In brief
- Renewing or obtaining a student residence permit depends on your initial situation (first year or after 1 year).
- From May 1st, 2026, the amount of the fiscal stamp 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.
- Foreigners from 72 countries must go through the 'Studies in France' procedure, others through 'France-Visas'.
Who can apply
You are affected by procedures related to a residence permit or long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS) 'student' if you are coming to France to pursue higher education and do not already have 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 higher education institution or initial training program (university, graduate school, etc.);
- Or in a higher professional training organization.
An income requirement applies: you must demonstrate income of at least 615 € per month. However, this requirement does not apply if you have passed the entrance exam at a higher education institution that has signed an agreement with the State.
It is important to note that a foreigner who has signed a research stay agreement to train in research, but whose funding does not reach the threshold to claim a 'researcher talent' residence permit, obtains a 'student' residence permit.
If your coming to France is solely to take an entrance exam for higher education, you must apply for a short-stay 'student-exam' visa and not a classic long-stay student visa.
Steps
Procedures vary considerably depending on your administrative situation and your country of origin.
Case 1: Regular entry with successful exam
If you entered France regularly with a short-stay 'student-exam' visa and passed an entrance exam at a school, you are exempt from VLS-TS. You must directly request a student residence permit at the prefecture.
Case 2: Schooling in France since age 16
If you entered France regularly (on a short-stay visa for example), have been schooled in France since at least age 16, and are pursuing higher education, you are also exempt from VLS-TS. You must directly request a student residence permit at the prefecture.
Where to apply?
You must go to the Prefecture or Sub-prefecture of your place of residence. Be careful, it is not possible to complete procedures at certain sub-prefectures. It is essential to check your prefecture's website. In Paris, you must contact the Paris Police Prefecture - Residence Permit Service.
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 know the list of documents to provide.
The student visa application procedure depends on your nationality and geographic region:
-
'Studies in France' procedure: This procedure applies to foreigners from 72 countries when they register online for higher education in France. This notably includes nationals of South Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, 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.
VLS-TS validation 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 be in regular status and be able to cross the Schengen border again.
Documents
The list of documents to provide varies depending on the procedure chosen (France-Visas or Studies in 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 residence 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 valid as a residence permit on the ANTS website.
- Fiscal stamp for renewal or issuance of a residence permit: From May 1st, 2026, the amount of the fiscal stamp for a residence permit will increase, as provided for by the 2026 Finance Law. Specific information about the new amount is not detailed in the current excerpt, but the increase is confirmed for this date.
Timelines
- VLS-TS validation: It must be completed within 3 months of your arrival in France.
- VLS-TS validity period: The 'student' VLS-TS is issued for a period of 4 months to 1 year.
- Renewal after 1 year: After 1 year of residence, you can request a temporary student residence card (valid 1 year) or multi-year student card (valid 2 to 4 years).
Pitfalls to avoid
- Not validating your VLS-TS on time: Forgetting to validate the visa online within 3 months of arrival can put your stay in irregular status and complicate travel in the Schengen area.
- Confusion between visa procedures: Make sure your country falls under the 'Studies in France' procedure or 'France-Visas'. An error here can significantly delay your case.
- Non-compliance with income requirements: If you have not passed an entrance exam at an institution with a state agreement, make sure you can demonstrate 615 € per month in income. Failure to provide proof can result in a permit denial.
Official source
The above information is extracted exclusively from the official document service-public.fr titled 'Renewing a residence permit', verified on January 29, 2026 by the Legal and Administrative Information Department (Prime Minister's Office).
