Schengen Visa Advice/Help Required

[Mercyknight]

I am posting this on behalf of a friend.

He is a South African and wants to visit France with me (British National) for a 10 day holiday. We've Googled the Schengen Visa requirements/costs/and how to apply and we're struggling to understand the best way to approach this and even find a website that doesn't look dodge and want to charge us for just downloading a guide! Can anyone give me/my friend any advice on:

1. Cost
2. How to apply
3. Where to apply

That would be really appreciated,

Thanks

[ca.funke]

Hi Mercyknight,

your friend will have to go through the normal Schengen procedure.

Agreed, it doesn´t really help that the >>French Embassy´s website<< redirects you to a >>"The page cannot be found - 404 Error"<< when clicking on visas.

However, under >>"Consulate general in London"<< you shall find a >>more comprehensive visa-information site<<.

General Idea:

• never pay for any information on visas, this is most likely fraud
• get an appointment
• prepare papers (the more the better):
  • passport
  • proof of funds (bank statements, credit cards...)
  • proof of address in the UK
  • UK-residence-permit
  • Health Insurance valid for France
  • have the application fee ready
  • proposed return-flights to France
  • proposed accomodation in France
• go to the appointment and hand in all papers as per above
• wait for visa (or its refusal)

Good luck with your travels...