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Student Visa in France

 

Studying in France is easier than you think! Our Trusted Partners will walk you through the process step-by-step

How can a lawyer help me?

We are here to assist you through the whole process. Our team of Trusted Partners start by providing you with the complete list of the documents you will need to gather in order to submit your student visa application. You will only have to gather the documents that we request and we will review them. Partners will also complete any forms, including those in French on your behalf, and inform you if the immigration officials require sworn translations. 

It is a quality, high-touch service where you can easily contact us throughout the application process. We are here to answer any questions and aim to do so within 24 hours. Our Affiliated Law Firm is dedicated to support you in every step of the process toward living and studying in France.

šWe will be with you each step of the journey.š

 

What is a Student Visa?

A Student Visa allows non-EU citizens to reside in France and attend a higher education course or an academic institution. This type of residence permit is encouraged for those pursuing research in doctoral or postdoctoral areas, courses that are longer than a year, and for shorter studies.

How to obtain a Student Visa in France?

If the applicant’s country of residence is one of the 65 countries that participates in the “Etudes en France” procedure, they can apply online to enroll in a higher education institution. France’s immigration officials have created a dedicated portal where the applicant can directly submit their application to the Consular authorities. 

If, however, the applicant’s country isn’t part of the “Etudes en France” then the Student Visa application should be submitted at the Consulate in their country of residence. 

The processing time for the student visa may vary depending on the consulate offices of the country where the applicant applies. 

Process of getting a Student Visa

To study in France with a Student Visa, the first step is to choose a higher education course and enroll into the academic institution of your choice. This is typically a college, university or business school. The enrollment procedure changes according to your country. 

Once enrolled, the applicant gathers all the necessary documentation to submit the application. This includes documents that show the applicant has sufficient financial means to support themselves while studying in France and proof of a French address. There is additional paperwork that varies depending on the applicant’s nationality and situation. 

Depending on the situation and the planned duration of study in France, the applicant will be issued a student visa under the following criteria: 

  • If the applicant is enrolled on a short-term program, like a language course, and is less than three months old. This would be a Short-Stay Visa.
  • If the course is between three and six months long, the applicant would be issued with a Long-Stay Visa.
  • If the course of study is longer than six months, the applicant should apply for a Long-Stay Visa, which is equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS). This needs to be validated within three months of arriving in France.

Frequently Asked Questions

All foreign students studying in France benefit from the right to work while studying. However, the visa holder can only work up to 964 hours annually, which is around 20 hours per week. This is 60% of the standard workweek in France.

If you wish to renew your Student VLS-TS Visa in order to continue your studies in France, you can apply for its renewal three months before its expiry. You will be issued with a multi-annual residence permit which has a validity that matches the length of the course of study.

A minor can participate in a residential course in France that’s arranged by a specialized organization. Here, the supporting documentation such as an authorization from the parents and the contact details of a guarantor(s) in France must be provided.

The child will be issued either with a Short-Stay Visa if the stay is shorter than three months or,  for minors aged between 16 and 18 years old and planning to study in France for more than three months, they will receive a “Mineur ScolarisĂ©â€, or school-attending minor, Long-Stay Visa.

Our Affiliated Law Firm.

We are a department formed by qualified legal experts who have been trained in the field of immigration law. We work on these requests every day and it’s our passion. For us, Lexidy is a way of life and what excites us the most is to be able to deliver the happiness and satisfaction of a successful immigration process. We want to help you achieve your goals and dreams.

Eleonore Tavares
Head of Lexidy France

Eléonore Tavares de Pinho

Lawyer | Avocate Ă  la Cour

Lawyer | Avocate Ă  la Cour

Nour
Legal Trainee

Nour Rachidy

Julio Vero
Legal Counsel

Julio Vero

Hector Valero
Legal Trainee

Hector Valero

Sophie
Immigration Lawyer

Sophia Lassegue

Pauline
Legal Trainee

Pauline Flaviano

Eva Novoa Andino
Lawyer

Eva Novoa Andino

Head of Lexidy France

Eléonore Tavares de Pinho

Born in Senegal to Belgian-Portuguese parents and having lived for several years in various countries, ElĂ©onore quickly became passionate about Immigration legislation. She graduated from the University of la Sorbonne and the University of Florence and obtained a five-year dual degree in Italian and French Law. As an attorney, she chose to work in Immigration Law in order to have real action on the field and help people fulfill their projects.  Deeply convinced that digital technologies can make law and legal services simpler and impact people’s lives in a positive way, ElĂ©onore will always be looking for the most efficient way to meet your needs.

Lawyer | Avocate Ă  la Cour

Lawyer | Avocate Ă  la Cour

Victoire is born and raised French, despite family from all around the world.
She graduated her Masters degree in international law and human rights law,
and believes she did not fall into Immigration law by accident. She is passionate
about helping others transform their dream to move to France into a project,
either professional or familial. She loves her crazy Paris city and the French
countryside, discovering new cultures, and showing off good old France.
Speaking: French and English.

Legal Trainee

Nour Rachidy

She was born and raised in France but is a dual national. From a young age she knew she wanted to become a lawyer. Nour studied private law in French university during my bachelor. Later she inroad in a Master Degree in which Nour studied International and European litigation law. She ended her master in Greece studying in an LLM of international Law. Growing up she was always facing various legal systems, procedure that immigrant go through in order to visit family, work, study. Nous is very comfortable talking and helping people legally or not in different language to make them feel helped efficiently. Speaking: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic.

Legal Counsel

Julio Vero

Born in Brazil, where I started my Law studies, changing to Law School in Portugal and got my degree from University of Porto in 2021. I got a Master’s  in European Law in Paris, at the University Paris 12. I have been having an enriching experience during my traineeship at Lexidy, where I get to complete with practical skills the knowledge I have acquired during these many years of  legal studies. What I like to do the most is reading and cooking. I am fluent in Portuguese, French and English, and I am currently learning German.

Legal Trainee

Hector Valero

Born in Valencia, Spain, he started a Double Degree in French and Spanish Law between the Universitat de Valencia and the UniversitĂ© Toulouse 1 Capitole. Along with this degree formation, he specialized in European and International Law in for two years, completing it with a Master Thesis about the Evolution of the concept of States Boarders in the light of Internet. During my Master’s degree, Hector was able to discover Immigration law through the lens of European and French Law. Throughout the internship at Legal Service at the European Parliament, he learned the practical side of European and Public International Law from the lens of creation and conclusion of International Agreements. Finally, his experience at M&B Avocats helped to develop the profile as a French and Spanish Law Jurist, knowing the insights and particular traits of both legal systems. Speaks: English, Spanish, French.

Immigration Lawyer

Sophia Lassegue

Sophia was born in Paris, France. She travelled the world, studied law and worked in three different countries: France, Argentina and Morocco. She passed the Paris Bar at the Faculty of Law of la Sorbonne. Sophia has experience in international, civil as well as immigration law, and joined Lexidy France in January 2024. She is fully dedicated to helping foreign clients establish themselves and their businesses in France, assisting them in either French, English or Spanish.

Legal Trainee

Pauline Flaviano

Pauline Flaviano is half-french half-hongkongese, and lived in both places. Her European law studies also allowed her to live in Spain for a year. Her European studies focus on the European asylum and immigration policies. Having lived in different countries and speaking multiple languages, she joined the Paris immigration team for her end-of-studies internship. Speaks: French, English, Cantonese.

Lawyer

Eva Novoa Andino

Eva is originally from El Salvador but has lived in France and Spain. She obtained a double degree in French and Spanish Law from the UniversitĂ© Toulouse Capitole I and Universidad AutĂłnoma de Barcelona, specializing in International & European Law, reflecting her keen interest in the intersection of legal systems across borders. She has obtained her Master’s in Access to the Legal Profession and is registered at the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB). Drawing from her diverse experiences in an international setting, Eva has cultivated a profound interest in international and immigration law. She speaks Spanish, French, English, and Portuguese and is currently learning Catalan. Eva’s extensive international exposure, coupled with her linguistic proficiency, positions her as a valuable asset for clients seeking comprehensive legal expertise in a global context. 

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