France Visa Requirements for South Africans
France requires a visa for South Africans
South African passport holders require a visa to enter France. Where you lodge the application, what it costs and how long it takes are set out below.
- Entry requirement
- Visa Required
- Stay allowed
- 90 days in any 180-day period
- Passport validity
- Valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, and issued within the last 10 years
Want someone to handle it? See our Schengen visa application service →
Applying for a France visa in South Africa
- Where the application is decided
- Consulate General of France, Johannesburg
- Covers applicants in
- All of South Africa. Since September 2024 every decision is taken in Johannesburg, wherever the application was lodged
- Where you lodge it
- Capago
- Application centres
- Johannesburg (Sandton), Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth
- Visa fee (adult)
- EUR 90, paid in Rand
- Visa fee (child 6–11)
- EUR 45 (aged 6 to 11)
- Service fee
- From EUR 32 per application for a standard appointment
- Processing time
- About 15 days
- Book your appointment
- Apply at least 15 days before you travel
France works only through Capago — no other agency can lodge a French application here. Lodging in Cape Town, Durban or Port Elizabeth does not mean a local decision: the file goes to Johannesburg either way.
If your case is not straightforward
The application is the same for everyone. What differs is how you prove income and ties. These cover the situations that need building differently:
More Visa Required Countries for South Africans
Afghanistan
Visa Required
Algeria
Visa Required
Andorra
Visa Required
Austria
Visa Required
Bangladesh
Visa Required
Belarus
Visa Required
Source: fr-za.capago.eu. Checked 13 August 2026. If you spot something out of date, tell us at help@getvisa.co.za.
Information last reviewed: . Always verify with the relevant embassy before travelling.