How do I apply for a French visa if I live in Northern Ireland?

Reader Question: I am a British citizen living in Northern Ireland and I would like to apply for a French long-stay visa. Can I go to a visa centre in Ireland?

France’s dedicated visa application website states that visa applications from residents of England, Wales, Scotland, Jersey, Guernesey, Alderney, the Isle of Wight, the Falkland Islands, the Isle of Man or Northern Ireland are all processed at the French consulate in London.

This means that these people may choose between TLS Contact visa handling centres in Manchester, London and Edinburgh for the submission of their application.

The documents related to visa applications – including photographs and proof of funds, for example – must be submitted in a visa centre where biometric checks can also take place, and therefore cannot be submitted online.

If you live in Northern Ireland, your quickest option would likely be to travel to Manchester.

There is a French consulate in Belfast but no TLS Contact application centre.

Although there is a TLS Contact in Dublin, it is dedicated to UK visa applications only, as Irish nationals are EU citizens and therefore not required to have a visa for longer stays in France.

The French Embassy in Dublin confirmed to The Connexion that it is “only equipped for Republic of Ireland residents.

“We are not equipped to [process visa applications from] residents of Northern Ireland,” a spokesperson added.

Related articles

‘Stressful, nightmare, positive’: readers describe French visa process

French long-stay visa delays hit British second-home owners

Brexit updates: EU citizenship court case, S1s, attestations d’accueil