Check to see if a visa is required by visiting the VisaHQ website. Click on the drop-down box and select the country you are a citizen of and what country you are living in or coming from.
Gather the documents you will need to bring to the consulate. A current passport is needed that is valid at least three months past when your visa will be set to expire. You'll need to include up to three photographs. An application fee of 60 euros will be taken at the time of application along with the short-stay visa application form that you'll find at http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/IMG/pdf/visagb.pdf.
Collect evidence that will show why you are visiting the country, what monetary means you have to sustain yourself, that you are insured worldwide, that you plan to leave the country and that you have a return ticket or can afford one when it is time to leave.
Visit the consulate in your area with your documents and evidence. Most consulates require an appointment be set, so be sure to call in advance. In this article's Resources section you'll find a link to a web page that lists the contact information for each country that requires a short-stay visa to France.
Wait for a response from the consular authority. Do not try to make additional contact during this time. You should receive an answer via mail within two months. If your passport is returned with a sticker, you have been approved. If there is no sticker, then you have been denied. You can also assume you have been denied if you don't receive your answer within two months.
