France Schengen Visa Cost UK: Complete Fee Breakdown 2026
Last updated: 29 August 2026. The visa fees below come from the European Commission and the official French fee table. Service charges come from TLScontact, the company the French Consulate uses to receive applications in the UK. Where we could not verify a figure at source, we say so rather than print a number we cannot stand behind.
Two payments exist and applicants routinely confuse them. The visa fee goes to the French state and is fixed in euros by EU rules. The service fee goes to TLScontact. There is also one rule that saves French applicants a journey that Spanish and Italian applicants cannot avoid.
Note before you read on: Visard no longer monitors France appointments from the UK. Our France visa page for UK applicants sets out the route and the Schengen destinations we do cover from here.
What a France Schengen visa costs from the UK in 2026
What you pay | Amount | Paid to | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|---|
Schengen visa fee, adult | €90 | French state | Yes |
Schengen visa fee, child aged 6 to under 12 | €45 | French state | Yes |
Schengen visa fee, child under 6 | Free | — | Exempt |
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint Martin, Saint-Barthélemy | €60 | French state | Yes |
New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, French Southern and Antarctic Lands | €9 | French state | Yes |
TLScontact service charge | See the note below | TLScontact | Yes |
Booking the appointment itself | Free | — | Never charged |
Travel medical insurance | Minimum €30,000 cover | Your insurer | Yes |
The €90 and €45 figures took effect on 11 June 2024, when the Schengen fee rose from €80 and €40. They are set at EU level and are the same whichever Schengen country you apply to. The overseas-territory rates are genuinely lower: a trip to Martinique or Réunion is a €60 visa, not €90.
The service fee: what we can and cannot confirm
We could not verify the current TLScontact UK service charge at source. TLScontact's own site would not serve us the fee page, and its published service summary does not state the figure. The numbers in circulation disagree: France-Visas has described the service fee as a range of €40 to €55, while various UK guides quote around £32 to £35. Budget for the upper end and confirm the exact figure in your TLScontact account before your appointment.
One thing is certain and worth knowing, because it is how people get defrauded: booking the appointment is free. TLScontact states it plainly: "Booking an appointment via TLScontact is free of charge and please beware of fake online agencies." Anyone charging you purely to secure a slot is not TLScontact.
The rule that saves you a journey
This is where France differs from its neighbours, and it is worth knowing before you book anything. France operates no consular area in the UK. TLScontact states it directly: "The Consulate General of France in London is accepting visa applications from all over the United Kingdom. There are no consular areas."
In practice that means a UK resident may apply at whichever French centre is convenient or has availability. If London is full, Manchester or Edinburgh is a legitimate alternative rather than a workaround.
Country applied to | Can you choose your centre? |
|---|---|
France | Yes. No consular areas in the UK |
Spain | No. Your county decides the centre |
Italy | No. London or Edinburgh consulate by region |
Spanish applicants are told plainly that an application from outside a centre's jurisdiction will not be accepted, and Italy splits the UK between its London and Edinburgh consulates. France does neither. If you are comparing destinations, see the Spain visa cost breakdown for UK applicants and the Italy visa fee breakdown from the UK.
When to apply, and how long it takes
Stage | Official guidance |
|---|---|
Earliest you can lodge an application | 180 days before your planned travel dates |
Total time to allow | At least 20 working days |
Decision once the file reaches the consulate | Usually 2 to 15 working days |
The 180-day window is the most useful number here. Applying five months ahead is allowed and removes almost all appointment pressure. If travel is already close, read how to get a Schengen visa appointment fast in the UK, or see what to do when you cannot find a Schengen visa appointment.
Travel insurance: the figure is in euros
Cover of at least €30,000 for medical costs and repatriation is required under Article 15 of the EU Visa Code, valid across the Schengen area for the whole trip. A policy quoting £25,000 or £30,000 does not automatically satisfy it after conversion, and this is one of the most frequent avoidable refusals.
How you pay
Fees are paid at the centre on the day of your appointment. Although the visa fee is set in euros, it is paid in pounds at the consular rate on the day. American Express is not accepted; bring a debit card or another credit card.
Who does not pay the visa fee
Children under 6. Fully exempt from the visa fee.
Family members of EU, EEA and Swiss nationals exercising free movement rights.
School pupils on organised school trips, where they appear on an official list of travellers.
Researchers travelling for scientific purposes under the relevant EU provisions.
An exemption from the visa fee does not always remove the service charge. Confirm your category at the centre.
Where the money actually goes wrong
Paying an agency purely to book. The appointment itself is free. This is the single most common way applicants lose money on a French visa.
Budgeting only for the visa fee. The service charge is per application, so a family pays it once each.
Insurance quoted in pounds. Below €30,000 after conversion is a refusal, not a warning.
Paying the €90 rate for an overseas territory. Martinique, Réunion and Guadeloupe are €60; New Caledonia and French Polynesia are €9.
Leaving it late. The window opens 180 days out and the official advice is to allow 20 working days.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a France Schengen visa from the UK in 2026?
€90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to under 12, plus the TLScontact service charge. Children under 6 pay no visa fee. Visas for Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthélemy cost €60.
Does it cost anything to book the appointment?
No. TLScontact states that booking an appointment is free of charge, and warns against agencies that charge purely for a slot.
Can I apply at any UK centre?
Yes. France operates no consular areas in the UK, so you may choose between the centres freely. Spain and Italy both work the other way.
Are the fees refundable if my visa is refused?
No. The visa fee covers processing the application, not its outcome, and the service charge is not refundable either.
How far in advance can I apply?
Up to 180 days before your planned travel dates, and France-Visas advises allowing at least 20 working days in total.
Official sources checked for this update
European Commission, Schengen visa fee increase: the €90 adult and €45 child figures and the 11 June 2024 effective date.
France-Visas, United Kingdom: the centres, the 180-day window, the 20-working-day guidance, the 2 to 15 working day decision period, and the payment rules.
TLScontact, UK service summary: that there are no consular areas and that booking an appointment is free of charge. Note that this document is not fully current in other respects, so we have not taken figures from it.
France Schengen Visa Cost UK: Complete Fee Breakdown 2026
Last updated: 29 August 2026. The visa fees below come from the European Commission and the official French fee table. Service charges come from TLScontact, the company the French Consulate uses to receive applications in the UK. Where we could not verify a figure at source, we say so rather than print a number we cannot stand behind.
Two payments exist and applicants routinely confuse them. The visa fee goes to the French state and is fixed in euros by EU rules. The service fee goes to TLScontact. There is also one rule that saves French applicants a journey that Spanish and Italian applicants cannot avoid.
Note before you read on: Visard no longer monitors France appointments from the UK. Our France visa page for UK applicants sets out the route and the Schengen destinations we do cover from here.
What a France Schengen visa costs from the UK in 2026
What you pay | Amount | Paid to | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|---|
Schengen visa fee, adult | €90 | French state | Yes |
Schengen visa fee, child aged 6 to under 12 | €45 | French state | Yes |
Schengen visa fee, child under 6 | Free | — | Exempt |
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint Martin, Saint-Barthélemy | €60 | French state | Yes |
New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, French Southern and Antarctic Lands | €9 | French state | Yes |
TLScontact service charge | See the note below | TLScontact | Yes |
Booking the appointment itself | Free | — | Never charged |
Travel medical insurance | Minimum €30,000 cover | Your insurer | Yes |
The €90 and €45 figures took effect on 11 June 2024, when the Schengen fee rose from €80 and €40. They are set at EU level and are the same whichever Schengen country you apply to. The overseas-territory rates are genuinely lower: a trip to Martinique or Réunion is a €60 visa, not €90.
The service fee: what we can and cannot confirm
We could not verify the current TLScontact UK service charge at source. TLScontact's own site would not serve us the fee page, and its published service summary does not state the figure. The numbers in circulation disagree: France-Visas has described the service fee as a range of €40 to €55, while various UK guides quote around £32 to £35. Budget for the upper end and confirm the exact figure in your TLScontact account before your appointment.
One thing is certain and worth knowing, because it is how people get defrauded: booking the appointment is free. TLScontact states it plainly: "Booking an appointment via TLScontact is free of charge and please beware of fake online agencies." Anyone charging you purely to secure a slot is not TLScontact.
The rule that saves you a journey
This is where France differs from its neighbours, and it is worth knowing before you book anything. France operates no consular area in the UK. TLScontact states it directly: "The Consulate General of France in London is accepting visa applications from all over the United Kingdom. There are no consular areas."
In practice that means a UK resident may apply at whichever French centre is convenient or has availability. If London is full, Manchester or Edinburgh is a legitimate alternative rather than a workaround.
Country applied to | Can you choose your centre? |
|---|---|
France | Yes. No consular areas in the UK |
Spain | No. Your county decides the centre |
Italy | No. London or Edinburgh consulate by region |
Spanish applicants are told plainly that an application from outside a centre's jurisdiction will not be accepted, and Italy splits the UK between its London and Edinburgh consulates. France does neither. If you are comparing destinations, see the Spain visa cost breakdown for UK applicants and the Italy visa fee breakdown from the UK.
When to apply, and how long it takes
Stage | Official guidance |
|---|---|
Earliest you can lodge an application | 180 days before your planned travel dates |
Total time to allow | At least 20 working days |
Decision once the file reaches the consulate | Usually 2 to 15 working days |
The 180-day window is the most useful number here. Applying five months ahead is allowed and removes almost all appointment pressure. If travel is already close, read how to get a Schengen visa appointment fast in the UK, or see what to do when you cannot find a Schengen visa appointment.
Travel insurance: the figure is in euros
Cover of at least €30,000 for medical costs and repatriation is required under Article 15 of the EU Visa Code, valid across the Schengen area for the whole trip. A policy quoting £25,000 or £30,000 does not automatically satisfy it after conversion, and this is one of the most frequent avoidable refusals.
How you pay
Fees are paid at the centre on the day of your appointment. Although the visa fee is set in euros, it is paid in pounds at the consular rate on the day. American Express is not accepted; bring a debit card or another credit card.
Who does not pay the visa fee
Children under 6. Fully exempt from the visa fee.
Family members of EU, EEA and Swiss nationals exercising free movement rights.
School pupils on organised school trips, where they appear on an official list of travellers.
Researchers travelling for scientific purposes under the relevant EU provisions.
An exemption from the visa fee does not always remove the service charge. Confirm your category at the centre.
Where the money actually goes wrong
Paying an agency purely to book. The appointment itself is free. This is the single most common way applicants lose money on a French visa.
Budgeting only for the visa fee. The service charge is per application, so a family pays it once each.
Insurance quoted in pounds. Below €30,000 after conversion is a refusal, not a warning.
Paying the €90 rate for an overseas territory. Martinique, Réunion and Guadeloupe are €60; New Caledonia and French Polynesia are €9.
Leaving it late. The window opens 180 days out and the official advice is to allow 20 working days.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a France Schengen visa from the UK in 2026?
€90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to under 12, plus the TLScontact service charge. Children under 6 pay no visa fee. Visas for Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint Martin and Saint-Barthélemy cost €60.
Does it cost anything to book the appointment?
No. TLScontact states that booking an appointment is free of charge, and warns against agencies that charge purely for a slot.
Can I apply at any UK centre?
Yes. France operates no consular areas in the UK, so you may choose between the centres freely. Spain and Italy both work the other way.
Are the fees refundable if my visa is refused?
No. The visa fee covers processing the application, not its outcome, and the service charge is not refundable either.
How far in advance can I apply?
Up to 180 days before your planned travel dates, and France-Visas advises allowing at least 20 working days in total.
Official sources checked for this update
European Commission, Schengen visa fee increase: the €90 adult and €45 child figures and the 11 June 2024 effective date.
France-Visas, United Kingdom: the centres, the 180-day window, the 20-working-day guidance, the 2 to 15 working day decision period, and the payment rules.
TLScontact, UK service summary: that there are no consular areas and that booking an appointment is free of charge. Note that this document is not fully current in other respects, so we have not taken figures from it.
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