French Visa

Who requires a visa?
Depending on the length of the stay, as well as nationality, a visa may not be required.

Nationals of the following "Schengen Agreement" countries may not require a visa:
Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal

- For a stay of up to 90 days, nationalities exempted from a short stay visa are also exempted from requesting a student visa if the total stay in France does not exceed 90 days.

- However, if a student decides to stay one day longer or more after the end of the school period, he/she must apply for a temporary long stay visa (up to 6 months) BEFORE leaving for France.

- If you are studying for longer than 6 months, you’ll need a long stay visa :

This type of visa allows its holder to request a temporary residence permit ("Carte de séjour") at a French Prefecture. You must apply within two months after the date of your arrival to France. Living in France for longer than 6 months without a residence permit is illegal.


What documents will be required?
1) A passport or official travel document, valid for at least 3 months longer than the validity of the requested visa
(2) One completed application form signed by the applicant (or the legal guardian in the case of minors)
(3) A passport-size photograph

* More application forms and photographs may be required.

(4) Evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover the cost of your intended stay (recent bank statement or traveller's cheques).
(5) A confirmed return ticket to France or a confirmed booking from your travel agent (plane, train, ferry or Eurotunnel tickets)
(6) A confirmation of your hotel reservation or a certificate of board and lodging ("Attestation d'Accueil") to be obtained by the person you are visiting in France from the local Townhall ("Mairie") or Police Station ("Gendarmerie" or "Commissariat de Police").
(7) If you are a student please submit a recent letter from your school, college or university confirming attendance.
(8) Evidence of medical insurance.

Note: Depending on individual circumstances, additional documents may be required


Time required to issue visa:
1-3 days, average

Please note that if you are a citizen of Afghanistan, Algeria, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo or ex-Zaire, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, North-Korea, Palestine, Rwanda, Sudan, Surinam, Syria, Yemen, or you are the holder of a travel document for stateless persons or refugees, the processing of your application will take several weeks

What is the cost of a visa?
Short stay visa (1 to 30 days) : between £15 and £20
Short stay visa (31 days to 90 days) : between £17 and £29
Visa exceeding 90 days : between £29 and £90 (depending on the type of visa)

How long is the visa valid for?
Short stay visas: Up to 90 days
Temporary long-stay visas: Up to 6 months
Long stay visas: The residency permit obtained actually determines the length of the stay


Other information: 

Minors under 18 applying for a visa without their parents must produce a letter from their parents or legal guardian authorizing them to travel to and stay in France, and appointing the person who will be responsible for them.
This letter should be duly authenticated by a solicitor or commissioner for oaths, or by a Consular Officer of the applicants nationality.
Finally, one of the parent's passports must be enclosed with the application.

International students who are not from Europe (that is, students who are not nationals of the countries of the European Economic Region plus Andorra, Monaco, Switzerland, San Marino, and Vatican City) must obtain a long-term visa marked "student" in order to study in France for longer than 3 months.


International students of all nationalities enjoy the right of multiple entries into France. Once granted, their visa is automatically renewed for the duration of their studies in France.

A special visa exists for prospective students. The so-called étudiant-concours visa is granted for stays of no more than 90 days for the purpose of taking an entrance examination or visiting institutions of higher education. Prospective students who pass their examination receive a full student visa without returning to their country of origin. The prospective student visa also may be granted to students whose admission to a higher education institution is contingent upon their completion of a short course of remedial or refresher work.

To obtain a visa, visit the French consulate in your place of residence or the visa office of the French embassy.

Two points to remember

Under no circumstances may a tourist visa be converted into a student visa. This is true throughout the European Union.
International students of all nationalities intending to stay in France for more than 3 months must obtain a student identification card.

Proof of financial resources
Each French embassy sets the level of financial resources to be demonstrated by prospective students from that country. The amount is on the order of 3,000 francs for each month to be spent in France.

Students receiving scholarship grants must produce a statement indicating the amount and duration of their grant on the letterhead of the granting organization.

If the required resources are guaranteed by an individual residing in France the student must produce a signed statement of financial responsibility, a photocopy of the national identity card of the guarantor, and proof of the guarantor's own financial resources (such as the guarantor's three most recent pay stubs and most recent tax return).

If the resources come from abroad, the student must demonstrate that a bank account has been opened into which the necessary funds will be deposited and produce a promise of payment, translated into French and bearing the authenticated signature of the individual responsible for making the payments, or a statement of payment of funds from the authorities of the student's country of origin.

Proof of insurance coverage

Proof of insurance must be provided by students over 28 who are nationals of a country that does not have a reciprocity agreement with France or who are enrolled in an institution that is not recognized by the French government to participate in the student health insurance plan.

Parental authorization

Minors (individuals under 18 years of age) must furnish proof of consent by the person or persons having parental authority.

Required vaccinations

In some cases, the consulate may require proof of vaccination (e.g., against yellow fever, cholera…before a visa will be issued.

Note: The European Economic Region consists of the 15 member states of the European Community plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

France is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement