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I'd like to get some advice on a short stay visa to France as I have been invited for an event in Paris. I'm a Sri Lankan national living in Saudi Arabia with my husband and two-year-old son. I'm working as a freelancer for a company as an operations manager.

We applied for a visit visa to France 2 years ago and were rejected for insufficient funds even though the bank balance was more than enough to cover our trip as per requirements stated in their website.

Now I need to travel alone for 3 days, and I'm wondering if I'll be rejected again for the same reason.

Also, what are the documents I need to submit, since I'm living in Saudi Arabia under my husband's sponsorship?

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  • The standard refusal form does not allow the consulate to refuse your visa for "insufficient funds." The closest reason is "You have not provided proof of sufficient means of subsistence, for the duration of the intended stay or for the return to the country of origin or residence...." This could mean that the balance was too low, but it could also mean any of several other things: (1) they didn't believe the statement was genuine (they would also have checked #8 in that case), or (2) you didn't include a return ticket, or (3) your intended expenses were unclear or unrealistic. – phoog Nov 19 '18 at 15:56
  • Yes that was the statement now i remember. But we provided past 3 months bank statments signed and stamped by the bank. A travel itinerary and hotel booking. Also exactly what we were doing in Paris. An executive working inside told us the person who checked our application requested us to show a bank balance of 50,000 sar then he can stamp the visa.. by the following day morning if we can show that balance no issue. We had 30,000 in our balance and he said its not enough and so unfortunately he has to reject coz we were unable to find another 20,000. – Ed ed Nov 19 '18 at 16:32
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    50,000 SAR for a three day trip sounds too much. What were you staying in? 5 star hotels or something! – Ali Gajani Nov 19 '18 at 16:59
  • No the previous trip was for 6 days tourism trip to paris.. for which they requested 50k should be enough. And we booked 3 star hotel... even with that and the breakdown for our daily events and balance left 30k wasnt enough – Ed ed Nov 19 '18 at 17:02
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    50 000 SAR for a 6-day trip to Paris in a 3-star hotel is quite a lot (that's €11,650!!!). It's practically €2000 a day. Sorry to ask this, but did you have income continuously entering yor account? – ar5975 Nov 19 '18 at 17:24
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When traveling alone they do check your application on its own merits. Yes, your previous application will likely be checked but your financial circumstances and needs are different now.

With your husband and child staying behind, you have much stronger reasons to return home. This may or may not influence how they value your financial situation, it will certainly not hurt your chances this time.

Your regular income and expenditure should match and leave enough money for the travel you plan to do. From the information in the comments, you had planned a rather expensive short holiday. It is not unlikely that the officer handling your application was suspicious because of the high price of the hotel for a touristy trip.

This time you travel alone, which makes a different financial position and a different need for money.

You need proof of your combined income and expenditure, mostly that will be the bank statements of your combined bank account(s) but other proof of income or owning property can be helpful as well. You need to proof your regular income is big enough that your planned journey is to be expected of someone in your financial position and that it will not bring you into financial problems.

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