What travel insurance do i need with a Schengen Visa ?

French consulates around the world are authorised to issue residence permits in France to foreign nationals, subject to certain very specific conditions. There are short-term visas, for a maximum of 90 days, and long-term visas, which allow people to stay in France for between 3 and 12 months. In all cases, visa applicants must have travel insurance to reimburse their health costs.

Who can obtain a short-stay visa in France or in another country in the Schengen area?

The Schengen visa can be issued for a maximum period of 3 months. This visa authorises the traveller to stay for a short period in one of the countries in the Schengen area, subject to acceptance of their visa and the validity of their entry into the territory.

Identifying the main destination country is essential. It is this country that will be responsible for accepting the visa, and so it will be the consulate of this country on which your application depends.

The application must be submitted to the consulate or embassy of the country of main destination.

The applicant must submit a standard form (the same for the whole area), accompanied by the following documents:

• A passport valid for more than 6 months after the visa expires,
• A certificate of reception,
• A letter of introduction,
• Proof of regular income (€32.50 per day if you are staying in a host family // €65 per day for other travellers).
• Insurance covering medical care and repatriation to a maximum of €30,000,
• A return plane ticket.

In France, you need to fill in the cerfa form N° -14076*01.

Our travel insurance for short-stay Schengen Visa

What is the cheapest travel insurance for Schengen Visa? Cap Schengen from Chapka.

Our guarantees:

• 24/7 repatriation assistance at actual cost, even if Covid is taken out.
• Reimbursement of medical and hospitalisation expenses: maximum €30,000 even if Covid is contracted.
• Reimbursement of transport costs in the event of the death or hospitalisation of a close relative.
• Reimbursement of travel costs to visit a relative in the event of serious hospitalisation.
• Repatriation in the event of death: actual costs.

Who can obtain a long-stay visa in France?

This applies to all foreign nationals wishing to stay in France for between 4 and 12 months. 

Long-stay visas for France may be requested for a number of reasons:

• Economic: employees, self-employed persons, scientists, seasonal workers, etc.
• Family reunification.
• Students and trainees.
• Humanitarian: refugees, stateless persons, asylum seekers.

There are several types of visa for France:

• Long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS). You MUST validate your VLS-TS within three months of arriving in France.
• Long-stay visa with the obligation to apply for a residence permit. If the visa issued to you is a long-stay visa indicating an obligation to apply for a residence permit, you must complete this process within two months of arrival and contact the prefecture of your place of residence.
• Temporary long-stay visa for those wishing to stay between 4 and 6 months in France.
• Working Holiday Visa. This is for young people aged 18 to 30 from Argentina,  Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay.

How do I obtain a VLS-TS, long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit in France ?

You MUST validate your VLS-TS within three months of arriving in France. If you fail to do so, you will no longer be legally present in France and will be unable to re-enter the Schengen Area. The validation procedure is now completely online.

You will need to provide:

• The information on your visa
• The date on which you entered France
• Your residential address in France
• Your credit card to pay online the issuance fee for the appropriate residence permit or electronic stamp for your circumstances, which you can purchase at any newsagent.

The OFII (French Office for Immigration and Integration) reserves the right to call you for a meeting to carry out further formalities, have a medical check-up and/or sign an integration contract. NB: at the end of the validity of your VLS-TS and if you wish to remain in France, you will have to apply for a residence permit according to the procedures described on the website.

A support unit has been set up at the Directorate-General for Foreign Nationals in France, phone number: 0806 001 620 – e-mail: dgef-support@interieur.gouv.fr

The fee for a long-stay visa in France is €99. To this must be added a fee of €269 for visitors applying for the VLS-TS visa.

Our travel insurance for long-stay Schengen Visa

The essential rules for insurance to meet the requirements of a long-stay visa in France:

• The insurance must reimburse medical expenses directly to the insured, without recourse to french social security.
• The insurance must be taken out with a French company. Chapka is a French broker, registered with Orias. It is one of the leaders in travel insurance in France and Europe.
• The insurance must guarantee social protection throughout the stay, covering the following risks: illness, dental care, medical and surgical hospitalisation, accident, pharmacy, disability and death. This is the case with our contract.
• Insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions (e.g. an elderly person with diabetes will not be offered hospitalisation in France or any travel for therapeutic purposes).
• Insurance policies do not cover preventive care (e.g. health check-ups, compulsory vaccinations, etc.).
• Insurance policies do not cover comfort or "alternative" medicine (e.g. osteopathy, acupuncture, dental prostheses, etc.).
• Insurance companies do not cover pregnancy costs; please note that we do, however, cover complications of pregnancy (which we consider to be an illness).

What is the best and cheapest travel insurance for Schengen Visa? Cap Europa from Chapka. It meets all the requirements of French consulates.

Our guarantees:

• Reimbursement of medical and hospitalisation expenses: €70,000 maximum.
• Repatriation assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at actual cost.
• Reimbursement of transport costs in the event of the death or hospitalisation of a close relative
• Reimbursement of travel costs to visit a relative in the event of serious hospitalisation.
• Repatriation in the event of death: actual costs