France Visit Visa from Pakistan

France is a Schengen State. Pakistani nationals are not visa-exempt for short tourist stays, so you need a Schengen Short-Stay Visa (Type C) before travel. That visa allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area, within the dates and entries printed on the sticker and subject to border checks.

Apply at the mission of your main destination (longest stay). If stays are equal, apply where you will first enter Schengen. For a France-centred trip, that means the French channel described below—not another Schengen country’s VAC.

Pakistani passports need a Schengen short-stay visa for France, so you must apply before travel through France-Visas.

France does not use VFS Global or TLScontact as the ordinary-passport appointment channel in Pakistan. The French Embassy and France-Visas point applicants to a France-specific stack:

Start on the official portal France-Visas. The French Embassy in Pakistan also summarises the same flow on France in Pakistan — Applying for a visa:

1. Run the Visa wizard to confirm you need a short-stay visa and to see the document list and fee band for your case.
2. Create an account and complete the application online on France-Visas.
3. Follow the portal’s instructions on where and how to submit in Pakistan.
4. After lodging, track the file on France-Visas until the passport is ready for collection.

France-Visas is the one-stop official site for form, checklist, and status—use it rather than third-party “agent” portals.

For ordinary passports, appointments to submit a French visa application in Pakistan are made through AEG Travel Services (Pvt) Ltd, the provider named on the official France-Visas — Applying in Pakistan (AEG appointments) page. France-Visas says appointment requests must be made at one of 10 AEG offices, listed on AEG's website (including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Multan, and Sialkot—confirm the live list there). You pay AEG’s service charges at the centre; those charges are separate from the Schengen visa fee.

Important practice notes from the official/embassy-linked channel:

• Book well ahead; summer and peak seasons often mean longer waits for an interview slot.
• You may lodge a Schengen application up to six months before travel (EU rule).
• Self-appearance for biometrics/interview is the default; follow AEG’s current rules if a blood relative books on your behalf.
• Do not expect telephone-only booking—centres typically require an in-person visit with documents to secure the slot.

After AEG issues your appointment, ordinary-passport applicants attend the French Embassy visa section in Islamabad (Diplomatic Enclave, G-5). On the day, Islamabad appointments commonly use the Diplomatic Shuttle Service near Quaid-e-Azam University Road, G-5—arrive early as instructed on your AEG receipt. Consular staff collect fingerprints and a photograph (children under 12 are generally exempt from fingerprinting under Visa Code practice). Bring current and previous passports, CNIC, the AEG receipt, the France-Visas printout, and originals plus copies per the checklist the wizard generated.

The embassy—not AEG—decides the visa. AEG schedules and collects service fees; it does not grant or refuse visas.

Use the personalised list from France-Visas for your trip. The European Commission’s short-stay baseline (consulates may ask for more) is:

1. Valid passport (expiry at least 3 months after planned departure from Schengen; enough blank pages)
2. Completed France-Visas / Schengen application form
3. ICAO-compliant passport photo
4. Travel medical insurance covering emergency care, hospitalisation, and repatriation
5. Proof of purpose (itinerary), accommodation, financial means, and intention to return
6. Biometrics when lodging (fingerprints often reusable within 59 months if already given for a Schengen visa)

France-specific extras for Pakistani residents (bank-statement period, sponsor letters, approved insurers, authorised translation centres) appear on France-Visas and the embassy visa pages—do not copy a Spain or Germany checklist and assume it matches.

Harmonised Schengen short-stay fees from the European Commission (check the live page before you pay):

• Adults: €90
• Children aged 6–12: €45 (where that band applies)
• AEG / centre service fees are extra—check the official AEG French-visa page for the amount charged in Pakistan

Sources: European Commission — Applying for a Schengen visa (page updated 2 December 2025); fee guidance also reflected on France-Visas via the wizard.

Approval or refusal rates for Pakistani applicants are not published as an official figure, so treat any quoted 'success rate' with caution.

Official EU apply window and decision times:

• Apply as early as 6 months before travel, and at least 15 days before the intended journey
• Normal decision: about 15 days; may extend to 45 days if deeper examination is needed

Source: European Commission — Applying for a Schengen visa.

Appointment wait time at AEG and embassy capacity are separate from the 15–45 day decision clock. Book early for summer and school-holiday travel.