Get your Schengen Visa from France in just 3 days: Reddit user explains how to do it right

Planning a Schengen trip without an agent? A Reddit user from India just proved it's possible, and fast. Sharing their experience on the subreddit r/schengenvisa, the traveller detailed how they received a short-stay French visa in just three days, with no prior international travel history and no agency help.

“I recently applied for a short stay visa to the French embassy through VFS,” the user wrote, adding that the application was self-managed, thanks in large part to resources shared by fellow Redditors. Their visa process, including cover letter and itinerary formats, was modelled on a successful Switzerland visa post from another thread.

One key piece of advice: clarity matters. “I thought this format was great since information is clearly marked, and the visa officers can skip to whatever they want to see,” they said, referring to a clearly laid-out itinerary and cover letter.

The applicant did run into a minor glitch. Originally, they had booked five days in France and five in Italy. But their flight timings inadvertently left them with just four nights in France — making Italy their longest stay and thus the logical country for visa application. A VFS official flagged the discrepancy during document submission.

With quick thinking and flexible hotel bookings, the user revised their France stay to five nights. “Surprisingly, VFS provided free printouts (maybe because premium lounge?) of our updated cover letter and hotel bookings,” they wrote.

The Redditor confirmed that “booked hotels are required” and advised others to “select pay at property options from booking.com.” For flights, they said they booked cancellable tickets instead of using dummy tickets, minimising the risk of rejection.

On financials, they clarified that signed and stamped bank statements are a must. “Print your bank statements and take it to your bank. They'll usually verify and attest it right there without much waiting,” the user said in a comment reply.

For many Indian travellers daunted by Schengen visa rules and rejections, this DIY success story offers a grounded, transparent walkthrough. And it highlights how preparation, correct documentation, and even last-minute flexibility can go a long way.