Documents required for the Visa (Exchange Program: France)

Do not hesitate to contact us if you need any further information

The list of documents you need to have to make a complete application

Minor Participant“: The list of documents to be provided by the Minor Participant and his legal representative.

Adult Participant“: The list of documents to be provided by the Adult Participant.

Accompanying Adult“: The list of documents to be provided by the Accompanying Adult.

Milna“: The list of documents to be provided by Milna.

Indian School“: The list of documents to be provided by the Indian School

Photo norms“: To understand what photos are required from the Participant

 

The list of documents you need to have to make a complete application
The documents must be arranged in the above given order.

Mandatory Documents:

1 - Passport

1. An ordinary passport or other recognised travel document:
Valid for at least three months from the expiry date of the visa applied for.
Document must have at least two fresh pages.
Those travelling on an “IDENTITY CERTIFICATE” must ensure that this document bears the authorisations for leaving and coming back to India, and that it is accompanied by the “Green Booklet” (Tibetan holders).

2 - Visa application form

2. Complete the Short-stay visa application form online. Print and sign it.
[As minor, Application form to be signed by BOTH parents]
[To know more on how to fill up the Schengen Visa form, check this page]

3 - Visa application receipt

3. Print out of the Visa Application receipt having the list of documents. (Given on the French website once you have submitted the visa application form)

4 - Photographs

4. 2 recent photographs of the applicant.
Please check photograph specifications here.
[Glue the 1st photo on the Visa application form (On the photo zone), leave 1 extra photos in the folder]

5 - Introduction letter {attached}

5. Signed letter of introduction stating purpose of visit.

8 - Financial documents

8. Supporting documents of personal income:

  • Copy of bank statements of the last three months | Copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR-V acknowledgement of the previous 3 financial years | Last three salary slips.
    If the applicant is the proprietor of a company, they must attach:
  • Copy of bank statements of the last three months | Copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR-V acknowledgement of the previous financial year | Copy of company registration certificate (Form B, Certificate of Registration, rule 5(1), or Form ST3, rule 11, certificate of registration) | Copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the company (Companies Act, 1956).
    [Someone is sponsoring you? Like your parents? Attach their documents]
 

10 - Previous Visas

10. Photocopies of Schengen, American, British visas issued over the five years.

11 - Birth Certificate

11. Birth certificate (in case of minors)

12 - Affidavit {attached}

12. Make TWO original affidavits, on Rs.10/- Stamp paper (Or whatever applicable amount in your state)
Signed by Notary
Along with the notary stamp
 One original will be given to the Embassy
The second original will be kept by you for the Indian customs
[THE INDIAN SCHOOL TO KEEP ONE ORIGINAL FOR THE AIRPORT]
[Do not give both originals to the embassy]

13 - Parent's ID

13. Photocopy of both parent’s ID containing their signatures and must be self-attested too.
[Avoid Voter ID card/Aadhaar card, as it has no signature]

14 - Undertaking {attached}

14. Undertaking, signed by the participant himself and by his parents, both Father and Mother.
[No stamp paper required]

 

16 - Legal residence proof

16. Third country nationals residing in India and Nepal must furnish supporting documents attesting to the legality and the authorised duration of their residence here.

 

17 - Authority letter {attached}

17. After application for the visa: Authority letter to collect your passport once it is processed by the Embassy.
[To be given to the person from your group who will collect the passports]

 

22 - Sponsor(s) ID

22. Self attested photocopy of the sponsor(s) ID containing their signatures.
Only if a sponsor (parents, sibling, grand parents, uncle…) is paying for you and you don’t have your own financial documents.
[Avoid Voter ID card/Aadhaar card, as it has no signature]

The list of documents you need to have to make a complete application
The documents must be arranged in the above given order.

Mandatory Documents:

1 - Passport

1. An ordinary passport or other recognised travel document:
Valid for at least three months from the expiry date of the visa applied for.
Document must have at least two fresh pages.
Those travelling on an “IDENTITY CERTIFICATE” must ensure that this document bears the authorisations for leaving and coming back to India, and that it is accompanied by the “Green Booklet” (Tibetan holders).

2 - Visa application form

2. Complete the Short-stay visa application form online. Print and sign it.
[To know more on how to fill up the Schengen Visa form, check this page]

3 - Visa application receipt

3. Print out of the Visa Application receipt having the list of documents. (Given on the French website once you have submitted the visa application form)

4 - Photographs

4. 2 recent photographs of the applicant.
Please check photograph specifications here.
[Glue the 1st photo on the Visa application form (On the photo zone), leave 1 extra photos in the folder]

5 - Introduction letter {attached}

5. Signed letter of introduction stating purpose of visit.

 

8 - Financial documents

8. Supporting documents of personal income:

  • Copy of bank statements of the last three months | Copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR-V acknowledgement of the previous 3 financial years | Last three salary slips.
    If the applicant is the proprietor of a company, they must attach:
  • Copy of bank statements of the last three months | Copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR-V acknowledgement of the previous financial year | Copy of company registration certificate (Form B, Certificate of Registration, rule 5(1), or Form ST3, rule 11, certificate of registration) | Copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the company (Companies Act, 1956).
    [Someone is sponsoring you? Like your parents? Attach their documents]
 

10 - Previous Visas

10. Photocopies of Schengen, American, British visas issued over the five years.

14 - Undertaking {attached}

14. Undertaking, signed by the participant himself.
[No stamp paper required]

 

16 - Legal residence proof

16. Third country nationals residing in India and Nepal must furnish supporting documents attesting to the legality and the authorised duration of their residence here.

17 - Authority letter {attached}

17. After application for the visa: Authority letter to collect your passport once it is processed by the Embassy.
[To be given to the person from your group who will collect the passports]

 

22 - Sponsor(s) ID

22. Self attested photocopy of the sponsor(s) ID containing their signatures.
Only if a sponsor (parents, sibling, grand parents, uncle…) is paying for you and you don’t have your own financial documents.
[Avoid Voter ID card/Aadhaar card, as it has no signature]

The list of documents you need to have to make a complete application
The documents must be arranged in the above given order.

Mandatory Documents:

1 - Passport

1. An ordinary passport or other recognised travel document:
Valid for at least three months from the expiry date of the visa applied for.
Document must have at least two fresh pages.
Those travelling on an “IDENTITY CERTIFICATE” must ensure that this document bears the authorisations for leaving and coming back to India, and that it is accompanied by the “Green Booklet” (Tibetan holders).

2 - Visa application form

2. Complete the Short-stay visa application form online. Print and sign it.
[To know more on how to fill up the Schengen Visa form, check this page]

3 - Visa application receipt

3. Print out of the Visa Application receipt having the list of documents. (Given on the French website once you have submitted the visa application form)

4 - Photographs

4. 2 recent photographs of the applicant.
Please check photograph specifications here.
[Glue the 1st photo on the Visa application form (On the photo zone), leave 1 extra photos in the folder]

5 - Introduction letter {attached}

5. Signed letter of introduction stating purpose of visit.

 

8 - Financial documents

8. Supporting documents of personal income:

  • Copy of bank statements of the last three months | Copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR-V acknowledgement of the previous 3 financial years | Last three salary slips.
    If the applicant is the proprietor of a company, they must attach:
  • Copy of bank statements of the last three months | Copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR-V acknowledgement of the previous financial year | Copy of company registration certificate (Form B, Certificate of Registration, rule 5(1), or Form ST3, rule 11, certificate of registration) | Copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the company (Companies Act, 1956).

10 - Previous Visas

10. Photocopies of Schengen, American, British visas issued over the five years.

14 - Undertaking {attached}

14. Undertaking, signed by the participant himself.
[No stamp paper required]

16 - Legal residence proof

16. Third country nationals residing in India and Nepal must furnish supporting documents attesting to the legality and the authorised duration of their residence here.

17 - Authority letter {attached}

17. After application for the visa: Authority letter to collect your passport once it is processed by the Embassy.
[To be given to the person from your group who will collect the passports]

 

22 - Sponsor(s) ID

22. Self attested photocopy of the sponsor(s) ID containing their signatures.
Only if a sponsor (parents, sibling, grand parents, uncle…) is paying for you and you don’t have your own financial documents.
[Avoid Voter ID card/Aadhaar card, as it has no signature]

24 - Latest salary slip

Latest salary slip photocopy (from the Indian school)
To attach to [21]

The list of documents you need to have to make a complete application

Mandatory Documents:

18 - Letter on school letter head {attached}

 A letter on the school’s letter head, signed by the Principal along with the school’s stamp
TWO ORIGINALS, one of the Embassy, the second original, keep it and bring it to France)
 A copy of the document in each application

 

19 - List with all the participants’ name {attached}

A list with all the participants’ name.
 In Alphabetic order (With the Family name first) on the school’s letter head, signed by the Principal along with the school’s stamp
TWO ORIGINALS, one of the Embassy, the second original, keep it and bring it to France)
 A copy of the document in each application.

20 - Participant's full list {attached}

Full list, in Alphabetic order, have 2 copies for the entire group.
[Letter Head not required. Just sign and stamp it by the Indian school]
Only two copies for the entire group.

 

21 - School documents

 A letter on the school’s letter head, signed by the Principal along with the school’s stamp, mentioning that the accompanying adults are part of in the concerned school.

The list of documents you need to have to make a complete application

Mandatory Documents:

6 - Travel medical insurance policy

Copy of travel medical insurance policy of not less than 30,000 Euros. The policy must cover medical and hospitalisation expenses for the entire period of valid stay on Schengen territory as well as repatriation costs.
[Milna will provide it]

 

7 - Airline ticket

Copy of confirmed round trip air tickets.
[Milna will provide it]

9 - Detailed itinerary

If a group exchange program, attach detailed itinerary.
[Milna will provide it]

25 - Invitation letter

Invitation letter validated by the French school.
[Milna will provide it]

26 - Participant list

Participant list validated by the French school.
[Milna will provide it]

 

 The Embassy cannot accept photographs that do not meet these requirements

Please provide two recent photographs (not more than 6 months old) of yourself. The photographs should be in color and:

Taken against a light background (white or off-white) so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
Clear share quality and with the face in focus.
Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
Full face, non-smiling [without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background].
Please stick the Photograph on the Visa Application Form.


 Please follow these instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these requirements your application will be considered incomplete.
Sample photograph

  1. ATTENTION, Visa application steps are getting updated by the government
  2. Some information or steps on how to fill up the visa form might differ or might not be correct anymore.
  3. We request you to follow the instructions given by the French Embassy. If it differ with what we have mentioned here, please provide both and contact us
  4. A free visa is given for the groups going on an Exchange program. The decision of free or paid visa is exclusively taken by the French Embassy.
  5. VFS charges extra amount to process your application (~2588INR/person).
  6. Other VFS services are not free and to be paid by the participant if he/she needs them.
  7. This list of document is combining the general list given by the French Embassy and the extra documents specific to the Exchange program groups.
  8. Milna tries to keep the list up to date, however, please note that the French Embassy reserves the right to ask extra documents or change the list of documents at anytime without prior notice.
  9. Your documents might be returned to you if:
    – Spoiled (food, torn, unnecessarily folded, bad quality printing…)
    – The number of required photocopies is not provided
    – The documents are not in order…
  10. Most common mistakes:
    – Bad quality photos, not matching the Embassy requirement
    – Missing signatures
    – Absence of notary stamp on the affidavit
    – Personal data not matching the passport (address should be the real one, don’t use the passport address if no more your place of stay)
    – Pasting more than 1 photo on the Visa form
    – Providing documents in a format other than A4 size. Please do not cut them. (Except for bank statement or other document provided to you in another size).
    – Printing photos of documents instead of making proper scan/photocopy