VISA / Residence permit

A long-stay student visa or VLSTS (Visa Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour)

When you arrive in France, and within 3 months of your arrival at the latest, you must validate your visa to make it "valid as a residence permit". This procedure is compulsory for all holders of this visa.

You must validate your visa online on the ANEF platform: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/

Print out and keep in your VISA the document you receive at the end of the procedure. It proves to the French authorities that you have validated your VISA.

Visa for minors attending school / competitive exams / Algerian students

You must submit your first application for a residence permit once your enrolment in your school or university has been validated (competitive examination/Algerian student visa), or as soon as you have reached the age of majority (schooling minor visa).

All you need to do is make an appointment with the prefecture responsible for your campus.

•  Paris Saclay     https://www.essonne.gouv.fr/Prendre-un-rendez-vous
•  Metz                   https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N19804
•  Rennes              https://www.ille-et-vilaine.gouv.fr/

Renewal of your residence permit

Since 18 September 2020, the French government has launched a new procedure for renewing a residence permit, entirely dematerialized via the ANEF application available on smartphone, tablet and pc/mac.

From now on, the procedures via ANEF are to be carried out alone and concern students whose residence permit expired from 15/09/2020 (residence permits expired between 16 March and 15 June 2020 are automatically extended by six months).

The SGAE and CentraleSupélec's contacts (concerned with the renewal of residence permits) are not in a position to carry out the renewal procedures for you.

The following are concerned:

•     Students holding a VLS-TS student or VLS-TS student mobility permit
•     Students holding a VLS "carte de séjour à sollicité" student or student mobility, in particular Algerian nationals.
•     Young people of legal age holding a VLS-T minor in education
•     Holders of a residence permit, whether for student or other reasons

Not concerned (make an appointment directly at the sub-prefecture):

•     Students holding a short-stay visa,
•     Young adults who do not hold a visa or residence permit
•     The holder of an EU long-term resident card issued by a Member State other than France

You will find below the link allowing you to understand what ANEF is and to register and apply for a residence permit.

https://www.universite-paris-saclay.fr/actualites/une-evolution-pour-laccueil-des-etudiants-internationaux

Other applications have become available on the ANEF:

• Since 6 April 2021: work permit applications
• Since 25 May 2021: applications for residence permits "talent/researchers passport": see tutorial ICI.
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IMPORTANT: when you apply for your residence permit, you will have to provide "e-photos," which you can take in photomatons or at approved photographers (whose addresses are available on the ANEF website in the "e-photo" section of your registration).

With ANEF, as the procedures are entirely paperless, you no longer have to make an appointment at the sub-prefecture (except to collect your residence permit if the sub-prefecture issues one).

In your personal ANEF space, you will find various certificates issued in the following order.

1.     1. Certificate of submission: issued as soon as your application is submitted on ANEF
2.     Attestation of extension of the processing of your file: "possible" but not systematic attestation issued if the processing of your file is delayed.
3.     ⚠ Attestation of favorable decision: this replaces the old "récépissé"; you no longer have to collect it from the sous-préfecture.

All these attestations are to be presented to the French authorities if you have an identity check; they prove that you have started steps concerning your residence permit and avoid being in an irregular situation on French territory.