means automatically losing Chinese nationality, with knock-on effects on your hukou, social insurance and property in China. Think it through before you naturalise; see dual nationality and renouncing Chinese nationality.
FAQ
How long does a French tourist visa take?
France-Visas says short-stay visas usually take 24 or 48 hours when the file is complete and needs no further checks. Add appointment waits and peak-season queues, and start at least a month ahead.
Can I visit other Schengen countries on a French visa?
Yes. A Schengen visa issued by France is valid across Schengen for its duration, but you should apply to the country where you will stay longest.
Does EES affect Chinese visitors with visas?
Yes. EES applies to non-EU short-stay travellers; fingerprints and a facial image are taken on first entry, so border queues may be longer.
What do I do after getting a French long-stay visa?
A VLS-TS must be validated online after arrival, then converted into a residence card as required. For overall preparation, go back to our complete guide to moving to France.
Sources
- France-Visas – 中国（在华申请法国签证） (accessed October 2026)
- Ambassade de France en Chine – Demander un visa pour la France (accessed October 2026)
- Ambassade de France en Chine – ETIAS / Aller en Europe (accessed October 2026)
- European Commission – Entry/Exit System (EES) (accessed October 2026)
- Auswärtiges Amt – Adjustment of the fee for a Schengen visa (11 June 2024) (accessed October 2026)
- Business France – Talent – EU Blue Card (accessed October 2026)
- Service-Public.fr – Protection universelle maladie (PUMa) (accessed October 2026)
- 中华人民共和国驻法兰西共和国大使馆 (accessed October 2026)
- Service-Public.fr – Carte de séjour « passeport talent » (accessed October 2026)
- France-Visas – Visa fees (official fee table) (accessed October 2026)
- France-Visas – Frequently asked questions (travel medical insurance) (accessed October 2026)
- EUR-Lex – Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code), Arts. 12 and 15 (accessed October 2026)
- Service-Public.fr – Étudiant étranger : visa long séjour ou titre de séjour (accessed October 2026)
- Service-Public.fr – Un étudiant non européen peut-il travailler en France ? (accessed October 2026)
- Service-Public.fr – Regroupement familial (accessed October 2026)
