First you have to make an appointment on the French Visa application system website at www.consulfrance.net. There you can scroll through different dates available for an appointment to see the visa officer at the Consulate General and make your choice of the date.

Once you pick up the date you will receive a confirmation email. You will be required to print that email to show it at the French Consulate General's entrance.

The paper work required for the visa includes your hand filled application form, your bank statements for the past three months, your valid passport which should be valid for at least three months after the expiration of the requested visa date, two current photos, a letter from your employer, last three pay stubs, airline reservations, hotel address where you will be staying, money equivalent to sixty euros in the form requested by the Consulate General's website and, travel insurance for the duration of your trip to France.

If you are a student, you would require a letter from your university about your student status. If you are unemployed, you would require information about your spouse and her financial status.

The processing time on French tourist visa is about ten business days from the date you submit your documents. It is also called the Schengen Zone visa which is good to visit any other Schengen Zone country in Europe.

Once your visa is ready, you will receive an email to come and pick it up. At this time you will show some final requested documents and have the visa stamped on your passport. The visa given might be for a shorter period of time as initially requested at the discretion of visa officer.