In brief
- Renewing or obtaining a student residence permit depends on your initial situation (first year or after 1 year).
- As of May 1, 2026, the tax stamp fee for a residence permit will increase according to the 2026 Finance Law.
- Online validation of the "student" VLS-TS requires payment of a €50 tax within 3 months of arrival.
- Nationals from 72 countries must go through the "Études en France" procedure; others must use "France-Visas".
Who is eligible
You are subject to procedures related to the residence permit or the long-stay visa serving as a residence permit (VLS-TS) "student" if you come to France to pursue higher education and do not already hold a residence permit for personal or family reasons (for example, a resident card or a private and family life residence card).
To be eligible, you must be enrolled (or pre-enrolled):
- In a public or private institution of higher education or initial training (university, grande école, etc.);
- Or in a higher professional training organization.
A resource requirement applies: you must demonstrate resources of at least €615 per month. However, this condition does not apply if you have passed the entrance exam for a higher education institution that has signed an agreement with the State.
It is important to note that a foreign national who has signed a research stay agreement to train in research, but whose funding does not reach the threshold to qualify for a "talent-researcher" residence permit, will obtain a "student" residence permit.
If your sole purpose for coming to France is to take an entrance exam or competition for higher education, you must apply for a short-stay "student-competition" visa, not a standard long-stay student visa.
Steps
The procedures vary considerably depending on your administrative situation and country of origin.
Case 1: Regular entry with success in a competitive exam
If you entered France regularly with a short-stay "student-competition" visa and passed an entrance exam for a school, you are exempt from the VLS-TS. You must directly apply for a student residence permit at the prefecture.
Case 2: Schooling in France since age 16
If you entered France regularly (e.g., on a short-stay visa), have attended school in France since at least age 16, and are continuing higher education, you are also exempt from the VLS-TS. You must directly apply for a student residence permit at the prefecture.
Where to apply? You must go to the Prefecture or Sub-prefecture of your place of residence. Note that it is not possible to complete these procedures in certain sub-prefectures. It is essential to check your prefecture's website. In Paris, you must contact the Paris Police Prefecture - Residence Permits Department.
Case 3: Other cases (Visa application from abroad)
Before starting your application, you must consult the official France-visas website to find the procedure that applies to you and learn the list of documents to provide.
The student visa application procedure depends on your nationality and geographic zone:
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"Études en France" procedure: This procedure applies to nationals from 72 countries when they pre-register online in French higher education. This includes notably nationals of South Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Mauritania, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Chad, Togo, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, United Kingdom, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, United States, Haiti, Mexico, Peru, Dominican Republic, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Tunisia.
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"France-Visas" procedure: Foreigners from other countries must go through the standard visa application procedure via France-Visas.
Validating the VLS-TS after arrival
Within 3 months of your arrival in France, you must validate your VLS-TS and pay the corresponding tax. This online procedure allows you to maintain regular status and cross the Schengen Area border again.
Documents
The list of documents to provide varies depending on the chosen procedure (France-Visas or Études en France). It is essential to consult the official France-visas website to obtain the precise list adapted to your national situation.
For online VLS-TS validation, civil status information and proof of address will be required when logging into the online service.
Cost
Several costs are associated with the procedures:
- Validation of the "student" VLS-TS: You must pay €50. This payment is mandatory when validating your long-stay visa serving as a residence permit on the ANTS website.
- Tax stamp for renewal or issuance of the residence permit: As of May 1, 2026, the tax stamp fee for a residence permit will increase, as provided for in the 2026 Finance Law. Specific information on the new amount is not detailed in the current excerpt, but the increase is confirmed for this date.
Timelines
- VLS-TS Validation: Must be completed within 3 months of your arrival in France.
- Validity period of the VLS-TS: The "student" VLS-TS is issued for a duration of 4 months to 1 year.
- Renewal after 1 year: After 1 year of stay, you can apply for a temporary student residence card (valid for 1 year) or a multi-year student residence card (valid for 2 to 4 years).
Pitfalls to avoid
- Failing to validate your VLS-TS on time: Forgetting to validate the visa online within 3 months of arrival may render your stay irregular and complicate travel within the Schengen Area.
- Confusion between visa procedures: Carefully check whether your country falls under the "Études en France" or "France-Visas" procedure. An error here can significantly delay your application.
- Non-compliance with resource conditions: If you did not pass a competitive exam in an institution affiliated with the State, ensure you can prove resources of €615 per month. Failure to provide proof may result in refusal of the permit.
- Procedures at sub-prefectures: Do not spontaneously go to a sub-prefecture without first checking on your prefecture's website whether it handles residence permit applications, as this is not always the case.
Official Source
The information above is extracted exclusively from the official service-public.fr sheet titled "Renouveler un titre de séjour" (Renewing a residence permit), verified on January 29, 2026, by the Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister).