France Tops US Schengen Visa Applications: A Breakdown Of The Data
Worldcrunch/AI

In 2023 alone, 50,054 US residents submitted Schengen visa applications for France.

France is a top travel destination globally, and that doesn’t change when it comes to the United States. US residents overwhelmingly choose France when applying for Schengen visas, visas that allow border-free movement between every country in the Schengen Agreement.

This figure represents nearly a third (29%) of all Schengen visa applications from US residents.

A year when US residents submitted a total of 174,258 Schengen visa applications across all participating European countries.

American passport holders don’t need a visa in order to travel to France for short visits (up to 90 days within a 180-day period), but they’re not exempt entirely. To study abroad or work in France, US citizens need a French visa regardless of the length of their stay.Additionally, trips exceeding 90 days also require one.

So, is it true? Are over 50,000 Americans spending more than 90 days in France?

Not exactly.

This data doesn’t detail how many applications came from US citizens versus US residents. To live in the United States of America, citizenship isn’t required. Foreigners can legally reside but have nationality elsewhere. For Schengen visas, applications take place in the country of your residence, which isn’t necessarily your country of citizenship.

This means that within those 50,054 visa applications for France, we must take into consideration residents who dorequire visas in order to travel to France – such as those with passports from India or China, for example.

While citizens from the US are exempt from needing a visa for short trips to France, not all countries have this same type of agreement with the Schengen area. India, China, South Africa, and several other countries require visas, meaning their citizens cannot travel freely to France, Spain, or anywhere else in the area.

Out of the 50,054 Schengen visa applications submitted by US residents for France in 2023, 1,888 were rejected. This results in a rejection rate of 3.8%, which is notably lower than the global average rejection rate for France visa applications. Globally, France denied 16.7% of all visa applications. Rejection rates vary from country to country and can change regularly. While the EU’s most recent data shows that the rejection rate was low for US residents, securing a visa is never guaranteed.

With the launch of ETIAS, we will have a better understanding of how many American citizens travel to France without a Schengen visa.

Tips for US Residents Applying for a Visa for France

  • Start Early: In-person appointments are currently mandatory for France visa applications. Appointment slots can be difficult to secure, especially during peak season.
  • Begin with France-Visas: For France, all visa applications begin on the official France-Visas website.
  • Double-check the Requirements: Ensure you meet France’s specific visa

requirements, including documentation, financial proof, and compliant travel insurance. You will be provided with a list of which documents are required so that you can prepare accordingly.

  • Ensure Your Travel Insurance is Schengen Compliant: Make sure the insurance policy you choose is 100% Schengen compliant and meets the minimum requirements, such as coverage for 30,000 euros in emergency medical costs. Schengen visa insurance is mandatory for Schengen visa applications.
  • Track Your Application Status: Use the tools provided by the visa processing center to monitor your application.

Only 1.9% of France’s total visa applications came from US residents in 2023, where France received 2,625,846 applications. This metric is trending up after Covid-19, seeing a 31% increase in applications from the year prior.