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💼 VISA I Student visa and student residence permit : what you need to know

Julie Noronha
  • Updated

➡️Before you arrive in France: visa application

➡️At your arrival in France: residence permits and renewals

✉️Visas C-Concours and visa "mineur"

💼 Working with a student residence permit

➡️After your studies in France: residence permit options

 

 

 

➡️Before you arrive in France: visa application

Studying abroad is an enriching opportunity, but it also involves complying with certain administrative formalities. Students living in a member country of the European Union do not need to apply for a visa. For certain nationalities, however, it is essential to obtain a student visa.

This article will guide you through the steps and procedures involved in obtaining these documents, providing you with the key information you need to make the process easier.

 

 

What about student visa?

A student visa is an official document authorizing foreign nationals to enter and stay in a country for the purpose of pursuing studies. This visa is generally required for students wishing to follow a university program, professional training or even language courses in a foreign country.

 

Eligibility requirements:

To obtain a student visa, several criterias must be met, including :

  • Admission to an educational institution: Before applying for a visa, you must have been accepted at a recognized institution in the host country (university, school, etc.).
  • Financial capacity: You must prove that you have sufficient resources to support yourself during your stay (accommodation, tuition fees, etc.).
  • Health insurance: Medical insurance covering all risks for the duration of the stay is often required.
  • Temporary intention: You must demonstrate your intention to return to your home country at the end of your studies.

⚠️ The application procedures for student visa vary depending on your nationality. You can check on the études en France website whether your country or territory is covered by the online registration service.

 

You can also contact the French consulate or embassy in your country directly.

 

Types of visa:

There are different types of student visa, depending on the length of stay and the destination country. Here are the most common:

 

 

➡️At your arrival in France: residence permits and renewals

Validating your visa:

If you have a VISA long séjour valant titre de séjour (VLS-TS), including Student VISAs, you must validate your VISA within 3 months of your arrival. You can do this from this website ( government website).

 

You will have to pay an electronic fiscal stamp (the tax linked to the residence permit), online with a bank card or from a tobacconist's in cash.

You will then be issued with a personal identification number: your foreign number. This will enable you to log in to your personal account, and confirm your VISA validation. Confirmation will be sent to you by e-mail. It can be downloaded several times from the platform.

Be sure to keep your personal identification number and your VISA validation.

To help you with the visa validation procedure, you can visit the government website

 

During integration days, the international relations department offers assistance with VISA validation procedures.

 

Please note: If your application has not been completed within 3 months of your arrival, you will no longer be legally resident in France, and will no longer be able to cross the borders of the Schengen area. You will need to apply for a new VISA from your country of origin.

 

Renewing your residence permit:

If you have a temporary or multi-annual residence permit, an Algerian residence permit for 1 year, or a "Visa Long séjour Valant Titre de Séjour (VLS-TS)" and are looking to renew it, you must apply between 4 and 2 months before your current residence permit expires.

 

You can apply on the government website. You will need the following documents:

  • A copy of your current residence permit
  • A copy of your VISA / Passport
  • Proof of payment of your tax stamp (you can buy your tax stamp online)
  • Proof of residence less than 6 months old (proof of address)
  • A school certificate showing the start and end dates of the program you are following. You can get this document directly with your school office:

Bachelor's degree: scolarite.bachelor@bsb-education.com

Master and MSc: scolarite.master@bsb-education.com

MSc Wine Management: alina.arrouas@bsb-education.com

MBA: amandine.gouvernet@bsb-education.com

  • Your most recent transcript

Bachelor: scolarite.bachelor@bsb-education.com

Master and MSc: scolarite.master@bsb-education.com

MSc Wine Management: alina.arrouas@bsb-education.com

MBA: amandine.gouvernet@bsb-education.com

  • Proof of financial resources of at least €615/month:

- If you are supported by a third party (friend, family...) : Bank charges for regular transfers, or a sworn statement of payment of the required amount per month, and the contact details of the person in question.
- If you have the necessary resources: a bank statement.

- If you are receiving a grant from the French government or a European institution: Proof of your situation.

- If you are receiving a scholarship from your home country: the scholarship certificate from the organization providing the scholarship in your home country, specifying the amount and duration of the scholarship.

- If you have an employment contract: Your last three pay slips and your employment contract.

 

If you complete the renewal application after the expiry date of your residence permit, you may be subject to a €180 processing fee, or even an obligation to leave French territory.

 

 

Renewing your residence permit: our advices

Renewing your residence permit in France is an important step that requires careful preparation. Here are a few practical tips to make renewing your residence permit easier.

Anticipate deadlines: make sure you meet the deadlines for renewing your residence permit at least 4 months before your current permit expires. The process can take a long time, and prefectures are often overloaded.

Prepare the necessary documents: Make sure you have all the required documents before submitting your application.

Check local conditions:

Prefectures may have specific requirements depending on the region. Check the website of the relevant prefecture for the exact steps and specific documents they require.

Use the ANEF online platform:

Since 2021 all renewal procedures have been carried out online on the ANEF portal .

This simplifies the process and allows you to track the status of your application. Once you've submitted your application, be sure to keep your proof of submission and confirmation emails, in case of any problems.

Follow up regularly once your application has been submitted:

Follow the progress of your application online if you have used the ANEF service.

 

 

✉️Visa "C-Concours" and visa "mineur"

C-Concours Visa:

The C-Concours Visa is a short-stay visa for students preparing for competitive entrance exams to higher education establishments in France.

If you are accepted, this visa will enable you to apply for a student residence permit at the prefecture without having to return to your country of residence. If you fail your "concours" you will have to leave France as soon as the results are published.

 

How to apply:

To apply for a student residence permit, you will need to complete form “C12” (available on request from the International Relations Office) and return it, together with all supporting documents, to the Prefecture by post within 3 months of the competition result.

You MUST send your file at the above address with a LRAR (Lettre Recommandée avec Accusé de Réception = Registered Letter with Acknowledgment of Receipt). The sender receives proof of sending, while the recipient must sign upon delivery, confirming receipt. This ensures traceability and legal validity. You can obtain a Registered Letter with Acknowledgment of Receipt (LRAR) at any post office or online via the French postal service website. To fill it out, write the recipient’s details on the envelope and complete the acknowledgment form with your information. Submit it at the post office.

 

Cité Dampierre – 6 rue Chancelier de l'Hospital DIJON

or
Préfecture de la Côte d'Or – SRII/Pôle Séjour – 21041 DIJON

 

Visa for minors:

If you are under 18 when you apply for a visa to study in France, the consular authorities in your country will issue you with a long-stay visa for minors attending school.

When you reach the age of majority during your stay in France, you must apply for a residence permit within two months of reaching the age of majority at the prefecture of your place of residence. This process is compulsory.

The prefecture will issue you with a student residence permit. Please note that if you leave France for good within this two-month period, you won't need to apply for your first residence permit.

 

Please note: When you apply for your first student residence permit, the prefecture will first issue you with a "récépissé de première demande de carte de séjour". This document allows you to stay legally in France until you receive your residence permit.

 

Please note: the "récépissé de première demande de carte de séjour" issued by the prefecture does not allow you to leave French territory. If you leave France with this first récépissé and before receiving your residence permit, you will not be authorized to return to France.

 

 

💼 Working with a student residence permit

Non-European foreign students can work while studying. However, they must have a student long-stay visa (VLS-TS) or student residence permit.

Authorized working hours:

Students may work a maximum of 964 hours a year (60% of the legal annual working time).

If this limit is not respected, the student's residence permit may be withdrawn and renewal refused.

The applicable period begins when the card is issued or the VLS-TS is validated.

For example, if your residence permit was issued on September 03, 2024, you will only be able to work a maximum of 964 hours until September 02, 2025.

 

Minimum wage:

In France, a legal minimum wage is guaranteed. It is called the SMIC (Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance). It amounts to €11.65/hour on January 1, 2024 (gross amount).

Applying for a work permit:

Students can work without a work permit. The employer does not need to apply for a work permit.

Nominative declaration to the prefecture:

Employers are required to make a nominative declaration to the prefecture of the departement in which their head office is located. This must be done at least 2 working days before the effective date of hiring.

 

Doing an internship as part of your studies with a student residence permit:

As part of the preparation for certain diplomas, it is compulsory to do an internship to validate your degree. However, students are subject to certain rules:

  • The internship must be governed by an agreement signed between the establishment and the organization hosting the student.
  • If the internship lasts more than 2 months, the student must receive an allowance of around €650/month (January 1, 2024).
  • An internship carried out as part of a training program does not count towards the 964-hour working week.

For further information, please contact the internship and apprenticeship department: stage.alternance@bsb-education.com

 

 

➡️After your studies in France: residence permit options

Whether you're looking to work, set up your own business or continue your education, there are several residence permit options available to young foreign graduates. Here's an overview of the main ways to extend your stay in France after your studies.

 

 

Residence permit: "Recherche Emploi et Création d'Entreprise (RECE)":

This residence permit is one of the most common solutions for foreign students graduating in France. It allows them to stay in France for 12 months (non-renewable) to seek employment or set up a business.

The RECE residence permit is reserved for Master's-level graduates only:

 

Conditions :

  • To have obtained a Master's degree or higher (Bac +5 or more) in France:

- a specialized Master's degree

- an MSc accredited by the "Conférence des Grandes Ecoles"

  • Apply before your student residence permit expires.
  • Prove that you have sufficient financial resources for the duration of your stay.

Documents to be submitted:

You have just obtained your degree and plan to stay in France: you must complete form C19 (available on request from the International Relations Office) and return it by post with the following documents:

  • your passport
  • a copy of your birth certificate
  • 3 passport pictures
  • your valid student residence permit
  • a copy of your diploma or a certificate of achievement from the jury
  • proof of health insurance
  • proof of a business start-up project in the field corresponding to your training (if this is your objective)
  • proof of address less than 3 months old.

The RECE residence permit costs €75. Once your permit is available, you'll need to make an appointment to collect it. You will need to purchase a stamp in advance of this appointment.

 

You left France after graduation: if you left France, you must apply for a RECE card at the French consulate in your country of residence. You will need to provide the following documents:

  • your passport
  • a copy of your birth certificate
  • 3 passport pictures
  • a copy of your degree obtained in the 4 years preceding the application
  • proof that you had a “student” residence permit when you obtained your diploma
  • proof of health insurance
  • proof of sufficient financial resources to meet your needs
  • proof of plans to set up a business in the field corresponding to your training (if this is your objective)
  • proof of address less than 3 months old.

Advantages :

  • It allows you to work part-time while looking for a job (up to 60% of the legal working week).
  • It facilitates the transition to a work contract without the need to leave France.

What happens next?

If you have found a job or set up your own business by the end of the 12-month validity period of your RECE residence permit, you must apply for a new residence permit to stay in France. Please note that it's not mandatory to wait until the end of your RECE residence permit's validity to change your status and apply for a new residence permit adapted to your situation.

You've found a job: if you have an open-ended or fixed-term employment contract paying at least one and a half times the minimum wage, you can apply for either an “employee” or “temporary worker” temporary residence permit.

If you have set up your own business or developed a self-employed activity and can prove its viability, you can apply for a temporary residence permit for “entrepreneur/self-employed” or a multi-year residence permit for “business creation talent passport”.

Please note:

Some students are not eligible for the RECE residence permit:

  • European students (they do not need a residence permit to work in France).
  • Algerian students (they are subject toother rules).
  • students from countries that have signed migration agreements with France (these students must apply for an APS).

For more information, please contact your local prefecture or visit their website.

 

Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour (APS):

The APS is only available to international students from countries that have signed a bilateral agreement with France. These countries are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Gabon, Tunisia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, India.

For more information, visit the Ministry of the Interior website or contact the Campus France office in your home country.

Requirements :

  • hold a professional license
  • a Master's degree or equivalent in France:

- a specialized Master's degree

- an MSc accredited by the "Conférence des Grandes Ecoles"

  • wish to create their own company

Documents required:

You must complete form C19 (available on request from the International Relations Office) and return it by post with the following documents:

  • Valid passport.
  • Valid residence permit.
  • Diploma or certificate of completion (at least equivalent to a Master's degree).
  • Proof of sufficient resources to support yourself for the duration of the APS.
  • Proof of address
  • Letter explaining your professional project (optional but recommended).

Advantages :

  • Extended stay in France for up to 12 months
  • Unrestricted access to the job market
  • Start your own business

What happens next?

When your APS expires, you must change your status and apply for a residence permit adapted to your situation.

If you have a fixed-term or open-ended employment contract and meet the conditions , you can apply for a temporary residence permit (carte de séjour temporaire salarié or travailleur temporaire).

If you have set up a business or developed a self-employed activity and can prove its viability, you can apply for a temporary residence permit for a self-employed entrepreneur.

For both these procedures, please contact the prefecture in your place of residence.

 

As a reminder, don't wait for your APS to expire before applying for a change of status. Do so as soon as your situation has changed.

 

Change of status from student residence permit to employee residence permit:

Another option for graduate students is to change their status and obtain a salaried or temporary worker residence permit. This usually requires having a job offer/ promise of employment in France.

 

Conditions:

  • You must have a work contract or promise of employment for a position corresponding to your level of study.
  • The employer must prove that the position could not be filled by a French or European candidate.
  • The salary offered must be at least equivalent to 1.5 times the SMIC for Master's-level graduates.

Documents to be provided:

Please contact the Préfecture of your place of residence to find out how to apply.

  • Valid student residence permit
  • Passport
  • Proof of residence less than 6 months old
  • 3 passport photos
  • Copy of work permit issued by employer

What happens next?

If your application is accepted, you will receive an SMS inviting you to schedule an appointment with the prefecture to collect your document. You will need to pay a €225 tax stamp beforehand.

If your application is refused, you will receive a letter informing you of the Prefecture's decision. This refusal is generally accompanied by an obligation to leave the country (OQTF).

 

 

Useful websites:

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