French Student Visa Instructions France, Spring 2018-19
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French Student Visa Instructions
France, Spring 2018-19
Read This Entire Document Immediately - Before Applying For Your French Visa!
The visa application process may take over two months between the Campus France registration and
the visa application, so do not delay! You should start this process immediately to account for any delays
in the process.
The French visa application process and instructions as they appear in the UCEAP Pre-Departure
Checklist are intended as a general guide. The French government may change the visa requirements on
the France-Visas websites without notice, causing these instructions to be superseded.
The acquisition of your visa is your responsibility, therefore you must regularly check the France-Visas
website for the most up-to-date information:
https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas
DO I NEED A STUDENT VISA?
U.S. Citizens: Yes, all U.S. citizens planning to study in France for more than 90 days must obtain a long-
stay student visa for France. To obtain your visa, after registering with Campus France, you will complete
an online application on the France-Visas website and submit the hard copy and supplemental documents
at a VFS Global processing center. You will also have your biometrics taken at your appointment.
In addition, some students will need to obtain a Titre de Séjour (residence permit) after arrival in France.
The UCEAP Study Center staff will assist you in obtaining this once you are in France. See “What is a
Titre de Séjour?” below for details.
Non-U.S. Citizens: Non-U.S. citizens MUST consult the France-Visas website and contact VFS Global
directly to learn your individual requirements. French visa requirements will differ according to your
country of citizenship. The application process can take much longer for non-U.S. citizens, so you should
look into the requirements immediately. In order to apply for a visa, you will need a valid passport from
your country of citizenship plus proof that you will be allowed to re-enter the U.S.
Undocumented Students and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Students: Consult with
an immigration attorney free of charge on your campus to determine if study abroad is right for you. See
Your Program Guide for more information.
Students who do not need to obtain a French visa due to their citizenship do not need to register with
Campus France.
WHERE DO I APPLY?
You will apply for your visa at a VFS Global processing center - https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/us.
After processing your application, VFS Global will send your complete application to the French Consulate
in Washington, DC. The French Consulate will review it and approve or deny your visa request. Please
note that the French Consulate may contact you for additional information before making a decision and
sending your passport and visa back to VFS Global to return to you.
The closest VFS Global processing centers are in Los Angeles and in San Francisco. There are an
additional seven (7) centers in the United States where students are able to apply, should you find that
this is more convenient for you.
Updated August 29, 2018VFS Global Los Angeles VFS Global San Francisco
1901 Avenue of the Stars 315 Montgomery Street
Regus Centre - 2nd Floor Regus Centre - Floor 10
Los Angeles, CA 90067 San Francisco, CA 94104
Hours: Monday-Friday 9am–4pm (by appointment) Hours: Monday-Friday 9am–4pm (by appointment)
Contact Information for all VFS Centers
Call center: (212) 784-6157 or (347) 252-3055
E-mail: info.franceusa@vfsglobal.com
DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENT?
Yes, appointments are required, and you must submit your visa application in person after you complete
the form online. Schedule your appointment as soon as possible, as time slots get filled quickly and you
may not get your first choice. You should choose a date that will be approximately 3-5 weeks after you
complete the Campus France registration.
In general, you should make your appointment for no earlier than 90 days prior to your arrival in France,
and no later than 60 days prior to your departure.
It is recommended that you use a PC to access the appointment site; it may not work correctly on a Mac.
Booking an appointment:
You can get to the VFS Global portal to book your appointment through this link - https://france-
visas.gouv.fr/web/us/a-qui-sadresser. Click the “Set up an appointment” link that corresponds to the VFS
Center where you plan to apply.
You will need to create a VFS Global account, and then you will be able to choose your center, view
available appointments, and choose the appointment that works best for you. The time slots listed are the
soonest currently available. Please note that not all future dates may be visible yet, so you may need to
check back frequently to secure your appointment.
Note that there is a VFS Global service fee, payable via credit card when booking your appointment. The
fee is currently approximately $30.
Once you book your appointment, print the confirmation message that appears. Make sure to write
down the date and time of your visa appointment!
Appointment times:
Appointments are generally available from 9am to 4pm, Monday through Friday, at all VFS locations.
Changing your appointment time:
If you need to change the time of your appointment, follow the instructions provided on the VFS Global
appointment site.
Arriving at your appointment:
You must show up on time for your appointment in order for your application to be processed. It is
required that you bring your printed appointment confirmation with you to your appointment. You may also
need to show your photo ID and/or passport in order to enter the building. Do not miss your appointment;
the next available date may not be for months!
Processing time:
10–21 or more business days for U.S. citizens; 1–2 months for most non-U.S. citizens. When your visa is
ready, VFS Global will mail you your passport and visa in a pre-paid express envelope you provide. See
#13 below for details.
Updated August 29, 2018WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
You must bring all the required documents for the Long-Stay Student Visa, including necessary
photocopies, on the day of your appointment. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
Before applying for your visa, you must first register with Campus France, email the requested
documents, and receive the Campus France confirmation email once your file has been reviewed. This
process takes at least three weeks—usually longer. Use the “Campus France Registration Instructions”
included in your UCEAP Pre-Departure Checklist to complete this registration IMMEDIATELY.
Collect all of the following documents and take the originals plus one photocopy of each
document with you to your visa appointment at VFS Global. Make an extra copy for your records.
1. Confirmation Email from Campus France: This will be sent to your Campus France mailbox, and to
your personal email, once Campus France has reviewed and approved your online registration and
received documents. The subject line of the email will read “USXX-XXXXX-XXX / Your Campus France
file has been processed.”
2. Passport: Submit your passport and one copy of the identity pages of your passport. Your passport
must be valid at least three months beyond the last day of your proposed stay in France, it must be in
good condition (not torn or damaged), and there should be at least two blank pages available for the visa
to be affixed.
Non-U.S. citizens must also bring a valid U.S. permanent residence card or a valid U.S. visa with
valid I-94 and valid I-20, and one copy. These must also be valid for at least three months beyond
the last day of your proposed stay in France.
3. France-Visas Application Form: Complete the France-Visas online application using the France-
Visas Application Instructions in your UCEAP Pre-Departure Checklist. Don’t forget to sign your form and
include the date and city where you signed prior to making a copy.
4. Passport-Size Photograph: Tape or paperclip one passport-size (2” x 2”) photo to your application
form in the box indicated on the form. The photo should be taken recently and be appropriate for official
documents (see the French government ID photo requirements). We recommend bringing an extra photo
with you just in case, as some students have been asked for an additional photo at their appointment.
5. Photo ID (in addition to your passport): You may use your driver’s license, state ID, or your valid
student ID.
6. UCEAP Participation Letter: Submit your original UCEAP Participation Letter. This provides proof of
your student status, housing, and medical insurance.
7. Last completed degree: You do not need to submit anything for this item because you are applying
from the United States and have gone through the Campus France process.
8. Airline Ticket or Reservation: Submit either a copy of your airline ticket or reservation showing the
date that your flight to France will depart.
9. Proof of Financial Support: You must prove that you have access to at least $820 per month that you
will be in France (for example, if you will be in France for 4 months, you would show $820 x 4 = $3,280).
Refer to the Proof of Financial Support Instructions in your UCEAP Pre-Departure Checklist for detailed
information on what documentation must be submitted.
10. OFII Form (residence form): Submit an OFII form if you fit one of the following descriptions:
• You will be staying in France for more than six months (181 days or more).• You will be staying in France for a period of time between three and six months (91–180 days) and
wish to be allowed to work in France while studying (See the Working Abroad section of your
Program Guide for more details).
If you fall under one of the descriptions above, print out the OFII Form from the link in your UCEAP Pre-
Departure Checklist, and refer to the Sample OFII Form as a guide to fill out the top portion of the form.
Print your e-mail address on the form carefully to avoid any risk of confusion or error.
If your visa is granted, the French Consulate in Washington, DC will stamp this form and return it back to
you. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you DO NOT lose the OFII Form or leave it at home in the U.S.
when you go to France. Keep the document close to you when traveling—it is as important as your
passport!
Once in France, your study center or host university will instruct you to fill in the last portion of the form
and submit it with the other paperwork necessary for the Titre de Séjour. From there, your study center or
host university will forward this form to the relevant immigration authorities.
If you do not fit one of the descriptions above, you do not need to submit an OFII form, and you will not
need to obtain a Titre de Séjour. You will not be able to extend your visa once in France.
11. Processing Fee: The fee for a long-stay student visa is currently the U.S. dollar equivalent of €50.
You must pay your visa application fee by Visa or MasterCard. Personal checks, cash, and money
orders are not accepted. Make sure you request a receipt showing that you paid the visa fee.
12. Photocopies: IMPORTANT Make two photocopies of each required document before submitting your
visa application materials to VFS Global (including a photocopy of your passport pages and proof of
financial support documents). Submit one set of photocopies along with the originals to VFS Global. Keep
the other set of copies for your personal records and bring them with you to France!
13. Self-Addressed Prepaid Express Envelope: Once VFS Global receives your passport and visa from
the French Consulate in DC, they will mail them to you in this prepaid envelope that you submit with your
application, unless you prefer to pick up your materials in person.
If you would like your passport and visa mailed back to you, you must provide a prepaid, self-addressed
envelope with a tracking number from FedEx Express, UPS, or the US Postal Service with sufficient
postage and a completed waybill (mailing label). Your address must appear twice (you are the sender and
the recipient). Other methods of delivery will not be accepted. Keep your tracking number to track your
passport.
Tracking your application:
In addition to monitoring the tracking number of the envelope you provide to VFS Global, you can stay up
to date on the status of your application earlier in the process.
On the France-Visas website, click on “Track your application” under the corresponding VFS Center
where you applied. Then enter your last name and reference number to view the status of your
application. Please note however that it will not indicate whether or not your visa was approved.
WHAT IS A TITRE DE SÉJOUR?
If you are required to submit the OFII form with your visa application (see #10 above), you will need to
obtain a Titre de Séjour after arrival in France. The Titre de Séjour is obtained from the local French
immigration office (OFII).
The VFS Global representative may tell you that the Titre de Séjour must be obtained within eight days of
arrival in France. What this statement actually means is that the process must be initiated within eight
days after your arrival in France. However, as a UCEAP student, your UCEAP study center will havealready initiated this process for you even before you arrive. Once you arrive, the study center staff will
then assist you in obtaining your Titre de Séjour.
The Titre de Séjour application requires that you purchase a tax stamp (timbre fiscal) in the
amount of €60.
When you receive your visa, the VFS Global representative may stress that you can enter France
only once before obtaining your Titre de Séjour. Keep this rule in mind if you plan to travel in
Europe before your UCEAP program in France, and arrange your itinerary accordingly.
If you are not required to submit the OFII form (i.e., your stay in France will be within 91–180 days and
you will not work in France), you will receive a visa that says “dispense temporaire de Titre de Séjour”
(temporary waiver of Titre de Séjour), and you will not need to obtain a Titre de Séjour. Without a Titre de
Séjour, you cannot extend your visa once in France and you cannot work while abroad.
See the Travel Documents section of Your Program Guide for more information on the French visa and
Titre de Séjour.You can also read
