Student visa appointment guidelines 2022-2023.pdf

Student

Visa

Guidelines

022-2023

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 first step for all

student visa applicants. Campus France

USA ensures all academic criteria are met

before the applicant submits a student visa

application. Students participating in a

program in France of under 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 9 consular

jurisdictions.

After completing an online student visa

application on the France-Visas platform,

students will visit a VFS Global Center in

person to submit the visa application.

Once students have submitted a

visa application at VFS Global, the

application is sent to the Visa Service of

the French Consulate in Washington D.C.

for processing.

The Visa Service reserves the right to

contact students if they require any

additional supporting documents during the

visa review process. The Visa Service

makes decisions on the issuance of

student visas.

study abroad

French language

degree

certificate

Complete an Etudes

en France (EEF)

Application*

Submit your Campus

France payment and

paperwork on DocBox

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

**Students may attend a VFS Global 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

q Visa application form

q France-Visas receipt

q ID Photograph

q Travel document (passport)

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

q Campus France USA confirmation email

q Pre-registration certificate generated by EEF-Pastel

q Proof of accommodation in France

q 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.

q 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.

q 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.

q 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.

q 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

after your planned date of return from France. For

example, if your program starts September 1, 2022 and

ends May 1, 2023, your passport needs to be valid until at

least August 1, 2023. If your passport expires before this

time, you will need to renew your passport 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 label

‘Endorsement’ are

not

considered visa pages. If your

passport does not meet these requirements, you will

need to renew your passport.

It must also be signed, or your application may be

rejected. You will need to leave your passport with the

visa service for the duration of visa processing, please

plan accordingly.

q 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 U.S. citizenship or 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.

q 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.

q 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.

q 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 you have not yet secured

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

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

France, along with a letter explaining clearly your concrete plans regarding

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

official representing your program 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 rental agreement or lease in your own name;

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

months of your stay in France;

3. Proof of a reservation in a student residence;

4. A written statement from a friend, 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

signature; AND a copy of your host’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 stay in France. That letter must include the

full address of the residence, contact information for all

institutions involved, and the residence type (ex: student housing,

hotel, home stay, etc.);

2. Proof of a reservation in a student residence.

q 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 steady

monthly income of over €615 per month. If you provide bank

statements showing an existing income that 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 from your 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 from the past three months 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 student 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 least €615 per month after having paid 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 $250 (3-week processing time

for regular service) or $390 (3-day processing time for expedited

service). 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 offer an 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 $60 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 $340 and $515, 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 your housing type.

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

accommodation for the first 3 months of your stay in France, please

provide proof of accommodation for at least the first week following

your arrival in France, along with a letter explaining clearly your

concrete plans regarding long term accommodation. If possible,

please have this letter signed by an official representing your

program 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 your parents or another individual,

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

bank statements from the past three months that show that they

could support you with €615 per month during your stay. The €615

per month need to be at your disposal after you have paid your full

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 your university, the letter

needs to show that you will receive enough financial aid to give you

€615 per month of your stay after you have paid all all tuition,

administrative, and program fees to your university.

Any application submitted without all the documents listed on the

France-Visas checklist or with inadequate documents 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 your visa 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 your visa application at a VFS Global Center over

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

Consulate at visas@consulfrance-washington.org.

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 visas@consulfrance-

washington.org

Please note that your email will only receive a response

your question has not been already addressed on 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 your arrival, you must register and validate your

visa at this site: administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/

This quick and simple process will ensure that you are registered as

a legal resident in France in order to complete your relocation.

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

022 - 2023