If you want to study in France, being considered a minor under french laws (i.e. under the age of 18 months old the day of your entry in France), you have to provide all the following documents.

NOTE : Students who will be 18 years old or more at the day of their first entry in France must apply for a Long Stay Student visa.

This visa, as all long stay visas, can take a minimum 2 to 3 weeks to be processed, starting the day your application has been received complete.

Make sure you will NOT apply for this visa after mid or late August if you intend to go in France and begin studies in the early days of September. There is no liability of the visa office to issue a visa on time for late appointments or applicants.

 

You have to apply with all the required documents in original and four copies. The visa section does not make any copies.   PERSONNAL APPEARANCE IS MANDATORY : you cannot apply by mail.

 

 Passport valid for at least three months beyond the applicant’s last day of stay in the Schengen states. Please make sure that :

• your passport has a minimum of two blank pages (to affix the visa and for border stamps). Only visa pages are valid, amendments pages cannot be used for visas or entry stamps.
• your passport is in good condition (any slight damage, even to the cover, can be considered as a compromission of the security of the travel document and declined at the visa section or at the border)
• your passport allows proper identification of the bearer without any doubt (for example, passports of adults with passport pictures in their young ages may not be accepted)
• your passport has been issued less than 10 years ago (first issuance) . Even if it has been renewed since then by your country, we will decline your passport for a visa application and you will have to renew it prior to applying.

The immigration officer of the visa section has full authority to decline a passport that wouldn’t meet the requirements and request a renewed one before you can apply for a visa at the french consulate.

 Copy of 5 first pages of the passport

 2 long stay application forms, signed and legibly filled out. Please print in black. Indicate your phone numbers, e-mail address and the exact dates of entry and exit.

  Translation in English of the long stay visa application form.

 3 photographs (more informations about the photograph) . All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph.

 Processing fees : credit cards (Visa, Mastercard only) are accepted (authorization form is available on the website). Certified check or money order made out to " Consulate General of France " are as well. Personal checks are not accepted. Cash is accepted only if you apply in person.

 

ORIGINAL AND 1 COPY OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

 

 Birth certificate with parenthood mentioned (both parents mentioned)

 Both parents ID’s copy (drivers licence or state ID or passports)

 A letter of admission ( pre-enrollment ) from the school where the applicant plans to study in France + copy of the ID of the signer of this letter of admission (french ID card both sides or signed passport ID pages)

 A Financial guarantee such as a notarized statement certifying that the applicant will be provided with a monthly allowance of $ 600 for the duration of his/her stay in France, or proof of personal income along with a letter from school stating that room, board, and tuition are fully prepaid . If the host provides the student with a letter certifying that lodging will be free of charge, and provides a copy of his/her pictured I.D., an allowance of $ 450 will be accepted.

 A notarized parental authorization, signed by both parents indicating the name and occupation of the person appointed as guardian of the minor for the duration of the stay.

 A letter of «Engagement de prise en charge» filled out by an educational organization in France, or the host family in France along with a copy of his/her residency card if the host is an alien or french ID card both sides if the host is french.

 The most recent school report or equivalent diploma of the baccalaureat.

 An immunization certificate (diphteria, tetanus- lockjaw, poliomyelitis, BCG).

 A medical insurance valid in France (letter from the insurance company).

 A "civil insurance" (personal liability insurance) valid in France (letter from the insurance company).

 

The personal appearance is required.

Other nationalities.

If you are holder of a passport of the following countries, the processing time may be of two months.

 

Afghanistan	Algeria	Bahrain
Bangladesh	Belarus	Burma
Burundi	Congo DRC	Egypt
Guinea	Indonesia	Iran
Iraq	Jordan	Kuwait
Lebanon	Libya	Mali
Morocco	Niger	Nigeria
North Korea	Oman	Pakistan
Palestinians	Philippines	Qatar
Rwanda	Saudi Arabia	Somalia
Sudan	Suriname	Syria
Tunisia	United Arab Emirates	Vietnam
Yemen	Zimbabwe	US Re-entry permit
US Refugee travel document

 

For the others nationalities, you must first check your situation by sending an e-mail to : visas@consulfrance-washington.org

 

You have to apply with all the required documents in original and four copies. The visa section does not make any copies.   PERSONNAL APPEARANCE IS MENDATORY : you cannot apply by mail.

 

 Passport signed and valid at least three months beyond the applicant’s last day of stay in France (+ 3 copies of the 5 first pages) ;

 The proof of the status in the USA (alien residency card, valid US visa and valid I-20) + 3 copies;

 4 long stay application forms, signed and legibly filled out. Please print in black. Indicate your phone numbers, e-mail address and the exact dates of entry and exit.

  Translation in English of the long stay visa application form.

 5 photographs (more informations about the photograph) . All photos must be recent, identical, passport size - 1,4" x 1,7" (3,5cm x 4,5cm) and showing face front the forehead hairline and ears on a white background, the face must take up 70-80% of the photograph.

 Processing fees : credit cards (Visa, Mastercard only) are accepted (authorization form is available in the website). Certified check or money order made out to " Consulate General of France " are as well. Personal checks are not accepted. Cash is accepted only if you apply in person.

 

ORIGINAL AND 3 COPIES OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

 

 Birth certificate with parenthood mentioned (both parents mentioned)

 Both parents ID’s copy (drivers licence or state ID or passports)

 A letter of admission ( pre-enrolment ) from the school where the applicant plans to study in France + copy of the ID of the signer of this letter of admission (french ID card both sides or signed passport ID pages)

 A financial guarantee such as a notarized statement certifying that the applicant will be provided with a monthly allowance of $ 600 for the duration of his/her stay in France, or a proof of personal income along with a letter from school stating that room, board, and tuition are fully prepaid . If the host provides the student with both a letter certifying that lodging will be free of charge, and provides a copy of his/her pictured I.D., an allowance of $ 450 will be accepted.

 A notarized parental authorization), signed by both parents indicating the name and occupation of the person appointed as guardian of the minor for the duration of the stay.

 A letter of «Engagement de prise en charge»filled out by an educational organization in France, or the host family in France along with a copy of his/her residency card if the host is an alien or french ID card both sides if the host is french.

 The most recent school report or equivalent diploma of the baccalaureat.

 An immunization certificate (diphteria, tetanus- lockjaw, poliomyelitis, BCG).

 A medical insurance valid in France (letter from the insurance company).

 A "civil insurance" (personal liability insurance) valid in France (letter from the insurance company).