Can I visit Schengen countries on a long term French Visa?

Question

I have requested for a french long term student visa from India.Its a France visa and not a Schengen visa. My question is that can we still go to other Schengen countries on this visa? If not then can we get a Schengen visa from the Indian embassy in France?

Answer 1

Firstly, the Indian visa in France gives out visas to India. Assuming you're on an Indian passport, this is useless to you. You need to go to the embassy/consulate of the country for which you want a visa - eg if you are going to Egypt, you go to the Egyptian embassy in France.

My belief is that your long stay visa (more than three months) falls under the lawful category for "Stays Exceeding three months":

Long-stay visas issued by a Schengen country entitle the holder to enter the Schengen Area and remain in the territory of the issuing state for a period longer than three months, but no more than one year. If a Schengen state wishes to allow the holder of a long-stay visa remain there for longer than a year, the state must issue him or her with a residence permit.

The holder of a long-stay visa or a residence permit issued by a Schengen country is entitled to move freely within the other states which comprise the Schengen Area for a period of up to three months in any half year. Third-country nationals who are long-term residents in a Schengen state may also acquire the right to move to and settle in another Schengen state without losing their legal status and social benefits.

So on that theory, yes, you can enter the other Schengen states, as long as you follow those time-limited terms.