A Step-by-Step Guide to Tracking your Visa for France Application

Written by the AXA Schengen team
Date: 05/05/2025

Mission accomplished! You’ve followed to a tee our step-by-step guide on How to apply for your visa for France. You’ve filled out the form, put together the required documents, subscribed to AXA travel insurance and submitted your visa for France application file, in person, at the consular services or visa centre of your place of residence.
Well done! And now what? Well now we wait… But wait! Instead of passively and impatiently wondering if you can pack your little black dress for your evenings out in Paris, if you need to buy a new stylish bathing suit to show off on the French Riviera, or if you can start reading about the most beautiful and/or confidential places to visit in France, you can choose action and track the status of your French visa application.

The AXA team has come up with a few guidelines on how to monitor the progress of your visa request. Here we go!

Where can you track your visa for France application?

Keeping track of the progress of your visa application file depends on where you’ve submitted it.

  • If it was at the French consular services (embassy or consulate) of your place of residence, or at those of another Schengen country representing France​
    → you will monitor your visa for France application on ​the France-Visas website.
  • If it was at a visa application center responsible for processing visa applications for France
    → you can track your visa status ​on the website of the company operating the said visa centre (VFS Global, TLSContact, Capago, etc.).

Good to know

How to log in to your France-Visas account?

To log in to your account, follow the same procedure as when you’ve filled out your application form:

  1. Go to the France-Visas login page (use this link, because finding it on the portal is no easy task!).
  2. Enter your email address and the password chosen when creating your account.
  3. In your personal account, click on “My Applications” to follow the progress of the examination of your visa request.

Where can you find your visa application reference number?

When you applied on the France-Visas website, two documents were issued: your application form and the receipt of your application (confirming it had been registered). Your visa application reference number features on the second document, the receipt.

Who examines, grants or denies visas for France?

The French consular services are in charge of examining your application and of deciding whether or not to grant a visa, and so, whether you have submitted it directly at their services or at a visa centre commissioned by the French government.

Good to know

French authorities may sometimes delegate another Schengen country to receive applicants, review applications, and decide whether to approve or reject a visa request. In accordance with the EU Visa Code, all applications are assessed based on the same standardized criteria, and the visa issued grants the same rights across all Schengen countries

Do private visa centres issue visas for France?

More and more often, Schengen countries commission private companies, such as VFS Global, TLSContact or Capago, to act as intermediaries in the handling of their visa applications.
Their tasks include:

  • Informing applicants
  • Recovering application files
  • Collecting biometric data
  • Receiving the visa and service fees
  • Monitoring the applications
  • Returning passports

PLEASE NOTE
Visa centres are not part of the decision-making process.
They are never in charge of examining files or of deciding to grant or deny a visa request.

What happens once you’ve submitted your visa application?

If you’ve submitted your application at a visa centre, it will therefore be transferred to the competent consular services which will examine your request.

  1. The consular services will first check if:
  • Your application file is complete
  • Your passport and documents are authentic
  • Your biometric data have been collected
  • Your visa fees have been paid

If one or several of these conditions are not met, the visa request is deemed inadmissible and is not examined. Consequently, your visa demand is denied.

  1. If everything is in order, they will examine:
  • The justification of the purpose of your trip.
  • Your mandatory travel insurance subscription for a French visa.
  • It must also be valid in all other Schengen countries.
  • Your intent and ability to leave the Schengen area at the end of your stay.
  • Your accommodation arrangements in France.
  • Your financial means, allowing you to provide for your needs during your stay in the Schengen area.
  1. The consular services also consult the European data files to make sure:
  • This trip will not lead you to overstay your welcome in the Schengen area i.e. stay longer than authorised according to the 90/180 days rule.
  • No alert, such as an entry ban, has been issued against you in the Schengen Information System, prohibiting you from entering France or any other Member States.
  • You do not represent a threat to public order, national security or public health.
  1. In some cases, consular services carry out a “prior consultation” with other Schengen States to make sure they have no objection to a visa being granted.
    PLEASE NOTE
    This consultation systematically applies to certain visa candidates, among which nationals from the following countries:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, D.R. Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, (North) Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen.

Good to know

You might find these articles interesting:

  1. For type D long-stay visas, consular services can carry out additional verifications regarding the purpose of your trip (work, studies, family reunification, etc.)

For more information on different types of French visas, please read the following articles:

  1. The French consular services decide to grant or deny the visa request.
  2. You are then informed that you can retrieve your passport where you’ve left it (an embassy, consulate or visa centre).

How long is the visa examination process?

Caution! Visa processing time is estimated from the moment you submit your application file.

  • For short- stay visas: processing time is usually 15 calendar days and can reach a maximum of 45 days. It can take longer during the busier times of the year (such as Christmas, summer or public holidays, etc.)
  • For long-stay visas: there is no processing time reference, but it can be longer than for short-stay visas as it often involves additional verifications (more thorough checking of personal data for example) and consulting with different French administrative authorities. However, processing time cannot exceed 60 days.

How to track the status of your French visa application online?

Tracking your visa application online allows you to see which stages of the process have been completed and which ones are still pending before a decision is made.

Monitoring your visa application on France-Visas

  1. Log in to your account on the France-Visas website (see procedure above).
  2. Click on “My Applications”

Tracking your visa application submitted at Capago

  1. Go to Capago’s homepage.
  2. Select your home country (and if necessary, France as your destination). You will be redirected to the specific page of your country of residence.
  3. Click on “Track your visa application”.
  4. Log in with your Capago reference number and your email address.
  5. Click on “My Applications”.

Tracking your visa application submitted at TLSContact

  1. Visit TLSContact homepage
  2. Log in thanks to your email address and password created with your TLSContact account.
  3. Click on “My Applications”.

Tracking your visa application submitted at VFS Global

  1. Go to the VFS Global website page dedicated to tracking applications online.
  2. Select the country where you’ve submitted your visa application.
  3. Enter your reference number and your last name.
  4. The status of your visa application appears on the same page, below the login space.

In some (rare!) locations, visa agents might give you information over the phone. Ask them directly, who knows? They might accept.
However, tracking the status of your application online is the simplest way of getting an update on your visa request.

How will you know if your visa for France has been granted?

Whatever the means to track the progress of your visa application, you won’t find out online if your visa has been granted or not.
You can only monitor at what stage of the examination process it is.

IMPORTANT!
You will only be informed of the result of your visa request when you recover your passport.

Where and when will you recover your passport?

Once your visa application has been examined, you will be asked to recover your passport where you have left it i.e. where you’ve submitted your visa file.
Depending on the country, you will be informed by phone, email or text message.

Good to know

In certain situations, you can ask for your passport to be sent back to your home address. You will, however, have to pay for this service.

What are the different possible answers to your French visa application?

After examining your visa application, the consular services can reach 3 different decisions:

  1. Grant your visa.
  2. Grant a visa with limited territorial validity. It means that your visa is only valid in the country for which you applied and not in all Schengen countries.
    This decision can be made when one or several other Schengen States are not in favour of granting your visa.
  3. Deny your visa request.

What is the next step once your visa for France is granted?

You went to recover your passport and found a visa sticker attached to your passport. Your visa for France has been granted! Congratulations!
However, a word of caution on what to do next:

  1. Check the information on your visa.
    Before rushing off to pack your bags: read your visa sticker and check that there are no mistakes or discrepancies between what is written and what features on your application form/passport.
    If that were the case, you could be refused entry in the Schengen area upon your arrival.
    If you notice an error, make sure to inform the consular services as soon as possible (ideally on the spot!) in order for them to correct it if possible.

Make sure to check:

  • The spelling of your first and last names which must be similar on your visa and your passport.
  • Your passport number is correct.
  • The visa granted is the one you applied for (A, C or D).
  • The validity dates of your visa (from… until).
  • The number of entries allowed (1,2 or MULT).
  • The territorial validity of your visa.
  1. Get ready for your trip

To enter the Schengen area, not only will you need your passport which contains your visa but the border police might also ask you to provide all the supporting documents which were enclosed with your visa application file such as your mandatory travel insurance certificate, your accommodation arrangements and proof of your means of subsistence in France.

It is therefore essential that you carry the supporting documents of your visa application with you.
If you fail to provide them, you may be refused entry to France.

BEWARE

While being the holder of a visa for France should technically authorise you to enter the country, the final decision remains in the hands of the border police who can deny you entry in the Schengen area and thus in France.

What are your options if your visa for France is denied?

If your visa for France application is denied, you will be given a document stating the reasons for this refusal and how you can appeal.

  1. If the refusal is due to mistakes and oversights (typos, missing documents, lack of precision, etc.) you can submit a new application, making sure this time it complies with all requirements.
  2. If the refusal is due to more fundamental reasons, you can ask for your application to be re-examined. This must be done within 30 days after the negative decision is reached:
  • for short-stay visas, address your request to the visa sub-directorate (BP 83609, 44036 Nantes Cedex 01).
  • for long- stay visas, address your request to the Commission de Recours contre les Décisions de Refus de visa (CRRV, BP 83609, 44036 Nantes Cedex 01).

In both cases, your letter of appeal must be written in French and you must explain in detail why your application should be reconsidered. Don’t forget to sign it!
You must begin with these steps before proceeding with any other actions. If they are unsuccessful, you can then appeal to an administrative judge.

GOOD TO KNOW!

All AXA Schengen travel insurance plans are refundable in case of visa refusal.

Tips to speed up your French visa application process and avoid rejection

You might find these articles interesting:

FAQ

Can I be asked to provide additional documents during the examination of my visa application?

Usually no. Your file is supposed to be complete when you submit it. For a short-stay visa, no additional documents will be required, and an incomplete file will automatically lead to a visa refusal.
For long-stay visas, consular services can ask the applicant for further documents or to give more details.

Does France refuse visa applications more often than other countries?

According to the statistics published by the European Commission, the refusal rate for Schengen visas for France was 16.7% in 2023 while it reached 16% in the Schengen area as a whole. France is thus within the average rate. Depending on the country, refusal rates range from 2.2% to 37.6%.

How can I be sure my visa application will be processed before my scheduled date of departure?

The best way to avoid visa problems is to start the application process early. For short-stay visas, maximum processing time is 45 days, 60 days for long-stay visas. Add to this, the extra time necessary to book an appointment to submit your application in your country. By taking all this into account, you should be safe in terms of schedule.

AXA already looks after millions of people around the world

With our travel insurance we can take great care of you too

GET A QUOTE

AXA Schengen's Travel Insurances

AXA Schengen Low Cost

AXA Schengen Low Cost is perfect to obtain your Schengen visa. This travel insurance meets all the requirements demanded, covers you in all the countries of the Schengen Area as well as 4 European microstates (Andorra, Vatican City, Monaco and San Marino).

AXA Schengen Europe Travel

AXA Europe Travel is perfect to obtain your Schengen visa. It provides coverage in all the Schengen countries + the European microstates + all the EU countries (including UK, Cyprus and the Republic of Ireland). And you get additional guarantees compared to AXA Schengen Low Cost.

AXA Schengen Multi Trip

AXA Multi Trip is perfect to obtain your Schengen visa. This annual travel insurance is ideal for those who often travel to Europe as well as multiple-entry Schengen visa holders. You get the same guarantees as AXA Schengen Multi Trip for different countries during 90 days.