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.
¨We will be with you each step of the journey.¨
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 Scolarisé”, 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.
Eléonore Tavares de Pinho
Lawyer | Avocate à la Cour
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