Visahjelp

Parent of French minor — Parent d'enfant français mineur (foreign parent of a French minor residing in France)

This long-stay visa (a three-month VLS, not a VLS-TS) is for Vietnamese nationals who are the parent of a French minor child living in France. There are four conditions that all must be met: filiation is legally established, the child is French, the child is under 18, and the Vietnamese parent has made a real and continuous contribution to the child's maintenance and education — either since birth or for at least two years before the application. The contribution must be documented with evidence over time: bank transfers, school records, medical records. A parent who was absent or minimally involved cannot satisfy this condition. After arriving in France, the applicant applies for a vie privée et familiale residence card at the prefecture.

From the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“Decisions by the Embassy of France in Hanoi or Consulate-General in HCMC. VLS valid 3 months. After arrival: carte de séjour « vie privée et familiale » at the préfecture. The préfecture re-evaluates the contribution evidence afresh. EES does NOT apply.”
— French Ministry of Foreign Affairs · French consulates

What you need

  • Per F2209 and CESEDA L.423-7: (a) filiation — the applicant is the biological or legally-recognised parent of the French-citizen child; (b) child holds French nationality — established by a French birth certificate or a certificat de nationalité française (CNF, issued by the greffe du tribunal judiciaire); (c) child is a minor (under 18) at the time of application; (d) the applicant has made a real and continuous contribution to the child's maintenance and education since birth OR for at least 2 years before the application, per Article 371-2 Civil Code — financial support records (bank transfers for maintenance), presence in the child's life, medical/school involvement. A parent who was absent or minimally involved cannot satisfy this condition. Vietnamese documents legalised via Vietnamese MoFA → French embassy/consulate (not apostille).

Checklist

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  • Long-stay visa application form (Cerfa 14571-05) — completed via france-visas assistant, printed, signed *
  • Two recent identical biometric photos (35mm × 45mm, ICAO standard) *
  • Original passport (validity covering the planned stay + 3 months; 2+ blank pages) *
  • Applicant's birth certificate (giấy khai sinh) — notarised + sworn translation + legalised *
  • Child's French nationality proof — French birth certificate OR certificat de nationalité française (CNF) *
  • Filiation evidence — child's birth certificate establishing the legal parent-child relationship (notarised + sworn translation + legalised) *
  • Accommodation evidence in France — where the applicant and child will reside *
  • International health insurance covering France for the initial stay *
02

Contribution (Article 371-2)

  • Contribution evidence — real and continuous contribution to the child's maintenance and education since birth OR for at least 2 years (Article 371-2 Civil Code) *
03

Fees

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

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