France visa requirements for Nepali citizens
Nepali citizens need a visa for France and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Consular fee
- €90
- Minimum passport validity
- 3 months after departure
How to apply for this visa: the step-by-step process →
How long it takes and how far ahead to book →
If it's refused: grounds and how to appeal →
Last verified: 8 October 2026
How this visa is processed
VFS Global centre in Kathmandu (Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 13:00), for the Embassy of France in New Delhi
A Nepali needs a Schengen visa for France. Residents of Nepal whose sole or main destination is France hand in the application at the VFS Global centre in Kathmandu, which only opens on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 13:00. The decision is taken by the consular section of the Embassy of France in New Delhi, which is why India must be chosen as the country of submission in the online process. The VFS appointment is booked at least 15 days before departure. Visas for the French overseas departments and regions can also be applied for at the same centre. France does not represent any other Schengen country in Nepal.
Official application site →Application details verified on 8 October 2026. Sources: france-visas.gouv.fr/nepal, France's official visa portal, Nepal page (VFS Global centre in Kathmandu and its hours, processing at the Embassy of France in New Delhi, India as country of submission, 15-day lead time, overseas visas, Schengen representation). Checked 8 October 2026.
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
The overseas territories: different entry rules
None of France's territories outside Europe are part of the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa does not get you into Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion, Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna or the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. If your trip covers one of those territories and European France as well, France-Visas requires two separate visas: the Schengen one and a national visa for the territory. Some nationalities are visa-exempt in those destinations, but the exemption is decided territory by territory and is not inherited from Schengen.
Source: france-visas.gouv.fr/en/la-france-dans-l-espace-schengen (comprobado 18/09/2026)
Fee
€90
The €90 is the short-stay Schengen visa fee, set by Article 16 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009) as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, in force since 11 June 2024. It is not a fee set by France: the same amount is paid at any Schengen consulate. Children from the age of 6 and under 12 pay €45, and children under 6 are exempt. Travellers entering without a visa pay no fee at all.
Processing time
Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. That period may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, particularly where the application needs closer examination; in justified urgent individual cases the decision is taken immediately (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). An application may not be lodged more than six months before the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it; where the consulate requires an appointment, it is normally given within two weeks of being requested (Art. 9).
Required documents
- A valid passport or travel document, issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a))
- A valid visa, if your nationality requires one. It is not needed if you hold a valid residence permit or long-stay visa issued by a Schengen State (Art. 6(1)(b))
- Documents justifying the purpose and conditions of the intended stay: an accommodation booking or a declaration of invitation from your host, and a return or onward ticket (Art. 6(1)(c) and Art. 6(3), which points to the non-exhaustive list in Annex I)
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the whole stay and for the return to your country of origin, or of being in a position to acquire such means lawfully. They are assessed according to the duration and purpose of the stay, by reference to average prices for board and lodging in budget accommodation (Art. 6(1)(c) and 6(4)). Cash, traveller's cheques, credit cards and declarations of invitation or of sponsorship all count as proof (Art. 6(4))
Health insurance
Mandatory to apply for the Schengen visa: minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).
Which policies meet the €30,000 requirement →
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓How long you can stay
Schengen rule: a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area.
Calculate your available Schengen days →More France rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the France page:
Official portal: https://france-visas.gouv.fr. Destination data verified on 18 August 2026. Sources: legifrance.gouv.fr, CESEDA, Arts. L611-1 and L612-6 to L612-8 (removal order and return ban, checked 27 September 2026); france-visas.gouv.fr (official visa portal); interieur.gouv.fr and ofii.fr (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration, official immigration authority); europa.eu/youreurope (EU alcohol/tobacco allowances entering from outside the EU, and cash declaration threshold: Regulation (EU) 2018/1672, checked 18/08/2026); EUR-Lex, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, which amends Article 16 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009): €90 Schengen visa fee, in force since 11 June 2024. EUR-Lex is cited because the amount is set by the Visa Code itself rather than by France (checked 20 September 2026).
Insurance for the Schengen visa
The consulate asks for a policy with at least €30,000 of medical cover, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire stay. Check those terms in the policy before you pay.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
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Things to see and do in France
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of France can get a visa on arrival in Nepal. See the France → Nepal page.
All 9 passports from Southern Asia that VisaRadar tracks need a visa to enter France. Same result as Nepal: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran and Maldives.
With a passport from Nepal, in the rest of Western Europe you need a visa for Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands and Switzerland.
A passport from Nepal ranks 189 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 36 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Nepali citizens need a visa for France?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
How long does it take to get the entry permit?
Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. That period may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, particularly where the application needs closer examination; in justified urgent individual cases the decision is taken immediately (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). An application may not be lodged more than six months before the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it; where the consulate requires an appointment, it is normally given within two weeks of being requested (Art. 9).
What minimum passport validity is required?
At least 3 months of validity beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area, and issued within the previous ten years (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a)).
Do I need travel insurance to apply for the Schengen visa?
Yes, to apply for the visa: travel medical insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay, is mandatory (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).
Which country do I choose on France-Visas if I live in Nepal?
India. The application is decided by the Embassy of France in New Delhi, even though it is handed in in Kathmandu.
When is the Kathmandu VFS centre open for France?
Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 13:00.
Can I apply in Kathmandu for another Schengen country through France?
No. France does not represent any other Schengen country in Nepal.
What do Nepali passport holders need for the countries near France?
With a passport from Nepal, in the rest of Western Europe you need a visa for Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands and Switzerland.
Related pages
See France requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.