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Online, physical or both?
Start online
Use the France-Visas visa wizard to confirm that France is the correct Schengen state to handle the application and generate the document list for the applicant's purpose, nationality and residence. Then create the France-Visas application, complete the online form accurately, upload documents where the system offers that option, then print the final application form and receipt.
A physical step is required
The in-person or assisted stage stated in this guide is: Attend the authorised visa-centre appointment to lodge the application; the centre will take fingerprints from applicants who are subject to Schengen biometric collection. Pay the visa and authorised service charges using the payment method stated for that centre.
Find official offices/centres →If this specific process gets stuck
Use France-Visas's official support/contact route and quote the reference generated by this application.
View agency guidance →Only authorised routes. We never present an unofficial agent, cybercafé or third-party payment page as an alternative unless the responsible agency authorises it.
Documents, details and prerequisites you need
This is the complete pre-start checklist from the verified guide. Each item below explains what it is for, where it enters the process and whether the official source actually specifies an original, copy or upload.
A valid passport issued within the previous 10 years, with at least two blank pages and normally valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure from the Schengen area
- Why you need it
- Used to identify the applicant's current passport record or to support the passport transaction described in this guide.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 5: Track the application through the official route and collect the passport when notified; if the visa is issued, verify the validity dates, number of entries and permitted stay before travelling.
- Original, copy or upload?
- The official sources used for this guide do not specify original vs copy here. Follow the exact portal or office prompt instead of assuming.
Completed France-Visas/Schengen application form and the printed application receipt required for the appointment
- Why you need it
- Used to prove or trace the official payment if the transaction needs confirmation or support.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 2: Create the France-Visas application, complete the online form accurately, upload documents where the system offers that option, then print the final application form and receipt.
- Original, copy or upload?
- A digital upload is explicitly part of step 2. Prepare a clear file that follows the portal's size/format rules.
Two recent passport photographs meeting the France-Visas/ICAO format
- Why you need it
- Used to identify the applicant's current passport record or to support the passport transaction described in this guide.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 3: Book the submission appointment through the official Nigeria route shown by France-Visas and prepare the passport, photos, insurance, financial/accommodation evidence and original/copy supporting documents.
- Original, copy or upload?
- Original is explicitly referenced in the guide. Take the original to the relevant verification or physical stage.
Travel medical insurance covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the Schengen stay
- Why you need it
- This item is explicitly listed in the verified pre-start requirements for this service. Have it ready before beginning so the application is not interrupted.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 5: Track the application through the official route and collect the passport when notified; if the visa is issued, verify the validity dates, number of entries and permitted stay before travelling.
- Original, copy or upload?
- The official sources used for this guide do not specify original vs copy here. Follow the exact portal or office prompt instead of assuming.
Evidence of the trip purpose, accommodation, sufficient financial means and intention to return to Nigeria after the visit
- Why you need it
- This item is explicitly listed in the verified pre-start requirements for this service. Have it ready before beginning so the application is not interrupted.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 3: Book the submission appointment through the official Nigeria route shown by France-Visas and prepare the passport, photos, insurance, financial/accommodation evidence and original/copy supporting documents.
- Original, copy or upload?
- Original is explicitly referenced in the guide. Take the original to the relevant verification or physical stage.
Originals and photocopies of the supporting documents identified by the France-Visas visa wizard for the applicant's exact purpose and circumstances
- Why you need it
- Used for the applicant image or identity record. Follow the exact size/background/ICAO rule shown by the responsible agency.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 1: Use the France-Visas visa wizard to confirm that France is the correct Schengen state to handle the application and generate the document list for the applicant's purpose, nationality and residence.
- Original, copy or upload?
- Original is explicitly referenced in the guide. Take the original to the relevant verification or physical stage.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow the process in order. Each step also shows what to have ready, what to check before continuing and what evidence to keep. Where the agency does not publish an extra requirement, this guide does not invent one.
Use the France-Visas visa wizard to confirm that France is the correct Schengen state to handle the application and generate the document list for the applicant's purpose, nationality and residence.
- Originals and photocopies of the supporting documents identified by the France-Visas visa wizard for the applicant's exact purpose and circumstances
- Completed France-Visas/Schengen application form and the printed application receipt required for the appointment
- Two recent passport photographs meeting the France-Visas/ICAO format
Check that every file belongs to the correct applicant/record, is readable and matches the portal prompt before upload.
Keep any reference, confirmation, screenshot or acknowledgement generated by the official route.
Create the France-Visas application, complete the online form accurately, upload documents where the system offers that option, then print the final application form and receipt.
- Completed France-Visas/Schengen application form and the printed application receipt required for the appointment
- Two recent passport photographs meeting the France-Visas/ICAO format
- Originals and photocopies of the supporting documents identified by the France-Visas visa wizard for the applicant's exact purpose and circumstances
Check that every file belongs to the correct applicant/record, is readable and matches the portal prompt before upload.
Keep the final document/result plus any receipt or reference used to obtain it.
Book the submission appointment through the official Nigeria route shown by France-Visas and prepare the passport, photos, insurance, financial/accommodation evidence and original/copy supporting documents.
- Originals and photocopies of the supporting documents identified by the France-Visas visa wizard for the applicant's exact purpose and circumstances
- Evidence of the trip purpose, accommodation, sufficient financial means and intention to return to Nigeria after the visit
- Completed France-Visas/Schengen application form and the printed application receipt required for the appointment
Check that every file belongs to the correct applicant/record, is readable and matches the portal prompt before upload.
Keep the appointment, acknowledgement or reference you may need at the physical stage.
Attend the authorised visa-centre appointment to lodge the application; the centre will take fingerprints from applicants who are subject to Schengen biometric collection. Pay the visa and authorised service charges using the payment method stated for that centre.
- Completed France-Visas/Schengen application form and the printed application receipt required for the appointment
- Two recent passport photographs meeting the France-Visas/ICAO format
- Originals and photocopies of the supporting documents identified by the France-Visas visa wizard for the applicant's exact purpose and circumstances
Confirm the service, applicant/entity details and amount on the official payment screen before paying. Do not continue from an unsolicited payment link.
Keep the official receipt, payment reference or transaction ID.
Track the application through the official route and collect the passport when notified; if the visa is issued, verify the validity dates, number of entries and permitted stay before travelling.
- A valid passport issued within the previous 10 years, with at least two blank pages and normally valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure from the Schengen area
- Two recent passport photographs meeting the France-Visas/ICAO format
- Completed France-Visas/Schengen application form and the printed application receipt required for the appointment
Check the finished document/result for spelling, identity details, reference numbers and status before relying on it.
Keep the final document/result plus any receipt or reference used to obtain it.
What exactly happens next?
Keep the application/reference number, payment receipt, acknowledgement or downloadable record produced by this service.
Track the application through the official route and collect the passport when notified; if the visa is issued, verify the validity dates, number of entries and permitted stay before travelling.
The normal Schengen decision period is 15 days and can extend to 45 days. France-Visas Nigeria advises short-stay applicants to allow more than 1 month between lodging the file and the planned departure.
Use France-Visas's official support channel with the application/reference details.
Important notes
- For a multi-country Schengen trip, apply to the country that is the main destination by length/purpose; if stays are equal, apply to the country of first entry.
- France-Visas states that, from 17 November 2025 until further notice, its Abuja TLS centre accepts only specified categories such as family of French nationals, family reunification and diplomatic travel; other applicants should follow the current Nigeria page when choosing a submission centre.
- A short-stay Schengen visa normally covers up to 90 days in any 180-day period; long-stay visas follow national rules.
Common questions
These answers are generated from the verified requirements, route, fee, timeline and official-source notes for this specific service.
What should I prepare before I start?
Prepare before you begin by gathering every item below. The detailed checklist above explains why each one is needed, where it is used, and whether the official source specifies an original, copy or upload.
- A valid passport issued within the previous 10 years, with at least two blank pages and normally valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure from the Schengen area — Document
- Completed France-Visas/Schengen application form and the printed application receipt required for the appointment — Payment / transaction evidence
- Two recent passport photographs meeting the France-Visas/ICAO format — Document
- Travel medical insurance covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the Schengen stay — Other requirement
- Evidence of the trip purpose, accommodation, sufficient financial means and intention to return to Nigeria after the visit — Other requirement
- Originals and photocopies of the supporting documents identified by the France-Visas visa wizard for the applicant's exact purpose and circumstances — Document
Can I do this online, or do I need to visit an office?
Online + physical visit. Use the France-Visas visa wizard to confirm that France is the correct Schengen state to handle the application and generate the document list for the applicant's purpose, nationality and residence. Then create the France-Visas application, complete the online form accurately, upload documents where the system offers that option, then print the final application form and receipt.
The in-person or assisted stage stated in this guide is: Attend the authorised visa-centre appointment to lodge the application; the centre will take fingerprints from applicants who are subject to Schengen biometric collection. Pay the visa and authorised service charges using the payment method stated for that centre.
How much does this service cost?
€90 adult Schengen visa fee; €45 for children aged 6–12 — The European Commission lists €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12. An authorised visa-centre service charge can be additional.
Pay only through the responsible agency or the official payment channel linked in this guide.
How long should it take?
The normal Schengen decision period is 15 days and can extend to 45 days. France-Visas Nigeria advises short-stay applicants to allow more than 1 month between lodging the file and the planned departure.
Processing can still take longer where identity checks, document corrections, payment confirmation or manual review are required.
What happens after I submit or complete the main step?
Keep the evidence for France Schengen visa: Keep the application/reference number, payment receipt, acknowledgement or downloadable record produced by this service.
Complete the final published step: Track the application through the official route and collect the passport when notified; if the visa is issued, verify the validity dates, number of entries and permitted stay before travelling.
What should I do if the portal, payment or application gets stuck?
Use France-Visas's official support/contact route and quote the reference generated by this application.
Keep any application number, receipt, acknowledgement, transaction reference or screenshot that can help the agency trace the request.
What should I be careful about?
- For a multi-country Schengen trip, apply to the country that is the main destination by length/purpose; if stays are equal, apply to the country of first entry.
- France-Visas states that, from 17 November 2025 until further notice, its Abuja TLS centre accepts only specified categories such as family of French nationals, family reunification and diplomatic travel; other applicants should follow the current Nigeria page when choosing a submission centre.
How do I verify that these instructions are current?
This guide was last checked on 2026-09-28. The official government or agency sources used to verify it are listed directly below this section.
Where an agency changes a fee, deadline or procedure, the official source takes priority over this independent guide.
Is MyNigeriaGuide the government website for this service?
No. MyNigeriaGuide is an independent information service. Applications, payments, approvals and final decisions remain with the responsible government agency.
Visa questions Nigerians commonly need answered
Foreign visa rules are country-specific. These answers explain the issues that commonly cause confusion without inventing a universal bank balance, sponsor rule or appeal process.
How much money must be in my bank account?
Evidence of the trip purpose, accommodation, sufficient financial means and intention to return to Nigeria after the visit
Use the exact financial-evidence rule in the checklist above. The evidence should match who is paying for the trip, the trip length and the application form. Do not rely on an unofficial agent's fixed “required balance” unless the destination authority itself publishes that amount.
Can another person or company sponsor my trip?
Only use sponsorship where this visa route accepts it. If a sponsor is paying, follow the country-specific checklist for the sponsor letter, relationship to the applicant, identity or immigration-status evidence, financial evidence and any undertaking/responsibility form.
Sponsorship does not automatically replace documents the destination still requires from the applicant, such as employment, study, business, family or other evidence connected to the applicant's own circumstances.
What if the applicant is under 18?
Minor-applicant rules differ by destination and are not safely interchangeable between countries.
Where the detailed checklist above does not list a child rule, open the exact official instructions before submitting. Birth certificates, parental/guardian consent, parent IDs/passports, custody documents and details of the adult travelling with or hosting the child can be required.
Should I buy a flight ticket before the visa is approved?
Use the type of travel evidence the official checklist asks for. Several visitor-visa systems ask for a reservation or itinerary rather than a non-refundable paid ticket. Do not turn a reservation requirement into an unnecessary non-refundable purchase.
If this country's official instructions specifically require a paid ticket or another form of confirmed travel, that country-specific requirement takes priority.
What happens if the visa is refused?
Read the refusal/decision letter first. It should identify the reason and, where the law provides one, the appeal, review or reconsideration route. Some visa systems instead expect a new application.
If you reapply, address the stated reason and disclose previous refusals whenever the form asks. Do not submit altered, false or contradictory documents to try to overcome a refusal.
Does getting the visa guarantee entry at the airport or border?
No. A visa normally allows you to travel to a border and request entry; border authorities can still check whether you meet the entry conditions and whether the purpose of travel matches the visa.
What should I carry when I actually travel?
Keep your passport and visa/eVisa or grant notice accessible. Also carry the important evidence relevant to your trip, such as return/onward travel, accommodation or host details, invitation letter, travel insurance and evidence of funds or sponsorship where those formed part of the visa route.
Official sources
These are the government or agency pages used to verify this guide. Open them directly whenever you want to confirm the source.
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