obtaining visas can be cumbersome as it involves a lot of official work and papers. However, if you decide to study abroad then this procedure cannot be avoided. A student visa is a document that certifies your legal stay in another country, without which you do not have the permission to reside there. As mentioned earlier, it might seem like a hard task to obtain a visa but if done with proper guidelines, it can be made easy. The first thing to remember is that the process can take from 1 week to 1 month. Therefore, flexible time of atleast 6 months must be accommodated for before applying to a course in France. In this period, you, as a student, will need to get hold of signatures, bank statements, income tax returns of earning member, academic certificates etc. The following section gives you an overview of the requirements for a student visa and some of the tips that you need to keep in mind.
Visa Requirements For Students Going For Education In France
Requirements
It is always advisable to carry 3 photocopies of each document that you require to submit for official purposes. For a student visa, they are:
Read for information on student visa details for France, visa tips for international students going for study programs and the visa requirements for students going for education in France.
Student Visa Details For France
- A letter of admission or registration from the institution where you have been accepted.
- Accommodation or residential proof of stay in France for the mentioned tenure of study.
- Proof of tuition fees resources with an extra of 500euro per month for living expenses. In case of scholarships, papers providing proof of the same is required.
- Bio-data.
- Four passport size photographs.
- Photocopies and originals of previous education and work experience certificates.
- A printout of air tickets purchased to fly to France.
- Passport: first two pages and any stamped pages.
- overseas Medical Policy and Repatriation Policy: necessary for both long and short stay.
- A Demand Draft of Rs.4, 000 made in the name of CEDUST in New Delhi.
General Procedure
- The first step to get a visa is to get a NoC (No objection Certificate), for which you have to register with the concerned institution.
- An interview is conducted by a designated official. There are various places in the country where this can be conducted. In Delhi, the office is at Attache for Scientific & University Cooperation. In Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, the interview will be taken by the Director of the Alliance Francaise. You need to carry copies and originals of all documents at this time.
- Then, the passport is submitted and stamped by the main Embassy.
- The center for submission of passport for NoC holders from Delhi, Kolkata or Chandigarh is New Delhi and for NoC holders from Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad and Mumbai, the center is Mumbai. For those who got their NoC from Chennai need to submit it in Pondicherry.
- With the above, a presentation or covering letter also needs to be given.
- The passport normally takes a week to return back to you.
- The French Embassy student visa fee is 50euros, to be paid in cash equivalent to Indian rupees at the time of depositing your passport.
Visa Tips For International Students Going For Study Programs In France
- Short stay: This is granted for a stay of 90 days, before which you have to fill the short stay application form.
- Temporary long stay: This is given for anything between 3-6 months. There are two application forms to be filled for this purpose.
- Long stay: The length of stay is decided by a residency permit, for which you will have to fill in two long stay application forms. once you reach France, you have to apply for a residency card.
This information has hopefully helped you to gain a better and clearer understanding of how to go about getting your visa to study in France.