First application

A visa issued by the French embassy or consulate allows you to enter France. Once in France, depending on the type of visa you have obtained, you must take certain steps to be considered a "resident". Indeed, any foreigner wishing to settle in France for more than 90 days must be authorised to stay there. To do so, you must obtain a residence permit from the Prefecture of your département of residence.

 If you are a national of a member country of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, Monaco, Andorra and Saint-Martin, you do not need to apply for a visa and residence permit.
 

What steps should I take to obtain my residence permit ?

It depends on the visa you have been issued. For students, there are different types of visas. The most common are the VLS-TS, the VLS with "carte à solliciter" ("card to apply for") and the "mineur scolarisé" ("minor student") visa. If you do not know which visa you have, here is how to recognise them :
 

VLS-TS (Visa Long Séjour - valant titre de séjour)

This is the most common visa issued to international students. To recognise it, take your visa with you and check a number of details on it :

• The "type of visa": The letter "D" should appear.
• The "remarks": It should say "étudiant" ("student").
• A CESEDA code R311-3 6° must appear.

If your visa includes these three pieces of information, then you are in possession of a VLS-TS.
 

Access to the process

VLS (Visa Long Séjour) avec carte à solliciter ("card to apply for")

The Long Stay Visa with card to apply for is mainly issued to Algerian nationals, whose situation is governed by a bilateral Franco-Algerian agreement dating from 1968.

• The "type of visa": The letter "D" must appear.
• The "remarks": It must be written "student".
• The words "carte de séjour à solliciter dans les deux mois suivant l'arrivée" are written. Attention: this mention can also be written in an abbreviated form.

 If your visa includes these three pieces of information, then you are in possession of a VLS with card to apply for.
 

Access to the process

VLS (Visa Long Séjour) - "Mineur scolarisé" ("Minor student")

The Long Stay Visa for "minor student" is issued to foreign nationals who are minors and are admitted to a French higher education institution. To recognise it, take your visa with you and check some of the information on it:

• The "type of visa": The letter "D" must appear.
• The "remarks": It should say "mineur scolarisé" ("minor student").

If your visa includes these two pieces of information, then you are in possession of a "minor student" visa".
 

Access to the process