France Student Visa Application Process

Canada, the UK, and Australia are imposing tighter restrictions on student intake, triggering fear among the students. As a result, many students withdrew their applications to those countries and started exploring other options, considering France as a leading alternative because of its rich culture, education system, and growing market. It is an attractive destination for students. So, this guide is to help you understand the France student visa application process and open the gateway for global opportunities. 

When applying online for a student visa, you are required to submit digital copies of the following documents:

1. 
   Passport 
2. 
   Educational Certificates
3. 
   Letter of Acceptance (LOA)
4. 
   Campus France NOC
5. 
   French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) Form
6. 
   Financial Documents
7. 
   Airplane Ticket
8. 
   Medical Insurance
9. 
   Proof of Accommodation
10. 
    Proof of Civil Status
11. 
    Proficiency Certificate
12. 
    Interview Completion Certificate

France Study Visa Requirements can help you with a detailed procedure for preparing these documents. 
 

 

 

We assume you have all the documents mentioned above, and it’s time to help you through the student visa application France using a step-by-step guide:

Create An Account

France student visa application starts by creating an account on the France Visas. This account will help you track your visa application. 

Check Your Visa Type

Like all other countries here you’re not required to choose a student visa. The website has a tool that determines your visa type based on your information. It also mentions the exemptions related to the particular visa type.

Fill in the Details

Next, enter your personal details to proceed with the student visa application France. Fill in the details carefully, as even minor spelling errors could cause major issues later in the process.

Stay Related Details

You’ll need to mention information related to accommodation and proof of funds. This section is highly important as it influences your chances of approval. Review each detail thoroughly before submitting it to avoid any errors. 

Sponsor Information

In the fifth section of the student visa application France, provide your sponsor’s details. This section often causes problems for many applicants.

Upload Documents

In the final section, you’ll upload the required documents that support the information you’ve provided in the last five sections. Remember to carry these documents with you to your visa interview as well.

After submitting your visa application, there are some steps you need to follow to proceed with the visa application process:

Book Your Appointment

You can book an appointment online through the VFS Global portal. To book an appointment offline, carry the printed copy of the visa application to the center.

Visit the Center

On the day of your appointment, carry all your original documents. First, you’re required to submit your documents and make the payment either by cash or card. The entire appointment would take around 20 minutes. 

Biometric

Typically, biometric data is collected on the day of your appointment. However, if it doesn’t happen during the appointment, you will be called back to the center on a different day. Make sure to arrive early and avoid any injuries before your biometric appointment.

Interview

During your visit for biometric data collection or document submission, you will also have an interview. This interview is generally brief; it is done to confirm the credibility of your documents and to understand your perspective regarding your study plan.

Track Your Application

After completing all the steps, wait for a decision. You will receive an update in the email with the information mentioning the collection process of the passport. The processing time for the visa is 15 days but, sometimes it can extend for 45 days only if the officer has a valid reason. Also, ensure to apply for your student visa at least one month before your travel date, but not more than six months in advance.

This guide has walked through each step of the student visa application in France. We hope that the visuals would have provided more clarity to the application process. Even though you might have felt that entering the information is challenging, the most critical task is uploading the documents without compromising the quality. Thus, it’s good to get the document in a digital format which makes the compressing part easier. If you still have any confusion, don’t hesitate to reach out to the other peers and experts in the GyanDhan community.