France visa for Qatar

Do Qatari citizens need a visa for France?

Yes. Qatari citizens need a Schengen short-stay visa to visit France, even for a few days. Apply on France-Visas, the official site, and allow at least 15 days.

Applying for a French short-stay visa

Fill in your application online on France-Visas (france-visas.gouv.fr), then submit your file and biometrics at the French consulate or at the visa centre it uses (usually TLScontact or VFS Global) in your country of residence.

Your passport

• Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area.
• Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years ago.

What border guards can ask for

• Proof of the purpose of your trip and of where you will stay (hotel booking, or an 'attestation d'accueil' if you stay with a private host).
• A return or onward ticket, or proof that you have enough money to buy one.
• Proof of enough money for your stay (cash, bank cards, etc.).
• Travel medical insurance covering medical, hospital and repatriation costs, minimum €30,000.

You must be able to show €65 per day with a hotel booking, €120 per day without proof of accommodation, or €32.50 per day if you stay with a host who obtained an 'attestation d'accueil'.

The 90/180 rule

Without a visa (or with a short-stay Schengen visa) you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen area, not just France. Days spent in other Schengen countries count too.

At the border: the EES

Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational and replaces passport stamping. On your first entry, border guards record your name, passport data, fingerprints and a facial photo, plus the date and place of each entry and exit. Children under 12 do not give fingerprints. Your record is checked at later crossings and your 90/180-day count is calculated automatically.

Staying with friends or family

If you stay with a friend or relative, your host requests an 'attestation d'accueil' (welcome certificate) from their town hall (mairie). It costs €30 in tax stamps and must be validated before your visa application, or before you travel if you do not need a visa.

Travel insurance

Visa applicants must have travel medical insurance of at least €30,000 valid in the whole Schengen area. French official pages also list medical insurance (minimum €30,000) among the documents border guards can ask visa-free travellers for, so we strongly recommend it for everyone.