Student Visa Guidelines 2024-2025 (3).pdf

Student

Visa

Guidelines

2024-2025

Overview

Document

FAQs

checklist and tips

Who

involved?

Campus France USA is the French government

agency that works with students in the US going

to France for an academic program of 90 days or

more.

The Campus France Etudes en France application

is the mandatory fi rst step for all s tudent visa

applicants. Campus France USA ensures all

academic criteriaare met before the applicant

submits a student visa application. Students

participating in a program in France ofunder 90

days do not need to complete the Campus

France procedure. Depending on their

nationalities, they might need to request a

short-stay visa.

VFS Global is an external agency responsible for

managing all visa appointments and visa

application submissions across the US in

10 consular jurisdictions.

After completingan online s tudent visa

application on the France-Visas platform,

s tudents will visit a VFS Global Center in person

to submit the visa application.

Once s tudents have submitted a

visa application at VFS Global, the application is

s e nt to the Visa Service of the French Consulate

in Washington D.C. for processing.

The Visa Service reserves the right to contact

s tudents i f they require any additional

supporting documents during the visa review

process. The Visa Service makesdecisions on the

i ssuance of

s tudent visas.

study abroad

French language

degree

certificate

Complete an Etudes en

France (EEF)

Application*

Submit your Campus

France payment on our

website

The Campus France team

will review your EEF

application (3- day or 3-

week review)

Receive your

confirmation email when

your EEF application has

been processed

Complete a student visa

application on France-

Visas platform

Schedule a visa

appointment at a VFS

Global Center and attend

appointment**

Receive visa in the mail

or pick it up at a VFS

Global Center after

processing time of 3 to 4

weeks

Travel to France

Within the first 3 months

following arrival, register

and validate visa online

social security

* Students may beginthe EEF application anytime. It is recommended to begin the application at least 10-12 weeks before departure

**Students may attend a VFS Global visa appointment only within the 90 days prior to the start date of their program in France

You have been

accepted to a

program in

France

1 2

3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

Document

Checklist

❑ Visa application form

❑ France-Visas receipt

❑ ID Photograph

❑ Travel document (passport)

❑ For non-US citizens, proof of legal status in the U.S.

❑ Campus France USA confirmation email

❑ Pre-registration certificate generated by EEF-Pastel

❑ Proof of accommodation in France

❑ Proof of sufficient funds for program period in France

Please note that requirements are subject to change. Students should always follow the checklist generated by France-Visas or VFS, which

may include additional documents not listed here. This document serves an explanatory purpose to help students understand the items they

will see on the France-Visas and VFS checklists. Please note that one requirement for all student visa applicants is the Campus France

confirmation email. This requirement may not appear on the general global France-Visas checklist, but is mandatory for applicants from the

US.

Document

Tips

to the France-Visas platform as you

complete your application.

All details on document specifications can be

found here.

Uploading documents is recommended, but

does not change the processing time for

student visas.

Note: Students can use regular letter sized

paper (8.5 x 11 inches) instead of A4 paper.

Upload

supporting documents

Bring

hard copies of documents

to the VFS Global in-person

appointment.

Even if you upload documents to the France-

Visas platform, you must also bring hard copies

of all documents to your in-person VFS Global

appointment.

❑ Visa application form

Demande de visa pour un long séjour

1 copy

This is the PDF visa application form that is generated by

the France-Visas platform.

You will need to print a copy of this application form that

you completed online.

Print one copy of this three-page document and sign and

date the application on the day of your appointment at

your local VFS Global Center.

You will also be requested to upload supporting

documents to the France-Visas platform when you

complete this application. In addition, bring original copies

of supporting documents to your in-person VFS Global

appointment.

To print the application, log into your France-Visas account

and click the magnifying glass icon to generate the PDF for

printing.

❑ France-Visas receipt

1 copy

This is the receipt of your visa application

generated by the France-Visas platform when you

complete the visa application online. This

documents includes an application reference

number, your name and DOB, and a bar code.

You’ll also see a checklist of what you need to

bring with you. If you see additional items on the

France-Visas checklist other than what you see on

this Guidelines document, you should always

bring those items.

❑ ID Photograph

1 original photo

This is a passport-style headshot photograph, 3.5

cm by 4.5 cm, in color, against a uniform and clear

background.

You can have these taken at your local pharmacy,

FedEx, some USPS locations, or your university

may offer photo services. Please do not take this

photo yourself, your application will be rejected.

The photo must be recent, but does not need to

match the photo in your passport. Your mouth

must be closed and your eyes and ears need to be

visible. You must not be wearing glasses, a hat, or

a scarf.

❑ Travel document (passport)

The original + 1 copy of the ID information and

signature pages (shown in top image)

Your passport must be valid for at least three months afteryour

planned date of return from France. For example, if your program

starts September 1, 2025 and ends May 1, 2026, yourpassport

needs to be valid until at least August 1, 2026. If yourpassport

expires before this time, you willneed to renew yourpassport

before applying for a visa.

Your passport must have two consecutive blank visa pages that are

side by side (so when you open the passport you see two blank

visa pages like an open book) plus a third blank page. Pages with

the mention ‘Endorsement’ are not visa pages. If yourpassport

does not meet these requirements, you will need to renew your

passport.

It must also be signed, or yourapplication may be rejected. You

will need to leave yourpassport with the visa service for the

duration of visa processing, please plan accordingly.

❑ For non-US citizens, proof

of legal status in the U.S.

(resident card, visa, etc.)

The original + 1 copy

You will need to bring the original document and

also one photocopy of your residency card or US

visa to your VFS Global appointment, as well as

your passport or travel document from your

country of citizenship.

Only students with a legal U.S. residency

exceeding the length of their proposed stay in

France may apply for a French visa from the U.S. If

this does not apply to you, you may need to apply

through the Campus France office of your country

of origin.

❑ Campus France USA

confirmation email

1 copy

This item may not appear on the general global

France-Visas or VFS checklist, but is mandatory.

This email confirms that Campus France USA has

processed your Etudes en France application and

that it is ready for review by the Visa Service of

the French Consulate. Depending on the language

you selected on Etudes en France, this email will

either be in French or English.

This confirmation email will be sent to the email

address used to create your Etudes en France

account, and will have the subject line: USXX-

XXXXX / Your Campus France file has been

processed OR USXX-XXXXX / Etudes en France:

l’instruction de votre dossier est terminée.

❑ Pre-registration certificate

generated by EEF-Pastel

1 copy

This PDF is generated when Campus France has processed

your Etudes en France application.

Depending on your application type, this will be entitled

‘Confirmation d’acceptation’ or ‘Accord préalable

d’inscription’.

To find this document, log-in to your Etudes en France

account. From the Welcome page, click on your application

tab (either ‘Not Yet Accepted’ or ‘Already Accepted’

depending on your application type), and click on 1 –

Finalize the procedure. The PDF icon will be under the

« Select a Program » section.

❑ Proof of accommodation

in France

1 copy of all documents

It is required that all students have adequate

accommodation arranged for the first three

months* of their stay in France and that they

provide an address in France at which they can be

contacted.

*If at the time of your visa application youhave not yetsecuredaccommodation for the

first 3 months of your stay in France, please provide proof of accommodation for at least

the first week following yourarrival in France, alongwith a letterexplaining clearly your

concrete plans regarding long termaccommodation. If possible, please have this letter

signed by an official representing yourprogram of study.

If you, as the student, are responsible for securing your own

housing in France, please provide the proof of housing in one or

more of the following ways:

1. A renta l agreement or lease in your own name;

2. A printed reservation at a hotel or apartment for the first three months

of your s ta y in France;

3. Proof of a reservation in a student residence;

4. A written statement from a fri end, family member, or individual who will

house you in their home, including their address, the dates of your stay,

the host’s contact information, and the host’s s ignature; AND a copy of

your hos t’s ID AND proof of address (the only documents accepted in this

case as proof of address are copy of the lease or house deed).

If your home institution, host institution, or study abroad

program will arrange housing for you in France, please provide

the proof of housing in one or more of the following ways:

1. An official letter from either the host institution in France or home

university that explains in detail any arrangements made by these

institutions to arrange your housing for at least the first three months of

your s ta y in France. That letter must include the full address of the

residence, contact information fo r all institutions involved, and the

residence type (ex: s tudent housing, hotel, home stay, etc.);

2. Proof of a reservation in a student residence.

❑ Proof of sufficient funds

for your time in France

1 copy of all documents

You will need to provide proof that you have

sufficient resources to sustain yourself for the

duration of your program.

The French government considers this threshold

to be €615 per month.

You will need to provide the proof that, AFTER you

pay all tuition fees related to your program period

(both fees from your French institution and

American institution, and all travel costs, if

applicable) you will have at least €615 per month

at your disposal for all living expenses.

Provide proof of sufficient funds in one of the following

ways:

1. The three most recent official bank statements from your own checking

and/or savings account that show either a balance of (€615 x # of months

you’ll be in France) OR that show a s teady monthly income of over €615

per month. If you provide bank statements showing an existing income

tha t is planned to continue, you need to provide proof of this future

continuity, such as a valid employment contract with dates that cover

your program period in France, or a letter fromyour employer.

2. A financial guarantee form completed by a sponsor who agrees to

provide you with at least €615 per month for the entirety of your time in

France AND copies of that individual’s bank statements showing

sufficient and reliable funds, and showing that this person has the

financial means to provide you with at least €615 per month for the

duration of your time in France. The sponsor could be a parent, another

family member, or an individual who agrees to support you. The form

must be notarized.

3. An official written statement from your university or the awarding

institution confirming that you are the recipient of a scholarship or

s tudent loan package of a value of over (€615 x # of months you’ll be in

France) beyond all tuition, administrative, and program fees. You must

provide proof that you will have at your disposal at l east €615 per month

after havingpaid all program fees for France and all outstanding tuition

fees for the program period at your American institution (if applicable).

FAQs

1. What fees are involved in obtaining a student visa for France?

2. I’ve been asked to provide additional information about my accomodation in

France. How to proceed?

3. I’ve been asked to provide additional information about my financial resources.

How to proceed?

4. I’m scheduled to depart soon for France and I haven’t received my visa yet. How

to proceed?

5. Who should I contact with questions?

6. What should I do upon my arrival in France?

FAQs

What fees are involved

in obtaining a student

visa for France?

Before applying for a student visa, you will need to have paid the Campus

France processing fee of either $270 or $430 depending on the type of

application and/or service chosen. Please note that the processing time of your

Campus France application is unrelated to the visa processing time. The Visa

Service of the French Consulate does not offeran expedited visa processing

service.

You will pay the VFS Global fee approximately $30 when you schedule the VFS

Global visa appointment online.

A visa fee of approximately $55 may be paid by Visa or MasterCard during your

VFS Global appointment. Personal checks/cash are not accepted.

There is a fee of $35 for express mailing of your passport once your visa has

been processed. If you live close to the VFS Global Center, you may choose to

return to VFS to pick up your passport and visa in person when it is ready, in

which case you would not pay this fee.

Expect the total cost to be between $355 and $550, depending on services

selected.

FAQs

I’ve been asked to

provide additional

information about my

accomodation in

France. How to

proceed?

All students going to France must provide proof that they have organized

accommodation for themselves for at least the first three months of their

stay.

Please see page 14 of this document for details of how to provide this proof

depending on yourhousing type.

If, at the time of your visa application, you have not yet secured

accommodation for the first 3 months of yourstay in France, please provide

proof of accommodation for at least the first week following your arrival in

France, along with a letterexplaining clearly yourconcrete plans regarding

long term accommodation. If possible, please have this letter signed by an

official representing yourprogram of study.

FAQs

I’ve been asked to

provide additional

information about my

financial resources.

How to proceed?

All students going to France must provide proof that they have at their

disposal at least €615 per month during their stay. You can do this in a variety

of ways.

If you plan to receive support from yourparents or another individual, they

need to fill out the Financial Guarantee Form AND provide their bank

statements that show that they could support you with €615 per month

during yourstay. The €615 per month need to be at your disposal afteryou

have paid yourfull tuition, administrative, and program fees .

If your housing costs and/or food costs are covered by your program, please

provide an official letter that explains this in detail along with the proof of

funds.

If you provide a letter of financial aid from youruniversity, the letterneeds to

show that you will receiveenough financial aid to give you €615 per month of

yourstay afteryou have paid all all tuition, administrative, and program fees

to youruniversity.

Any application submitted without all the documents listed on the France-

Visas checklist or with inadequatedocuments will face visa refusal. The visa

service of the French Consulate will e -mail you only if you need to provide

documents.

FAQs

I’m scheduled to

depart soon for France

and I haven’t received

my visa yet. How to

proceed?

Processing time may vary. For well-prepared applications, the average

processing time is 3 weeks from the date of your appointment at VFS.

However, in some cases it may take longer.

If you submitted yourvisa application at a VFS Global Center less than three

weeks ago, please check the VFS application tracking. Choose United States,

and follow the instructions to access the tracking.

If you submitted yourvisa application at a VFS Global Center over three

weeks ago, please contact the Visa Service of the French Consulate

at visas.washington-fslt@diplomatie.gouv.fr

FAQs

Who should I contact

with questions?

TOPIC CONTACT

Etudes en France

Application

Campus France USA

washington@campusfrance.org

DocBox or Campus France

Payment

Campus France USA

washington@campusfrance.org

Required documents for

visa application

Check the France-Visas FAQs

Contact the visa service of the French Consulate at

info.franceusa@vfsglobal.com

Please note that your email will only receive a response if your

question has not been already addressedon the France-Visas

platform.

Tracking my visa

application after the

appointment

If you submitted your visa application at a VFS

Center under three weeks ago, check the VFS

application tracking.

Choose ‘United States’ and follow the instructions to access the

tracking. If you submitted your visa application at a VFS Center

over three weeks ago, have already checked VFS tracking, and

still have questions, email the Visa Service of the French

Consulate at visas@consulfrance-washington.org to inquire.

FAQs

What should I do

upon my arrival

in France?

Questions?

08 06 001 620

dgef-support@interieur.gouv.fr

You have just been issued a long-stay visa serving as a residence permit,

enabling you to legally stay in France. Within the first three months following

yourarrival, you must registerand validate your visa at this site:

administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/

This quick and simple process willensure that you are registered as a legal

resident in France in order to complete yourrelocation.

To complete the online visa registration, you will need to provide: a valid

email address, your visa information, the date on which you entered France,

your home address in France, your credit card details in order to pay a fee

online for the issuance of your residence permit. If you fail to validate your

visa within the first three months following your arrival, you will no longer be

considered a legal resident in France and will be unable to re-enter the

Schengen Area if you leave.

Soon after you arrive in France, and after registering and validating your visa

following the procedure explained above, all students need to register with

the French Social Security by visiting this site :etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/#/

Bon

Voyage

2024-2025