VISAHJELP

Child of French national — Enfant de Français (minor child of a French parent)

Long-stay visa (VLS valid 3 months, not VLS-TS) for a minor Vietnamese child of a French parent. The canonical national-policy source is service-public.gouv.fr F16162 (Visa de long séjour — overview) and france-visas.gouv.fr famille-de-français portal. After arrival on the 3-month VLS, the holder applies for a carte de séjour at the préfecture of the département of residence. Legal basis: CESEDA L.423-12. Where one parent is French at the time of birth, the child inherits French nationality by descent — this subtype covers cases where filiation is contested, where one parent acquired French nationality after the child's birth, or where the child's French nationality is legally unresolved at the time of the visa application.

LAST VERIFIED · 2026-05-14 SOURCE: France-Visas · Independent · not affiliated

From the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“Decisions by the Embassy of France in Hanoi or Consulate-General in HCMC. Visa outcome: VLS valid 3 months (not VLS-TS — no ANEF validation). After arrival: carte de séjour application at the préfecture. The préfecture will assess the filiation and nationality evidence afresh. EES does NOT apply.”
— French Ministry of Foreign Affairs · French consulates

What you need

  • Per F16162: birth certificate establishing legal filiation between the child and the French parent. Vietnamese birth certificate must be notarised, sworn-translated into French, and legalised (Vietnamese MoFA authentication → French embassy/consulate authentication — not apostille). If the child is a minor under joint parental authority and only one parent is travelling to France: written consent of the other parent, notarised where required and sworn-translated. If the child is 21 or older: dependency evidence (studies, job-search, or disability). If adopted: adoption judgment recognised under French private international law. Cerfa 14571-05 via france-visas interactive assistant.

Checklist

13
  • Long-stay visa application form (Cerfa 14571-05) — completed via france-visas assistant, printed, signed *
  • Two recent identical biometric photos (35mm × 45mm, ICAO standard) *
  • Child's original passport (validity covering the planned stay + 3 months; 2+ blank pages) *
  • Child's birth certificate — establishing legal filiation with the French parent (notarised + sworn translation + legalised) *
  • French parent identity document — current French passport or carte nationale d'identité *
  • Accommodation evidence in France — French parent's residence *
  • International health insurance covering France for the initial stay *
02

Joint parental authority

  • Other parent's written consent (required if minor under joint parental authority and only one parent accompanies)
03

Age 21+

  • Dependency evidence (required if child is 21 or older)
04

Adoption

  • Adoption judgment recognised under French private international law (adopted children only)
05

Fees

  • Visa fee — verify current amount on france-visas (historically exempt or reduced for child of French national) *
  • TLS Contact service fee — EUR 25 per applicant *
  • TLS Contact appointment confirmation (Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City) *

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