Spain
Get information, make an appointment, and submit your application
Apply for a visa for France
Visa application files for legal residents in Spain, Portugal and Andorra are processed only by appointment at the visa department of the Consulate General of France in Madrid, which is exclusively authorised to process visa applications for the Iberian Peninsula and Andorra.
All non-EU citizens are requested to apply for a long stay visa for France, whatever the length of the stay.
All visa applications (except for family reunification) must be applied at least 30 days prior to the expected date of departure.
The Consulate only attends in English, French or Spanish. If the applicant doesn’t speak any of these languages, he must come with someone who does.
What are the application fees?
A visa application file can only be processed after payment of visa fees charged by the French administration, which have to be payed cash or by credit card. Payment by check cannot be accepted.
These fees do not represent to the visa cost but the visa processing expenses. A receipt corresponding to the paid amount will be provided to the visa applicant.
No reimbursement, even partial, will be provided in case of visa refusal.
Book an appointment
When all your visa application file documents are ready, you can fix an appointment with the visa department of the Consulate General of France in Madrid. This step can only be achieved by internet. It is free of charge and does not require any further intervention.
The appointment requested prior to your visa application will ease your reception. This step slightly reduces waiting time and allows a better file treatment.
Appointment and visa processing duration
The visa department is doing its best to process visa applications within an estimated 4 to 5 working days period, but this deadline can be postponed due to additional checkings, a relevant number of visa applications or technical problems.
We advise you to fix an appointment with sufficient time (minimum 30 days in advance) before your expected date of departure in order to avoid any inconvenience. A visa application can be deposited up to 6 months before the date of departure.
Consulate General of France in Madrid
(By appointment only)
| Lundi | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Mardi | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Mercredi | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Jeudi | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Vendredi | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Samedi | Fermé |
| Dimanche | Fermé |
Diplomatic and official passports: appointments must be made in advance.
(Without an appointment)
| Lundi | 17:00 - 17:30 |
| Mardi | Fermé |
| Mercredi | 17:00 - 17:30 |
| Jeudi | Fermé |
| Vendredi | Fermé |
| Samedi | Fermé |
| Dimanche | Fermé |
Practical informations
Useful info concerning your appointment processing
Personal appearance :
Visa applicants must show up personally for their visa application at the Consulate general. Incomplete files are likely to be rejected.
Prepare your appointment
The following items should be prepared before your visit to our visa department :
- Your passport must be valid. The validity date of your passport must be superior to 3 months at the end of the requested visa validity
- The visa form must be printed, dated and duly signed, with a recent picture, in accordance with the following norm : norme ISO/IEC (pdf)
- The supporting documents' list
- The requested supporting documents figuring on this list, duly presented in the right order and ticked on the list
The above mentioned supporting documents must be provided in two copies : one file with original documents and second file with copies (in A4 formate).
- The respective visa fee amount, to be paid by credit card.
Biometric enrolment
All visas issued by France are biometric.
All visa applicants older than 12 have to appear personally at the time of their first visa application. The following biometric data will be collected during the meeting : one photograph, scanned or shot during the enrolment, and 10 digital prints, collected on a flat hand and digitised.
Children below 12 are exempted from biometric enrolment. However, the child presence is compulsory during the visa application. The child visa file must be presented by one of the two parents or by the legal guardian of the child. The child picture, compliant to norm norme ISO/IEC (pdf), will be scanned.
Follow your application.
You can follow the progress of your request from your France-Visas account, under "My applications".
Official / Diplomatic passports
Appontments can only be placed individually by mail or phone contact.
Visas granted to holders of diplomatic passports in the framework of their professional activity are free of charge.
In case of any problem related with your visa application, the visa department of the Consulate General of France in Madrid can answer the questions you may send at this email address.