Short stay visa
All the short stays visas issued by the French Embassy for France (except for overseas territories) are Schengen visas.
The Schengen Area is a free movement zone constituted of the 22 of the 27 EU states plus 3 non-EU members (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland).
Ireland is not part of the Schengen Area.
What is a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa allows its bearer entry to the 25 member States of the Schengen area: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
It also allows entry to Monaco, Andorra, Lichtenstein and San Marino.
Where should I apply for a Schengen visa?
You should apply with the Embassy of the country which is the main destination of your trip. i.e: you plan to spend a week in Belgium, but on your way there you will stop in Paris for 2 days: you should apply with the Belgian Embassy.
However, if you plan a trip with no main destination, you should apply with the country of first entry. i.e.: you will spend 3 days in France, 2 in Switzerland, 3 in Italy and 3 in Spain: you should apply with the French Embassy.
Do I need a Schengen visa?
Obviously, citizens of the member states of the area do not need a visa to go from one country to another. This also applies to Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA).
Most nationals from other countries will require a visa. Some of them, though, are exempted. See the list of Schengen visa exempted nationalities.
Holders of an Irish Travel Document for Refugees (1951-Vienna Convention – hard cover) do need a visa for a short stay in France.
N.B.: the Irish travel document for foreigners (lighter blue – soft cover) is not admitted by France. It does not enable its holder to travel to France and no visa can be stamped in it.
