VLS-T Visa Dates

Date Considerations

The sets out a range of factors that you may wish to consider when planning visa dates

Applying for a VLS-T Visa

• Your visa appointment date may be up to six months before your visa start date.

• There is a minimum six months between the end of one VLS-T visa and the start of another VLS-T if it starts in the same calendar year; you may choose any date if it starts in the next calendar year.

Arrival

• You may arrive in France before the visa start date and your visa will automatically start on the visa start date. 

• If you arrive in the Schengen Area before the visa start date but enter France after the visa start date then you will operate under the Schengen 90/180 until you enter France.

Departure

• You can remain in France beyond your visa end date provided that you remain within your 90/180 limits. You DO NOT have to physically leave France.

• You may exit France directly to any country.

Other Points

• The Schengen Rules applies to any Schengen country so any visit to Schengen before or during the visa period may cut into the 90 days available to you before or after the visa.

• The VLS-T visa is a multi-entry visa. You can enter or exit France on any day within the visa period.

• This is not a date matter bur worth pointing out - Border Officials have the right to question you about your travel dates. It is prudent to anticipate this, and to be able to demonstrate where you have travelled and when.

Other Factors

A few other thing should be considered before finalising your visa-dates:

1. Experience showns that TLS generally releases future appointment days in batches with appointments offered up to 4 weeks in advance

2. The visa start date may be altered at the appointment provided that it is compliant with the 6-month rule in Point 1 AND the 3-month rule in Point 4 in the section above.

3. You will be without your passport for a period after the appointment. This is generally no more than 15 working days and may be shorter; however it might be longer. 

4. At the time of the appointment, you may submit a brief letter requesting a 4 or 5 month visa. This would enable you to start the visa process earlier in the next year. You should not attempt to stipulate a specific end date. In 2023 and 2024 most requests appear to have been met but there were some disappointments.

5. Check that your passports and EHIC cards have expiry dates that are compliant with the visa rules. These are explained on the Key Facts web-page: 

Spending a long period in France

• If the aggregate number of days in France in any calendar year approaches 180 days there is an increasing risk that you might be officially asked about the total number of days spent in France; and this in turn may raise further official questions and have other consequences.

• We do not intend to cover this subject area which applies to a small number of VLS-T visa applicants.

• If you are in this position then you may wish to take professional advice on your personal situation so that you are well informed about the impact of spending more than 180 or so days in France.   

• Note, that under customs regulations, a UK registered car may only remain in France/Europe for a total of 6 months in any rolling year measured from the current date.

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