Paris

If you are going to study:

• You will need to apply for a ‘Student Visa’ if your studies will be longer than 90 days. If less than 90 days, see the ‘Going on Reconnaissance’ section.
• This visa is valid for 90 days. During this time period you must enter France and apply for your residence permit (carte de sejour) — see the Registration section. Once you obtain the carte de sejour, you are able to exit and enter France as often as you want for the duration of the carte de sejour, usually one year.
• You will have one entry before applying for your residence permit.
• Citizens of the European Union, Andorra, Monaco and Switzerland are exempt from this visa.

Required documents

• A passport valid at least three months after the last day of your stay within the Schengen space. Please make sure a blank page remains in your passport for the visa stamp. The pages of a passport designed for amendments and endorsement cannot be used to issue a visa. Your passport should be in good condition.
• Copy of the 5 first pages of your passport.
• 2 long stay application forms filled out in black. Please do not forget to write your phone number (home and cell) and e-mail address.
• 2 photographs. 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.
• An OFII Form (this form is only available in French) that you will have filled in all the first superior part (above the middle section). If your visa is granted, the consulate will stamp this form and give it back. You will then fill in the last portion of it upon your arrival in France and send it to the closest local branch of the OFII of your home in France.
• Letter of admission from a French public or private school/University (+ one copy).
• Letter from your university in the US stating that you are currently registered there as a student or a copy of your last diploma (+ one copy).

• Proof of sufficient funds:

1. If your parents are going to pay for your expenses in France : a financial guarantee in the form of a notarized statement certifying that the applicant will be provided with a monthly allowance of at least $820 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. A recent bank statement from your parents or sponsor will also be required.
2. If you pay for your own expenses, you have to bring your three last months bank statements, savings and checkings (all that you own or share as a owner) with all detailed operations’ history and day to day balance. Make sure any document edited has the name of the owner of the account and his/her address on it (sometimes web-edited statements will not show all this information, and you will have to ask your bank’s local branch to edit a certified bank statement with all these requirements) (+ one copy).

• Processing fees: by credit card (Visa, Mastercard only), cash (only if you apply in person), money order or certified check made out to “Consulate General of France”. No personal checks will be accepted.

Rights for dependents: Spouses and children must apply for their own visas.