Visas Support Services
Students from outside of the European Community must apply for and receive a student visa before entering France.
The Student Success Office supports students throughout the visa process, helping clarify requirements and next steps. The first step is completing the online Visa Assistant form to confirm whether a visa is required for France. Because requirements vary by nationality, this tool provides accurate, country specific guidance.
After accepting PCA’s offer, students receive a Certificat d’Inscription (certificate of pre-registration), which allows the visa application process to begin with support from the Student Success team. Visa applications cannot be submitted before acceptance, as proof of registration is required. Applications must be submitted from the country of permanent residence, and students are encouraged to begin early, as processing can take several months.
Students who require a visa are encouraged to attend a Student Success admitted student webinar. Details are shared by email, and registration is available through the PCA application portal. These sessions provide practical guidance for navigating the process with confidence.
Students staying in Paris for more than one semester must renew the VLS TS mention étudiant 120 days before it expires. Renewal converts the visa into a renewable residency permit, known as a titre de séjour.
Entering France on a tourist visa, or without a visa, with the intention of studying is unlawful, except for those attending PCA summer programs.
First Time Applicants (All Full-Time Programs)
Type of visa for first-year students:
Long stay student visa (“VLS- TS mention Étudiant CESEDAR311 3 69”): because the first-year students plan to stay in France more than one year.
Upon confirming your enrolment at PCA by way of a deposit in your application portal, you will receive detailed instructions and a certificat d’inscription, a document essential when applying for a long-stay student visa. This student visa grants you legal authorization to reside in France while you complete your studies.
The process for applying for a French Visa can be summarized in 4 steps:
1. Campus France/Études en France Application (if applicable)
2. Visa Application Form (France-Visa)
3. Scheduling and attending a visa appointment at your local Consulate or TLS Contact Center
4. Visa Validation (Upon arrival in France)
To begin the visa application process, start with the France Visas website. On this page, you are able to enter your information andv verify what documents will be required for your visa application. You will also be able to determine whether your country requires completion of the Études en France (Campus France) procedure. This distinction is important, as it determines whether you begin the visa process with Step 1 (Campus France/Études en France) or proceed directly to Step 2 (Visa Application Form).
Note: If your country has the Campus France procedure, you will not be able to complete the Visa Application form until you have completed the Campus France/Etudes en France procedure
Step 1 – Campus France/Etudes en France (6-3 months before departure)
Submit your Campus France/Etudes en France application at least 90 days before your planned departure. The following Campus France USA guides may help you navigate the portal. Although they are specifically designed for students applying from the USA, they can be helpful for students applying from other countries. Please remember that if you ever have any questions, we encourage you to reach out to student.success@paris.edu
- Study Abroad at PCA Students download this guide. (There are useful video tutorials on page 30)
- BFA, MA/MFA, and Certificate Program Students download this guide. (There are useful video tutorials on page 37)
- Take note of your EEF Number, which you can find in the top right-hand corner of the portal near your name.
Pay the application fee. The exact fee varies from country to country.
Your application will be reviewed within 3 weeks as long as it is complete. Expedited review is possible in certain countries for an additional fee, in which case an application is reviewed under 3 days. Once you receive your approval email and registration certificate, print these out to take with you to your visa appointment.
Step 2 – Applying for your visa (between 6 months or up to 50 days before departure)
First, create an account on the France Visas website.
Complete the application form, then generate, download, and print the PDF version for your records. If you are from an Études en France (EEF) country (see Step 1), be sure to include your EEF number in the application.
After submission, save the receipt, which contains your registration number and the list of required documents for your visa appointment. This receipt is typically provided as the final page of your application.
Step 3 – Setting your appointment with your visa centre or TLS Contact
Schedule an appointment with your nearest visa processing center – depending on your country of residence, this could be a consulate, embassy, or a TLS Contact Center. If no appointments are available, keep checking as new appointments become available regularly, or contact the center or consulate directly – some (but not all) accept walk-ins.
Schedule an appointment that is:
- At least 3 weeks AFTER the date you paid Campus France;
- At least 3 weeks BEFORE your departure;
- No more than 90 days before your departure.
Note: Before your first semester begins, you must submit your visa and all other matriculation documents listed in your application portal to Student Success. This includes your birth certificate (a certified copy in English or French), which must be ready before you arrive in France. If applicable, you’ll also need marriage, divorce, or adoption certificates to support any change of name.
Step 4 – Visa Validation
Finally, during Orientation Week, the Student Success office will guide you through validating your student visa. This process is a way for you to notify the French government that you have arrived in France by converting your student visa VLS-TS Etudiant to a renewable residency permit, allowing you to renew your student visa if you so need.
During the visa validation workshop, you will need to have access to a computer and a debit/credit card to pay the visa validation fee. As of January 2026, visa validation costs €50.
Under-18 Students
Type of visa for under-18 students:
Visa for Minors (“visa pour mineur scolarisé“)
Your “mineur scolarisé” will need to be turned into a full-fledged residency permit when you turn 18. You must reach out to Student Success two months before you turn 18 to request the list of required documents (birth certificate, proof of housing, etc.).
You will meet with Student Success to fill out your student visa application a few weeks before you turn 18. When the application is completed, we will help you contact Prefecture de Police to schedule an in-person appointment where you will submit your application.
On the day of your meeting, the Prefecture de Police will process your request and issue you a “récépissé”, a temporary residency permit which legalizes your stay here as a student until you are granted a student visa, a “Titre de Séjour Etudiant”. You will not be able to leave or re-enter France with a “récépissé”. Please ensure that the Student Success office has a copy of your “récépissé”.
Returning Students
French student visas must be renewed between 120 and 60 days before their expiration date. Renewals submitted less than 60 days before expiration are considered late and incur a fee of 175 euros. Late submissions also cause significant processing delays. To avoid complications, all students are required to adhere strictly to the 120–60 day timeline.
Unlike the initial student visa application, which required an in-person appointment, the VLS-TS Étudiant renewal is completed entirely online through the Administration des Étrangers en France (ANEF) website. This is the same platform used to validate your visa when you arrived in France. Students should first ensure they can access their ANEF account, created during the initial validation process. It is advisable to check access well in advance.
The renewal process generally takes four to six months from submission to receipt of the new residency card. Unlike the original visa, which is placed in the passport, a renewal results in a titre de séjour (residency permit card) valid for one to three years. While this timeframe is typical, delays can occur due to administrative processes. Students are encouraged to remain patient and to keep the Student Success team informed of any issues.
The renewal process begins with gathering the following required documents:
- E-Photo:
- These can be purchased from any photomaton in most metro stations (be sure to select the service E-Photo – Titre de Séjour)
- Transcripts (Global BFA students must order official transcripts through Emerson – click here to order online, All other students can order them through PCA Parchement – click here to order online)
- Enrolment Letter or Attestation de Scolarité (available through your application portal)
- Copy of current visa
- Copy of ID page and all pages related to entry and exit stamps to and from France in your passport
- Visa Validation confirmation
- Proof of Finances – last 3 French Bank Statements showing at least €615 in your account at one point every month OR proof of €6000 in a French bank account.
- If you do not provide sufficient proof of funding, your renewal process may be delayed.
- If you are being sponsored by a third party, you will need to provide a handwritten and signed statement of support from this person with a copy of their identification (passport). You may find a template of this letter here.
- Proof of Housing:
- If the bills are in your name, you can use your most recent electricity/gas/internet bill.
- If they are in your landlord’s name, you can use a justificatif de domicile or quittance de loyer (proof of address) from your landlord, submitted with a copy of their ID.
- If you went through a housing agency, a justificatif de domicile (proof of address) from the agency on letterhead, signed, dated, and stamped.
- Contrat d’engagement à respecter les principes de la République. This document called the contract to respect the principles of the French republic must downloaded and signed here. It should be uploaded to the housing section of the visa renewal application.
- Copy of Previous Titre de séjour (if you already had a titre de séjour before)
Once all documents are prepared, students must schedule an appointment with their Student Success Coordinator to complete the online renewal form. Students are advised not to submit the application independently, as errors can lead to unnecessary delays.
Two to three months after submission, students may receive requests from the prefecture for additional information or documentation. These requests are standard; students should monitor their ANEF portal regularly and provide screenshots to Student Success to ensure timely responses. Failure to respond by the stated deadline will result in closure of the application.
Upon approval, students will receive an Attestation de Décision Favorable (ADF), confirming the successful renewal. Several months later, the prefecture will send an SMS inviting the student to schedule an appointment to collect the residency card. Students are encouraged to notify Student Success at each stage to receive guidance on the next steps.
The standard renewal fee is 100 euros. Late renewals can incur fees up to 275 euros. Payment is made only when collecting the residency card, in the form of a timbre fiscal (virtual excise stamp).
Important: If this is your second renewal or if you are renewing a residence card, you cannot complete the process online if you have not collected your previous residence card from the Prefecture. If you haven’t been contacted by the Prefecture to pick up your residence card within two months of receiving a favorable decision on your application, please reach out to your Student Success Coordinator.
EU and Dual Citizenship Students
If you have citizenship from a country in the European Union, you are not required to have a student visa. Please upload a clear scan of your valid European passport or national ID card to your Admissions portal along with all other matriculation documents as soon as possible. If your passport expires during your studies, please be sure to renew it in a timely manner and send a copy of the new one to student.success@paris.edu