From the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“Decisions are made by the consular officer at the Embassy of France in Hanoi or the Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City — TLS Contact only collects, it does not decide. Schengen Visa Code legal maximum is 15 calendar days (Article 23); in practice TLS Contact / France-Visas typical processing time for Vietnamese applicants is around 3 weeks. Can extend to 45 days in specific cases. The visa fee (€90 short-stay) is not refunded if the visa is refused.”
What you need
- You must show: business purpose of travel (invitation letter from the French/EU host + meeting agenda or conference programme), sufficient funds for the trip, EUR 30,000 medical travel insurance valid in all Schengen states, employer authorisation for the trip (if employed), and Vietnam-side ties (employment, family, property) sufficient to evidence return. Application is filed online at france-visas.gouv.fr; documents are lodged at TLS Contact Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City by appointment.
Checklist
24- Schengen visa application form (Cerfa 14076-05) — completed online and signed *
- Two recent identical biometric photos (35mm × 45mm, ICAO standard) *
- Original passport (valid 3+ months after planned Schengen exit; 2+ blank visa pages; issued ≤ 10 years ago) *
- Passport copies — bio-data page + all pages with previous Schengen visas or visa-relevant stamps *
- Vietnamese documents — notarised translation into English or French *
- Travel medical insurance — minimum EUR 30,000 coverage, valid in all Schengen states, covering the entire intended stay *
02
Business purpose evidence
- Request letter, summons, or invitation from your correspondent in France *
- Trade fair / conference admission card (alternative to invitation letter)
- Inviting company's commitment to cover all costs (alternative to invitation letter)
03
Flight and accommodation
- Meeting agenda / conference programme / business itinerary *
- Flight evidence — search-engine printout showing availability for the planned dates (NOT a paid reservation) *
- Accommodation evidence — paid hotel reservation covering the full stay, OR a private-stay attestation (attestation d'accueil) *
04
Vietnam-side financial ties
- Recent bank statements — 3 months, showing balance and transaction history *
- Property or tax evidence — house/apartment title, property tax, or recent personal income tax return (where applicable)
05
If applicant is employed
- Employer letter — authorising the business trip, confirming employment, salary, position, and expected return *
- Payslips — last 3 months *
06
If applicant is self-employed or business owner
- Business registration certificate (Giấy chứng nhận đăng ký kinh doanh) *
- Recent business tax return / corporate tax filing *
07
If applicant is retired
- Pension or retirement income evidence — pension book or recent statements *
08
Vietnam-side family ties
- Vietnamese household / residence registration (Xác nhận cư trú / VNeID Level 2 / Căn cước chip) *
- Marriage certificate — if travelling without spouse or visiting spouse
09
Fees
- Visa fee — EUR 90 (standard short-stay; reductions/exemptions per Article 16) *
- TLS Contact service fee — EUR 25 per application (paid to the vendor at appointment) *
- TLS Contact appointment confirmation *
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