Student Visa

It’s a good idea to check you have all the information and documents you’ll need before applying for a visa. It can make things easier later on.

You can check online to find out which authorities will be able to receive your application. Other online resources that can help you include: 

• The visa wizard for student visa guidance on requirements, fees, and what supporting documents you’ll need.
• The visa calculator to work out how long you can stay in the Schengen Area if you’ve visited in the past 6 months.

You’ll fill out your visa application form online if your home country is eligible. You’ll be guided by on-screen instructions throughout. If your home country isn’t eligible, you can check what you need to do here. 

When you’re completing the online application form, you’ll need some important documents. You might need to translate them into French if they’re not already in English or French. Make sure you have:

• A passport or travel document (along with a copy). It has to:
  • be in good condition
  • be issued within the last 10 years
  • have at least 2 blank pages
  • be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen Area. Or if you’re planning a long stay, check it’ll be valid for at least 3 months on the date on which the requested visa expires. If there’s a proven emergency, this last point might be waived.
• 2 recent ID photos in ISO/IEC format.
• Supporting documents you’ve been asked to provide based on your situation. You’ll need originals and copies.

Commonly asked questions about the application process:

• When will I need to pay the visa application fee?
  
  You can pay the fee when submitting your application. This happens at your appointment at the visa application centre.
  
  
• Do I have to fill out the application form all at once?
  
  You’ll be asked to enter your email address and create a personal account. This way you can save your form and return to it later if you need to. Once your form is complete, you can validate and print it.
  
  
• What happens next?
  
  After this, you’ll get a list of the supporting documents you’ll need and can book your appointment.

Next you’ll need to book an appointment at your nearest visa application centre. Leave plenty of time to book and attend this - you can’t submit your application without it. You’ll be able to submit your application for a short-stay visa as early as 6 months before you travel, or 3 months before if it’s a long-stay visa. But for both, you need to submit your application at least 2 weeks before you travel to France.

Please note, that external service providers might be used for receiving visa applications and documents, but the consular services are responsible for decision-making and processing applications.

You’ll submit your application when you go to your appointment. It’ll take about 20 minutes, and you need to bring all your supporting documents with you. The visa application centre might keep hold of your passport and copies of your documents, but this is normal. 

What will happen at my appointment? 

• Your visa application will be reviewed.
• You can pay the visa fee.
• You have your photo taken and fingerprints scanned if you’re aged over 12 (this is called your biometric information). If you hold a biometric Schengen visa issued in the last 59 months, your previous biometric data can be re-used. 

What are the application fees?

The application fee factors in the administrative costs for processing your application. So the fee won’t be refunded even if your application is unsuccessful. You can find more information about this in the table of application fees by visa type.

Your application fee might be received by an external service provider. The service fee can differ between countries, but won’t be more than €40 per visa application. These external service providers can also offer additional services at an extra cost.

After it’s been submitted, the visa centre will monitor your application. You can track its progress on your application page. Visa applications are generally processed within 15 days, but this could be extended for up to 45 days.

The visa application centre will tell you when your passport is ready to be collected. In some cases, it can be sent by postal services.