France Student Visa: Types, Fee, Requirements, Processing Time

European-style education has gained popularity among international students. As per the statistics published by the European Commission regarding the number of Schengen visas, France ranks the highest among popular study destinations among Indians. French consulates have reported receiving 3,684,404 Schengen visa applications in total and record a refusal rate twice as much as Germany.

Check Out: French Universities

Whether or not you will need a France student visa depends on whether you are an EU national or not. Non-EU students require either of the two types of French student visas to undertake studies in France. Based on the duration of the study, your home country, and your situation, you will obtain a student visa to study and conduct research in France. Getting your student visa for France from Indian can take up to 90 days and costs around 99 Euros, which equals 8760 (conversion rate in Jun 2021).

Types of France Student Visa

Based on the duration of the stay, the France student visa is categorized as short-stay and long-stay visas.

Short-stay Visa- This visa is governed by European regulations that allow students to stay in a 26-country Schengen zone for up to 3 months (90days). This visa entitles the applicant to enter the country for the purpose of attending an interview or entrance test for higher education institutions in France. If the applicant succeeds in the interview/tests, students can apply for a 1-year renewable residence permit in France.

Long-stay Visa- Allowing students to stay back in France and study on-campus for over 3 months. It is important that the applicant must complete the Campus France application process prior to applying for the French student visa.

There are two types of long-stay visas- Temporary Long-stay Visa and Long-stay Visa. The former is non-renewable and allows you to stay for 3-6 months. For those who are required to stay and study in France for 6 months to 1-year, you will be issued a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit.

The submission of visa applications and collection of passports can be done by the applicants themselves or through authorized agents. There are two distinct stages at- Campus France and Embassy. The documents required in both the stages vary additionally, originals are required at Campus France and Photo-copies at the embassy/ consulate/ Visa Application Centres.

France Student Visa Applications

To get your French student visa here is what you need to do:

Step 1- Online Registration

• Make an online account on Campus France
• Upload visa documents online
• Campus France will review your file and give you an appointment date.
• Pay application fee

Step 2- Academic Interview

• Attend an interview at Campus France location in India- explain your study plan in France.
• You will be required to bring in the official documents to the interview.

Step 3- Online Visa Application & Scheduling of Appointment with VFS-France

• After the academic interview you need to complete the application online
• Create France-Visas account
• Schedule an appointment with VFS-France and submit your documents (copies) & original passport.
• Register for biometric data with VFS centers.

Step 4- Validate your Long-stay Visa

• Within the initial three months of your arrival, register and validate your visa
• This will ensure that you are registered as a legal resident

Step 5- Apply for Residence Permit

• Apply for the residence permit at the prefecture of your residence at least 2 months prior to the expiration of your student visa.

For universities that are not a part of CampusFrance, you will be required to contact the university directly to help yourself with the visa process.

French student visa applications submitted in India are examined by French consulates in Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, and the visa section of the French embassy in Delhi. Only these embassies and consulates are authorized to provide decisions about visas.

Conditions to get a France Student Visa

There are certain conditions to fulfill as international students who wish to study in France to get a student visa. These are:

1. Age >18
2. Must have chosen course
3. Must be accepted by higher education institutions
4. EEF or Etudes En France allows online enrolment schemes for Indian students as well as students from various other countries and territories. The platform allows you to make all your enrollment procedures in a French higher-education program easier. It is dematerialized and aids you follow your procedures up until the visa request.

France Student Visa Application Fees

To apply for the French VLS-TS, non-EU applicants are required to pay a fee of 99 Euros. Based on your situation, French authorities can allow you to pay this fee online or on location at the application center or through bank transfer. Indian students do not need to get health insurance for their French student visa.

France Student Visa: Processing Time

Your student visa for France is expected to process within 14-21 days. However, students are suggested to be sure to allow extra time for their visa application. As soon as you have been accepted and enrolled with the university of choice, the application process for a visa must begin. You should apply for French VLS-TS at least 3 months before your university degree program starts.

France Student Visa: Documents Required

• Visa application for French student visa
• 2 passport size photos
• Valid passport and copies of previous visas, if any.
• Letter of acceptance or enrollment form from a French university
• Evidence of monetary means to cover expenses during the complete course of study (€615 per month)
• Ticket or reservation with the date of departure
• Medical insurance (costs €311-€714 and is optional for Indian students)
• Accommodation arrangement documents during studies
• French language proficiency certificate, if enrolled in course taught in French
• Evidence of payment of visa fees
• Proof of civil status, if applicable

Learn more about, exams required to study in France!

How to Validate French Student Visa?

You can validate your VLS-TS visa online. It should be ensured that your visa is validated 3 months before arriving in France at the very latest. To validate your French student visa you will need:

• A valid email address
• Information on your visa
• Your date of arrival in France
• Home address/accommodation address in France
• A bank card for online payment for issuing a residence permit

Track your France Student Visa

The visa center with which the applications are submitted is responsible for providing the tracking information and all the updates on the processing. For different visa centers, there are different websites to track your application. Some of these are:

Once your application is processed, you are required to collect your passport. You can do the same from the visa application center. Some nations offer “passport courier services” which can be checked with the application center and then availed.

What to do if you are applying for internship in France

If you are planning to pursue internships in France, here is what you need to provide along with the list of documents mentioned above:

Convention de Stage: It is a mandatory requirement. Convention de Stage is an agreement between the employer, the intern’s home institution in India, and the intern. It stipulates:

• the dates of the internship,
• the general tasks
• mentions that the internship is relevant to the course of study.

Information on the French institution and the police department (Prefecture de Police) is also contained in this document. This document also provides mandatory supplemental workplace insurance.

Note: If your internship will last more than 3 months, you will need a stamp from La Direccte, the labour authority in France.

Perks of getting Long-stay Visa for France

If you are traveling to France for higher educations, here is how your long-stay visa will benefit you:

• Travel freely in all countries of the Schengen Area
• Work 20 hours per week
• Use VISALE, free security deposit services
• Receive rental subsidy from CAF (Caisse d’Allocations families), the family allowance fund.
• Extended their stay

Work-While Study on French Student Visa

As per the French laws, international students can work for 964 hours a year (20 hours a week). This corresponds to 60% of normal French working hours . However, it is important to note that part-time work will not help in taking care of the cost of living in France. It can be considered as a secondary source of income.

French Student Visa and Dependents

Children and spouses may be permitted to reside in France while you are pursuing your higher education in the country. However, this is case-specific and depends on various conditions. Some of the aspects that are considered include having enough means to provide for the dependent (financial and accommodation). Effective explanation to the consulate at French Embassy can help your case analysis and turn the decision in your favor.

If you plan on studying bachelor’s courses in France, your spouse will not be allowed to accompany you on your student visa. However, for masters and doctoral students this is assessed on a case-specific basis.

Arrival in France

On your arrival in France with an extended stay VLS-TS, you will be required to send the official form issued along with your student visa to the OFII (French Office of Immigration and Integration). Along with this, you need to give a copy of your passport.

After the copy of the passport and form is received, a receipt of a confirmation is sent along with further instructions on your next step by OFII. These instructions can be like getting a medical examination done, if not done priorly.

Most of the French universities aid students through this part. In some cases, OFII and the school/university of choice have an agreement, which means that the school directly submits these documents to the authorities.

You will be required to pay a tax of €58 to handle the administration costs involved in the process, irrespective of whether you complete the process yourself or your university does it for you.

What to do if your French student visa expires soon?

To continue staying in France through the course of your study, you need to apply for renewal of your VLS-TS three months prior to its expiration. You will be required to apply for a multi-annual residence permit. This permit is issued under specific conditions. It will have a validity corresponding to the number of years remaining in your course of choice.

The rich cultural landscape of France welcomes international students to pursue popular streams like management, engineering, economics and natural science in the country. As the higher education institutions in France move to the English-taught program options a spike in international students picking France to be their destination during a degree is seen.

France is perfect for your study abroad adventure offering European-style education at affordable prices. The visa to study in France for Indian students observed a rejection rate of only 8.16% (Banglore, Kolkata, Pondicherry, Mumbai) to 15.9% (Delhi embassy). There has been a surge in the number of student visa applications received by the French consulates. The policies are becoming stringent with this spike. Students need to ensure that their paperwork does not have any flaws or gaps as it can result in rejection of your student visa application.

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