Applying for a French visa from Gabon: instructions

If you are a Gabonese citizen or legally reside in Gabon (and your third-country nationality requires it), you must apply for a France visa to travel to mainland France. This is typically a Schengen short-stay visa (or Type C) that allows its holder to enter and travel within the Schengen Area, including France, for less than 90 days within a 180-day period.
Good news! According to the General Consulate of France in Gabon, the visa rejection rate in Gabon is one of the lowest in the sub-region. It ranges from 4 to 7%.
We guide you step by step through your France visa application process in Gabon.

Where should I apply for a France visa in Gabon?

Any France visa application submitted in Gabon is processed by the General Consulate of France in Libreville, which is the only authority responsible for visa decisions.
To facilitate the process and avoid long waiting times, the consulate has enlisted an external service provider. It is the TLSContact center that is responsible for receiving visa applicants during an appointment, collecting biometric data, collecting visa and service fees, and receiving application files before forwarding them to the consulate.
For a long time, only the TLSContact center in Libreville accepted visa applications, but since April 2019, a TLSContact branch in Port-Gentil has opened, allowing applicants to submit their applications there if they wish.
But be careful! For now, applicants have two days per month to submit their applications at the Port-Gentil center. These are the second and fourth Mondays of the month, between 8:00 AM and 2:30 PM. This is an important detail to keep in mind when making an appointment.

What are the steps to follow to apply for a France visa?

The procedure to apply for a France visa in Gabon is as follows:

1. You must log in to France-Visas (france-visas.gouv.fr), the official France visa website, to create a personal account
2. You choose the type of visa you want and fill out the online visa application form. After printing it, dating it, and signing it, you will attach it to your application file, which you will present during your appointment at the visa service
3. You review the list of documents and supporting documents corresponding to your situation. You add them to your application file in the requested order
4. You receive an email with a receipt for your registration, which you must print and attach to your file
5. You then log in to the TLSContact website (fr.tlscontact.com/ga/splash.php). You choose the center you are interested in: Libreville or Port Gentil. You create your personal account by registering your data, including an email address. You can then make a free online appointment with the visa center
6. You will receive a confirmation of your appointment, which you must print and present during your appointment

Special case: holders of Gabonese official passports (diplomatic or service) are exempt from short-stay visas when traveling to France.

What are the processing times for my visa application in Gabon?

Don’t wait until a few days before your scheduled departure to France! Between gathering your documents and supporting documents, making your appointment, and the processing time for your application, it can take time.
You can submit your application up to 6 months before your planned departure date.
Depending on the time of year (summer, school holidays), processing times can be longer. Particularly from June to September, when the number of visa applications is quadrupled!
It is advisable to secure an appointment with the visa service:

• For a short-stay visa: 15 days before departure
• For a long-stay visa: 1 month before departure

What documents should I provide for a France visa application?

There is no standard list as the documents and supporting documents required depend on the type of visa requested, the category of traveler, and the purpose of the trip.
The list will be provided to you in detail during your pre-registration on France-Visas.
However, in general, you will be asked to provide:

• Your passport: issued less than 10 years ago with 2 blank pages. For a short-stay visa with a validity of more than 3 months after the date you must leave the Schengen Area. For a long-stay visa with a validity period of at least three months beyond the expiration date of the requested visa
• The France-Visas receipt
• The latest version of the France visa application form (since February 2, 2020, this is Cerfa No. 14076*03). It must be correctly filled out, dated, and signed by you
• Two recent passport photos
• A proof of your legal residence (residence permit) in Gabon if you are a third-country national
• Proof of the purpose of the trip: round-trip flight reservation, proof of family relationship with the host (for family/ private visit purposes)...
• Proof of accommodation in France: attestation d’accueil, confirmed hotel reservation, proof of sufficient means to cover hotel expenses (120 Euros/day allowance)
• Proof of your financial resources: recent bank statements, currency exchange slips in Euros, recent payslips or pension statements...
• Proof of your settlement in your country of residence: these vary depending on your status (employee, student, retiree, freelancer, civil servant, merchant...) and are specified when you apply for your visa online
• Medical travel insurance certificate: it is mandatory and must meet several requirements

For the record: the list above is not exhaustive.

How does the appointment at the visa center work?

You must attend the TLSContact center (Libreville or Port Gentil, depending on the center you chose during your appointment) with the following:

• The printed appointment confirmation letter sent to your email address
• Your passport
• The complete France visa application file with all required documents presented in the requested order
• The payment methods needed to pay the visa fees and service fees

During this appointment, which you must attend in person and on time (a delay may require you to schedule a new appointment and consequently delay the processing of your application), an agent will check if your file is complete. Three scenarios can occur:

1. Your file is complete: after collecting your biometric data (fingerprints and photo) and paying the visa and service fees, your file is sent to the consulate for processing
2. Your file is incomplete: you can still choose to send it to the consulate for review. However, you risk losing the visa fees you’ve paid and having your application rejected
3. Your file is incomplete: you can choose to withdraw your application and resubmit it later once you have completed your file with the missing documents. You can recover the application fees already paid

To find out if your France visa application has been accepted, you will need to wait to receive a notification, by SMS or email, to come pick up your passport.
Remember:

• A complete file submitted to the Consulate does not guarantee visa issuance.
• The TLSContact visa center does not make decisions regarding visa applications.

What are the fees for a France visa application?

During your appointment, you need to pay fees which consist of the visa processing fee, collected by the French authorities, and the service fees, collected by TLSContact. The prices are listed in euros, but they must be paid only in cash and in CFA francs at the Libreville center, but must be paid by credit card at the Port Gentil center. These fees are non-refundable in case of a visa refusal.

Fees for a France Visa

• For a long-stay France visa: 99 €
  Discounted rate: 50 € for students whose application has been reviewed by a French study center
  For spouses of French nationals: free
   
• For a short-stay France visa:
  Adults: 80 €
  Children aged 12 to 18: 80 €
  Children aged 6 to under 12: 40 €
  Children under 6: free
  Spouses of French nationals and family members of EU-EEA-Swiss nationals: free
   
• For a short-stay visa for Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint Martin, and Saint Barthélemy:
  Adults: 60 €
  Children aged 12 to 18: 60 €
  Children aged 6 to under 12: 35 €
  Children under 6: free
  Spouses of French nationals and family members of EU-EEA-Swiss nationals: free
   
• For a short-stay visa for New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Mayotte, and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands: 9 €
  Spouses of French nationals and family members of EU-EEA-Swiss nationals: free

TLSContact Service Fees

The amount of the service fees has been set in agreement with the French Consulate General in Libreville. These fees amount to 27€/per application submitted at the TLSContact center in Libreville. It is important to note that the service fees at the Port Gentil center are much higher (124,900 CFA, about 190 €) and must be paid online before submitting the application at this center.

Is travel insurance mandatory for traveling to France?

Yes. According to the Schengen visa code, Gabonese nationals applying for a France visa are required to purchase travel medical insurance. They must provide proof of this insurance as part of their application. Without this certificate, the France visa application will be denied. This travel insurance must cover the beneficiary in case of accident, health issues, medical emergencies, and repatriation. It must guarantee a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.

Why choose AXA Schengen travel insurance?

It is validated by all Schengen consulates and embassies, including France. It meets all the required criteria, and you can immediately obtain the travel insurance certificate by applying online. It is affordable, with the Low Cost plan priced at 22€ per week of stay. Comprehensive, it guarantees coverage for medical expenses up to 30,000 €, repatriation, and 24/7 assistance. Without wasting time, you can attach this certificate to your France visa application in Gabon.

To learn more about the France visa

• How to obtain a visa for France in Morocco?
• How to obtain a visa for France in Algeria?
• How to obtain a visa for France in Tunisia?
• How to obtain a visa for France in Côte d'Ivoire?
• How to obtain a visa for France in Cameroon?
• How to obtain a visa for France in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
• How to obtain a visa for France in Madagascar?
• How to obtain a visa for France in Senegal?
• Marriage in France: What visa should you apply for to come to France?
• What is a tourist visa for France?
• How to obtain a student visa for France?
• How to obtain a work visa for France?