After submitting your France visa, you have to wait for the immigration authorities to go through your documents and process your application, this waiting period can be very nerve-racking.

You don’t know if your application will be accepted or rejected, you have to wait and find out. Bear in mind that France has strict immigration rules and any slight issue can cause the rejection of your visa.

In most cases, the waiting period for your visa is unknown, it can be determined by several factors such as the volume of applications received within the same period you applied, the type of visa you applied for and how complete your application is – incomplete applications get delayed.

Instead of waiting endlessly to be called by the immigration authorities about the outcome of your visa, follow these methods and you will know if your France visa has been approved.

How do I know if my France visa is approved?

To know if your France visa has been approved, use the online tracking tool to monitor your visa processing progress and its approval, you can also check through emails, contact the visa application centre on the phone or wait for the return of your passport.

How to know if your France visa has been approved during the online tracking tool

If you want to know whether your France visa has been approved using the online tracking tool, you need an internet-accessible device – a mobile phone or computer is great.

Once you get your device and internet, follow the steps below.

• Locate the tracking system

If you submitted your visa application online, visit the French consulate’s official website or its affiliate where you submitted your visa application.

If you applied at a CAPAGO visa application centre, you must use the CAPAGO online application tracking tool by clicking here.

If you applied at the TLS visa application centre, then click here to use the TLS online application tracking tool.

For anyone who applied at a VFS visa application centre, you can access the VFS online application tracking tool by clicking here.

On the website, look for a section related to visa services, and within that, find the online tracking system.

• Enter the required details

Once you are on the online tracking system, you will be required to enter specific details such as your application reference number, passport number, and possibly your date of birth.

Each of the tracking systems has its specific requirements, so provide the one required by the tracking system you are using.

Make sure you provide accurate details -whether the system requests for your reference number, last name or date of birth, provide the accurate one.

• Check your visa status

Once you enter the required information, the system should display the status of your visa application.

If your visa has been approved, it will show “Approved”, if it’s still under review, you will see “In Process”.

Pay attention to any additional notes or comments that you will see on the displayed page. If they need you to provide more documents, you will see them there.

You need to check the online tracking system regularly, especially during processing. If the online tracking system does not give you the information you need or if you encounter issues, you can use other means to know when your France visa has been approved.

Aside from checking your visa approval status through the online tracking tool, you can also know when your visa has been approved by calling the visa application centre.

How to call the VAC and check if your application has been approved

This is another way to know if your France visa application has been approved. Look for the contact information of the visa application centre where you submitted your visa.

You will find the VAC contact information in the acknowledgement email sent to you when you submitted your application.

Additionally, you can also find the VAC contact information on their official website. Before you contact them, get your application details and reference number ready.

When you connect with a consulate staff member, be polite. Identify yourself, and they will request your application details, kindly provide them.

Let the agent know that you want to know about the status of your visa application. The staff member will run a check on their system and let you know if your application has been approved or not.

How to know through email notification 

Another method you can use to know if your France visa application has been approved is through email. Craft a concise and polite email inquiring about the status of your visa application.

Include essential details such as your full name, application reference number, and any other information requested during the application process.

Send your email to the Visa application centre once you have included all the necessary details about you  – wait for a reply from the VAC.

Once they receive your email, they will reply to you with the status of your visa application. If it has been approved, you will be informed.

Alternatively, without sending an enquiry request, once your visa has been approved, the immigration authorities will send you a congratulatory email.

Ensure that the email address you provided during the application process is accurate and keep a close eye on your email inbox, including spam or junk folders.

The visa approval email contains clear indications of the outcome of your visa application. Look for phrases such as “visa approved,” “application successful,” or similar language.

Sometimes, the email will include instructions on how you can collect your passport or any other additional steps you should take about your trip to France.

How to collect your passport

Once your visa is approved, the consulate will reach out to you to pick up your passport. You can pick up your passport through courier services, mail, or in person.

The presence of a stamp in your passport is a definitive sign of visa approval. Check for the visa stamp, it usually includes important details such as the visa type, validity period, and any specific conditions attached to your visa.

If you applied for a France visa, you can keep up with the processing and approval of your visa through the online tracking system, contacting the consulate or visa application centre on the phone, and monitoring your email notifications for updates – the visa authorities will send you an email once your application is approved.

You can find more information on tracking your France visa application and its approval by clicking here. Before you leave your country for France after your visa approval, make sure you comply with national entry conditions.