Foreigners student in France: long-stay visa or residence card
If you are foreigner If you want to study in France, you must first apply for a long-stay visa (VLS-TS) mention student (valid for 4 months to 1 year). After 1 year, you can apply for a temporary residence card student (valid for 1 year) or multiannual student (valid for 2 to 4 years). You are subject to resource requirements. In some cases, the residence permit can be issued automatically.
- 1st year
- After 1 year of stay
1st year
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Who is involved?
You are concerned if you come to France to pursue higher education without a residence permit for personal or family reasons (for example, resident card, residence permit private and family life ).
You must be registered (or pre-registered):
- in a public or private institution of higher education or initial training (university, college, etc.)
- or a higher vocational training organization.
You must have at least €615 per month.
But if you are in one of the following situations, the resource condition does not apply:
- You come to France under an agreement signed between the State and a higher education institution in which you are registered
- You passed the entrance examination to a higher education institution that has signed an agreement with the state
- You're a French government scholar
- Your country has signed a reciprocal agreement with France on the admission of students
if you come to France to take a competition or an entrance exam for higher education, you must apply for a short-stay student-competition visa.
Application for a long-stay visa as a student residence permit (VLS-TS)
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You entered France regularly and passed a school entrance exam
You are dispensed of VLS-TS if you have entered France regularly (under short-stay visa for example).
You must apply directly for a residence card student in the prefecture.
You have entered France regularly, you have been studying in France for at least 16 years and you are pursuing higher education
You are dispensed of the VLS-TS if you have entered France regularly (under short-stay visa for example). You also have to prove the reality and seriousness of your higher education.
You must apply directly for a residence card student in the prefecture.
Other case
Before starting your process, you must consult the official website France-visas to find the procedure that concerns you:
Foreigners from 43 countries must apply for a visa on the Studies in France at the time of online pre-enrollment in French higher education.
Democratic Republic of Congo
North Africa / Middle East
Validation of the VLS-TS after arrival in France
Within 3 months of your arrival in France, you must validate your VLS-TS and pay a tax in addition to the visa fee.
The online approach makes it possible to be in regular stay and to be able to cross the border again from the Schengen area.
€50 (to be paid when validating your long-stay visa as a residence permit)
Period of validity
The VLS-TS shall be issued for a period of time 4 months to 1 year.
After 1 year of stay
Unfold all
Who is involved?
You are concerned if you come to France to pursue higher education without a residence permit for personal or family reasons (for example resident card, residence permit private and family life ).
You must be registered (or pre-registered):
- in a public or private institution of higher education or initial training (university, college, etc.)
- or a higher vocational training organization.
You must have at least €615 per month.
The resource condition does not apply if you are in one of the following situations:
- You come to France under an agreement signed between the State and a higher education institution, in which you are registered
- You passed the entrance examination to a higher education institution that has signed an agreement with the state
- You're a French government scholar
- Your country has signed a reciprocal agreement with France on the admission of students
if you come to France to take a competition or an entrance exam for higher education, you must apply for a short-stay student-competition visa.
Application for a student temporary residence card
You must apply for your residence card at the earliest 4 months and at the latest 2 months before the end of validity of your residence document (visa, VLS-TS or title).
When you apply for a residence permit on the Internet, you immediately get a dematerialized certificate deposit.
You can check the status of your case at any time. You can also respond to any requests for additional information and take note of the decisions taken.
It may be necessary to go to the prefecture for a fingerprint (if it has not already been taken).
Acceptance or refusal to issue a residence card
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Your request is accepted
If your application is accepted, you are summoned to the prefecture for the issue of the title.
Your request is denied
If the prefect has notified you of the refusal
The decision of the prefect is yours notified by reasoned letter (explicit decision). Except in exceptional circumstances, such refusal shall be accompanied by a obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) setting the country to which you will be returned.
You can form a litigation before the administrative court (within 48 hours, 15 days or 30 days depending on the type of OQTF).
No reply from the prefect on your request
If the prefecture has not responded after 4 months, this is an implicit refusal.
You can then train within 2 months of this refusal:
- One administrative appeal ( ex gratia appeal before the prefect and/or hierarchical remedy to the Minister of the Interior),
- And/or a litigation before the administrative court
if your receipt expires and you don't have a response from the prefecture, the processing time may be longer. In this case, you can obtain the renewal of your receipt. Find out more on your prefecture's website.
Documents to be supplied
- Valid long stay visa (or short stay visa) "student competition" )
- Proof of domicile less than 6 months old
- Photograph code and valid digital signature
- Registration produced by the educational institution (which may be a public or private higher education institution) or pre-registration
- If you have a short-stay visa "student competition" : certificate of successful completion of the competition or pre-admission examination
- If you are applying for a residence card "student - mobility program" : any document produced by the institution justifying that your course is part of an EU mobility program
- Transcripts from the previous year
- Last degree obtained in France
- Certificate of achievement issued by the institution
- Proof of your resources (unless you have a short-stay visa "student contest" ) which must be at least €615 / month:
- If you are a French government scholar or a beneficiary of European programs: justification for this situation
- If you are a fellow in your country of origin: certificate from the paying agency of the country of origin specifying the amount and duration of the grant
- If you work: your last 3 payslips
- If you are taken care of by a third party: proof of identity of the third party + bank certificates of the planning of regular transfers (or certificate on the honor of payment of the sums enabling the amount of €615 / month)
- If you have sufficient resources: bank attestation of sufficient credit balance
- If you have been in school in France since the age of 16 and you are pursuing higher education there: school certificates
- If you do not have a valid long-stay visa or residence permit:
- Full copy of birth certificate with the most recent entries
- Passport (pages concerning civil status, validity dates, entry stamps and visas) or, if not, other supporting documents (consular certificate, identity card, consular card, etc.)
You must pay a tax and a stamp duty €75 by tax stamps.
if you apply for a renewal of your title after the deadline, you will also have to pay a visa fee to regularize your €180 (except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa).
Period of validity
The card is valid 1 year and renewable.
Renewal (issue of a multi-annual residence card)
After 1 year presence in France on a long-stay visa as a residence permit (VLS-TS) or a temporary residence card student , you can benefit from a multi-year residence card student .
Its duration is equal to the number of years remaining in the course of study in which you are enrolled.
For example, if you have completed your 1 re year of license in France, you will receive a card valid for 2 years.
If you are studying at a large school, you will receive a card at the time of renewal covering the end of your training (until you obtain your engineering degree for example).
Conditions
You must comply with the initial conditions for issuing the temporary residence card student , which means:
- be enrolled in an institution (public or private) of initial education or training
- and justify monthly resources at least equal to €615 .
You have to justify the reality and seriousness of your studies. Your entire course since your entry into France is taken into account.
The real and serious nature of your studies is checked in particular by means of:
- your attendance,
- your test results,
- the degrees you get,
- explanations you provide if you change your curriculum.
a repetition per course of study does not by itself call into question the seriousness of the studies.
Request for multiannual card
When you apply for a residence permit on the Internet, you immediately get a dematerialized certificate deposit.
You can check the status of your case at any time. You can also respond to any requests for additional information and take note of the decisions taken.
It may be necessary to go to the prefecture for a fingerprint (if it has not already been taken).
if you apply for a renewal of your title after the deadline, you will also have to pay a visa fee to regularize your €180 (except in cases of force majeure or presentation of a valid visa).
Documents to be supplied
- Proof of domicile less than 6 months old
- Photograph code and valid digital signature
- Registration produced by the educational institution (which may be a public or private higher education institution) or pre-registration
- Transcripts from the previous year
- Last degree obtained in France
- Certificate of achievement issued by the institution
