Visa for France from Bolivia

Europe is a highly valued destination for tourists from all over the world, especially for its immeasurable historical heritage, lifestyle, and gastronomy… And the truth is, it is one of the favorite destinations for Bolivians. Within Europe, one of the most iconic and therefore most visited countries is France. Now, a trip from Bolivia to France requires some prior preparation to ensure everything goes smoothly, without last-minute surprises. Therefore, in this article, we answer the fundamental questions: Do you need a visa to travel to France from Bolivia? Do I need travel insurance to go to France from Bolivia? Below, we clear up all your doubts regarding these matters.

• Do you need a visa to go to France? 
• The Schengen Area
• Who needs a visa to go to France? 
• How do you apply for a Schengen visa from Bolivia?
• Should I apply for my visa well in advance?
• Where and how do I apply for a Schengen visa for France?
• The mandatory travel medical insurance 
• Why should I choose AXA's Schengen insurance?

Do you need a visa to go to France?

This is a fundamental question to be clear about when preparing your trip. The simplest answer to this question is: it depends on your nationality. To approach this matter as clearly and simply as possible, we first need to review some concepts.

France is part of both the European Union and the Schengen Area, and it is important to understand what these two entities are to know whether or not you need a visa for France.

The Schengen Area

The truth is, when discussing visas for France, understanding what the Schengen Area is is essential as it determines whether or not we need a visa to go to one of its member countries. The Schengen Area is a group of 27 European countries that, in 1985, agreed to eliminate their internal borders. The goal? To promote the free movement of people, goods, and capital among member countries. I'm telling you this because these 27 countries have a common visa policy, meaning that with a single visa, you can visit all 27 member countries. Here is the list of the 27 countries:

• Germany
• Austria
• Belgium
• Croatia
• Denmark
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Norway
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Czech Republic
• Sweden
• Switzerland

It is important to know that Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania do not belong to the Schengen Area. Therefore, if you want to visit one of these 4 countries, you cannot do so with a Schengen visa. You will need to apply for a specific visa.

If you are not clear on this matter, we explain the differences between the European Union and the Schengen Area below.

Who needs a visa to go to France?

As mentioned above, whether or not you need a visa for France is determined by the Schengen Area. The countries within the Schengen Area have made visa exemption agreements with some countries (and not with others). For example, countries like Argentina, Mexico, Chile, or the United States do not need a Schengen visa to travel to Europe. However, citizens of countries such as Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba, Morocco, China, or Russia do need to apply for a Schengen visa to travel to Europe. Therefore, we can confirm that a visa is required to travel to France from Bolivia.

Where and how to apply for a Schengen visa for France?

The first step to properly apply for your visa to France is to know which visa you will need. The most common visa for visiting France as a tourist is the Schengen type C visa: it is the visa for short stays (i.e., less than 90 days within a 180-day period).

On the other hand, any foreigner (not just Bolivians) who wants to stay more than 90 days in the Schengen Area will need to apply for a long-term Schengen visa. This visa is the type D.

The Embassy of France in La Paz only handles applications for long-term visas (over 90 days) and visas for spouses of French citizens. Short-term visas for France are processed at the Embassy of Spain in La Paz or the Consulate General of Spain in Santa Cruz. These are the steps you must follow to apply for your visa for France.

• To apply for a long-term visa for France, you must go to the Embassy of France. The visa service is available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 08:30 to 12:30. If you have any questions, you can contact the visa service at the following email: admin-etrangers.la-paz-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr
• The place where you apply for a short-term visa depends on your place of residence in Bolivia. If you live in the departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, or Tarija, you should submit your application at the Consulate General of Spain in Santa Cruz. If you live in one of the following departments: La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Chuquisaca, or Cochabamba, you should submit the application at the Embassy of Spain in La Paz.

It should be noted that the Embassy of Spain has an external visa application processing center in La Paz and Santa Cruz. You can schedule an appointment at BLS International.

On the French Government's website, this topic is explained in detail.

Should I apply for my Schengen visa well in advance?

It is recommended to submit the Schengen visa application between 6 months and 15 days before the planned travel date.
At AXA, we recommend doing it about 6 weeks in advance.

How much does the visa to France cost from Bolivia?

All people over 12 years old will have to pay 80€ for a Schengen visa. Children between 6 and 12 years old pay 40€. Children under 6 years old do not pay. Citizens of the following countries have a fixed fee of 35€:

• Albania
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Bosnia
• Georgia
• North Macedonia
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Ukraine

Required documentation for the visa application to France

The documents you will need when applying for your short-term visa to France from Bolivia are as follows:

• Your passport. It must be no older than 10 years, and its validity must exceed 3 months from the date you plan to leave the Schengen Area. It must have two blank pages.
• Two passport-sized photos in the Schengen visa photo format.
• The Schengen visa application form for France correctly filled out and signed.
• A letter explaining the reasons for the trip.
• The policy of a travel health insurance.
• A document proving your financial solvency (the minimum daily amounts vary depending on the country you want to visit).
• A document showing where you will stay (hotel reservation, short-term rental, letter from a relative or friend).
• Round-trip ticket.

Mandatory travel health insurance

As you can see in the list of required documents for obtaining a visa to France for Bolivians, there is a travel health insurance policy. What is very important to know is that this insurance must meet a series of requirements:

• A minimum coverage of 30,000€.
• The coverage must be valid in all Schengen Area countries.
• It must cover all expenses related to emergency care and repatriation in case of death.
• The coverage must be for the entire stay in the Schengen Area.
• It must be from a company accepted by Schengen authorities.

Why should I choose AXA's Schengen insurance?

As we know that each person has their own way of traveling and their own budget, at AXA Schengen, we have designed three insurance plans with different coverages and prices to adapt as much as possible to your needs. In the table below, you can check all the details of our Schengen visa insurance.

You can compare the coverage of our 3 products to find the one that best suits you and your needs.

At AXA Schengen, we hope that after reading this article, you have a clearer understanding of the requirements for a visa to France from Bolivia.

Other articles that might interest you

• How to obtain a Schengen visa for Germany?
• How to obtain a Schengen visa for Belgium?
• How to obtain a Schengen visa for Croatia?
• How to obtain a Schengen visa for Italy?
• How to obtain a Schengen visa for the Netherlands?
• How to obtain a Schengen visa for Portugal?
• How to obtain a Schengen visa for Switzerland?

Minimum daily amount to prove financial means to the French authorities

The amount varies depending on where you will stay. If you stay with a relative or friend (and have an invitation letter), the daily amount you will need to demonstrate is €32.50. If you have a hotel reservation, the minimum daily amount you will need to demonstrate is €65. If you do not have a hotel reservation, you will need to demonstrate a minimum daily amount of €120.

Which countries do not require a visa for Bolivians?

According to the Henley & Partners consultancy, Bolivians can travel to 80 countries without needing a visa. You can check which ones on the page The Henley Passport Index.