Schengen visa from Cameroon: France, Belgium, Germany…

The short-stay Schengen visa

The short-stay visa (type C) allows you to stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area. It covers tourism, family visits and business trips. For a longer stay, for example for studies or work, you need a long-stay national visa (type D) from the country concerned.

Which consulate?

You apply to the country that is the main destination of your trip, meaning the one where you will spend the most time. If the lengths of stay are equal, it is the country through which you will first enter the Schengen area.

For France, the application starts on the official France-Visas portal, then continues with an appointment at the service provider appointed by the consulate.

Key documents

• a passport issued within the last ten years and valid at least three months after your planned return date;
• the application form and recent photos;
• travel insurance covering at least €30,000 in medical and repatriation costs across the whole Schengen area;
• flight and accommodation bookings, or a host’s letter;
• proof of means: bank statements, payslips;
• proof of status: employment certificate, business registration or school certificate.

When to apply?

You can apply up to six months before your trip, and no later than fifteen days before. The consulate generally decides within fifteen days, which may be extended in some cases. In peak season, appointments are scarce: it is best to start early.

Studying in France

To study in France, Cameroonian students generally go through the Campus France procedure before applying for a long-stay student visa. We help you plan the calendar and the documents.

What FTGroup does for you

• choosing the right consulate and type of visa;
• a full check of the file and of the consistency of your supporting documents;
• booking your appointment on the official platform;
• travel insurance that meets Schengen requirements;
• flight and hotel bookings for the file, then the final ticket.