France Visit Visa Guides

Paris, the Riviera and family ties draw Pakistani visitors to France throughout the year. Because France belongs to the Schengen area and Pakistani nationals are not exempt, a short trip needs a uniform short-stay visa issued before departure. France handles applications from Pakistan in its own way, through a sequence of France-Visas, AEG Travel Services and the French Embassy in Islamabad, and it does not use VFS Global or TLScontact for ordinary passports here.

France-Visas is the government portal for the form, the checklist and tracking. Its visa wizard confirms which visa you need and generates a personalised document list for your situation, so build your file from that list rather than from a Spanish or German checklist. France should be your main destination, meaning the longest stay; with equal stays, it is the country where you first enter the Schengen area.

Appointments for ordinary passports are made through AEG Travel Services, the provider named on the France-Visas Pakistan page. AEG has offices in several cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Multan and Sialkot, and France-Visas says requests must go through one of them. Expect to visit an office in person with your documents to secure a slot rather than booking by phone. AEG charges its own service fees, separate from the visa fee, and it neither grants nor refuses visas.

The interview and fingerprints take place at the visa section of the French Embassy in the Diplomatic Enclave in Islamabad. Applicants commonly reach it on the Diplomatic Shuttle Service, so arrive early as your AEG receipt instructs. Bring your current and previous passports, your CNIC, the AEG receipt, the printed France-Visas application and originals plus copies of everything on your list. France-specific details, such as how many months of bank statements to show, sponsor letters, approved insurers and authorised translation centres, appear on France-Visas and the embassy's visa pages.

Common errors include starting on an unofficial agent portal instead of France-Visas, assuming a VFS or TLScontact centre will take a French file, applying to France when most nights are elsewhere, and leaving the AEG booking until the summer rush, when slots are scarce. The wait for an appointment is separate from the consulate's decision time, so book as soon as your dates are firm. Treat any site selling guaranteed French visas as a scam.

Guides on this site: our France visit visa guide for Pakistani passport holders at /france/pakistan details every step from the wizard to collection, with the published fee and decision window. For booking strategy across countries, see our guide to Schengen appointments in Pakistan at /guides/schengen-visa-appointment-pakistan.

Does France use VFS or TLScontact in Pakistan? No. For ordinary passports, appointments go through AEG Travel Services, and the interview and biometrics take place at the French Embassy in Islamabad.

Where is the French visa interview held? At the visa section of the French Embassy in Islamabad's Diplomatic Enclave. Follow the arrival instructions on your AEG receipt.

Can I book a French appointment by phone? Do not expect to. AEG offices typically need an in-person visit with your documents to secure the slot.

Can I track my French visa application? Yes. France-Visas is the official place to follow your file after lodging, until your passport is ready to collect.