How to apply for a visa in France?

• The requirements for a student visa vary according to your country of origin.  Here’s all the information you may need to get a visa to study in France, and check out: Diplomatie.gouv 

  You don’t need a visa if you come from: 

  • The European Union
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
  • Are a Swiss Citizen

   

  Otherwise, you need a visa:

  • There are different types of student visas for France. Double check with your school prior to applying
  • Usually, the visa types are:
    • For studies that last less than 3 months, a short term visa will be delivered. Check more information here.
    • For studies or a program that will last more than 3 months, a long term visa  or a residency permit will be delivered. Check more information here.
    • For long term permit, find here all the formalities

  Costs:

  • Short term: 60€
  • Long term: 100€
  • The payment can be done at the embassy in person only by cheque or cash, no credit cash are accepted. There are possibilities of sending the money by mail but you will need to check with your local embassy to see if you can.

   

  Timing: 

  • Apply about 3 months prior to entering France
  • 15 days to receive the response (approved / denied)
  • Note: the process can be delayed for up to 2 months.  The visa itself has no average delay, as it depends on your nationality, the documents you submitted, and the reason for your relocation

   

  Documents required:

  • Depends on your country of origin
  • Note: to have an extensive and accurate list of all the documents required, check the French Embassy or Consulate website in the country and jurisdiction of your origin 
    • You can try this country simulator to see the documents required: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/web/france-visas/ai-je-besoin-d-un-visa
    • It ask you couple of questions and will tell you what document you need and how much you have to pay
  • Note: all official documents, if not already in the required language for the application, must be translated by a sworn, official translator who works with the issuing authority, you can find more information here: LINK
  • In general, you will need:
    • Passport photos (standard passport size of 51 x 51 mm, check biometric requirements)
    • Copy of your passport
    • Your passport valid for at least 6 months and delivered less than 10 years ago
    • Filled and signed visa application
    • Proof of accommodation in France
    • Travel insurance: Have insurance covering medical and hospital expenses, including social assistance, for the care you may receive in France (the minimum coverage requested is € 30,000) More information
    • Round-trip plane ticket
      • In case you get denied 
      • To show good faith in the process 
    • Bank statements from the last three months
      • They ask this to see your traffic and what you do with your money and the cash flow you receive 
      • The minimum amount of resources required for a single person is € 1,258 net monthly, over a year. More information
    • Proof of university enrollment (i.e. letter of acceptance)
    • Medical records???
      • Didn’t find something specific, the list depends on the country you are coming from.

   

  What you can do according to your student visa:

  • Study
  • Work up to 20 hours a week
  • Obtain housing allowance through CAF. More information here
  • Travel through the Schengen Area

   

  What you cannot do according to your student visa:

  • Be an auto entrepreneur
  • Work more than 20 hours a week (964 hours per year)
  • Vote in French government elections 

   

  Who to contact:

  Don’t hesitate to reach out to: 

  • Your university / exchange program 
  • The Consulate / Embassy in your jurisdiction. Find all the contact information here.
  • The EIS Project contact us here

  In our experience, receiving quick responses isn’t standard, don’t be shy to send multiple follow up emails and make phone calls.  Do not try to obtain your long stay visa through a certified agency, it should be directly through the respective government authority (embassy, consulate, etc.), double check, always!

   

How to open a bank account in France?

• Should you open a Bank Account in France?

  • Depends on how much time you are planning to spend in France
  • If you are staying for one year or less, you will probably have more advantages through your original bank in your home country
  • For instance, you can pay your rent with whatever bank account, it doesn’t necessarily have to be French
  • If you are staying longer and you want to have a French phone number, or even transportation membership, it’s better to have a French bank account
  • Note: to open a bank account in France, you must have legal capacity
    • Hence, you must prove your identity, prove your domicile, and deposit a specimen of your signature at the bank
    • If you are a non-French tax resident, you must declare this tax situation to the bank

   

  Online Banks that Work in France:

  The easiest path for most non-French citizens is to open an online bank account with either Monabanq, HelloBank, Boursorama, MaFrenchBank (on mobile) or N26.

   

  Most Common French Banks:

  Otherwise, here are the largest French banks:

  • BNP Paribas: group.bnpparibas
  • LCL: lcl.fr
  • Société générale:  particuliers.societegenerale.fr

   

  International Banks in France:

  • JP Morgan
  • HSBC
  • Barclays
  • Axa Banque

   

  Documents Required:

  • Valid ID card or passport
  • Proof of address
  • Your residence status (French Visa)

   

  ATMs and Credit Cards: 

  • In France, ATMs are called “distributeurs automatiques de billets”(DAB)
  • You will find them in every city close to banks or in La Poste
  • However, withdrawing money with a foreign bank account is subject to a tax of around 3%, depending on the bank
  • If you are looking for an ATM, most of the credit card companies have a website dedicated to finding their ATMs called “(the name of the company) ATM locators”, for example, the big ones are: 
    • Visa
    • American Express: https://network.americanexpress.com/globalnetwork/atm_locator/en/#search
    • MasterCard: https://sea.mastercard.com/en-region-sea/personal/get-support/find-nearest-atm.html
  • In France, every big store and most of the small convenience stores accept credit cards, even from 0€
  • The most common credit cards in France are:
    • Visa
    • MasterCard
    • Boursorama
    • Crédit agricole
    • La Banque Postale
    • La Caisse d’Epargne
    • La Société Générale. 
  • Be aware that credit card payments are sometimes subject to strong foreign transaction fees
  • Some banks offer options where you don’t pay for those fees (you might have to pay a supplement), so check with your bank: most of the time it is absolutely worth it!

How to apply for insurance in France?

French Public Health Insurance for Expats:

When you arrive in France with a student visa or a working permit, you are automatically connected to the social security system!  The French government provides the right to French Social Security.  However, to access it, you must apply here (it’s free): https://www.ameli.fr/

Documents Required: 

• ID 
• French Residence Permit
• Certification of enrollment / schooling 
• IBAN
• Official civil-status document, which could be: 
  • a complete copy of your birth certificate,
  • a birth certificate showing your parents’ information (or any document issued by a consulate)
  • a family record book
  • a marriage certificate.

Private Health Insurance for Student Expats:

• Private health insurance is available in France, it’s called a “mutuelles”, which is in addition to your free, public health care 
• Below are the main options:
  • LeLynx. Fr: https://www.lelynx.fr/mutuelle-sante/
  • La Maaf: https://www.maaf.fr/fr/mutuelle-sante
  • Allianz: https://www.allianz.fr/assurance-particulier/sante-prevoyance/assurance-sante/actifs.html 
• It’s very common in France and is used to complete payments of important medical services (i.e surgery) or other types or services that are not fully reimbursed by Social Security, such as:
  • Purchase of eyeglasses
  • Orthodontic or Dental Services as an adult

General Information about French Public Health Care:

• Important!  If you are an EU Citizen, your insurance covers you and you don’t need any other insurance coverage, however, double check with your school!
• It’s free and reimburses most costs associated with the available health services
• Every legal resident of France has access to it after registering (see above)
• The French healthcare system offers a health care card (carte vitale), which will pay directly for the health services without you having to pay upfront
  • This card is not mandatory, you can pay upfront and be reimbursed within 10 business days

• Students have special access to French social security, if you register with your school they should help guide you through this process, check this link for more info: https://cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr/ 

Do I need a new SIM card for France?

Main Telecom Operators in France:

• Orange: 
• SFR: 
• Bouygues Telecom: 
• Free: 
• NRJ Mobile :

Documents Required:

• To purchase a French sim card, here are the documents required:
  • ID
  • Proof of Address
  • Bank Details

Apps to Download:

If you study in France, here are some apps you may want to check out: 

• Citymapper (in Paris and Lyon) 
• Uber
• Blablacar
• Waze (if you drive)
• Deliveroo

Emergency services contacts

• • 18: Firefighters
  • 15: Samu (for all health and accident emergencies of any kind)
  • 17: Police / Gendarme (police for higher affairs)
  • 112: Universal European Emergency Services number, works on all phones, even the non-European numbers
  • 114: Emergency calls (use if you have difficulty speaking or hearing)
  • 115: Emergency Shelter
  • 119: Reporting child abuse