Visa & Residency Permit Guide

VISA & RESIDENCY PERMIT : ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Definitions — Visa, visa validation, récipissé, titre de séjour, etc.

PCA's responsibilities / Students responsibilities What are the documents needed for renewal ?

How do I make a renewal appointment?

What if I fail to renew on time?

FAQ

DEFINITIONS

1st YEAR AT PCA

VISA This is the document in your passport that you get from the French Consulate before arriving in Paris. It’s a temporary authorization to enter the country and stay for more than 90 days to study and work part-time.

VISA VALIDATION It's the first step you have to take after your arrival in France depending on your visa type*. It informs the French authorities of your arrival and transforms your visa into a temporary titre de séjour (long-stay authorization). *Not all visas need to be validated. Follow SLO’s instructions during orientation.

2nd, 3rd, 4th AND 5th YEAR AT PCA

TITRE DE SÉJOUR / RESID. CARD This is the student residency card. You will get it after applying for renewal with SLO during your first year at PCA and before your 1-year visa expires. Its length can vary from 1 to 3 years depending on the Préfecture’s decision.

RÉCIPISSE / RECEIPT This is the proof that your application for a titre de séjour has been accepted and that the card is being fabricated. You only get this document if your visa or titre de séjour expires before the new one is ready as proof that you have legal residency.

RESPONSIBILITIES

THE SCHOOL PCA sends renewal files to the French government* (but we are not working FOR or WITH them therefore we don’t have control over any delays nor decisions).

PCA informs students of deadlines and administrative procedures related to renewal (how to open a French bank account, how to enroll into Sécurité Sociale, etc.) and organizes mandatory info sessions.

PCA communicates appointment dates to students to pick up their récipissé (if applicable) at the Préfecture. The appointment to get your titre de séjour will be communicated directly by the Préfecture to you. *We do not assist with renewals for other types of visas and residency cards (i.e. work, family/spouse, etc.)

THE STUDENT

YOU make an appointment with SLO before the PCA deadline to start the renewal process.

YOU provide all the necessary documents on time during the SLO meeting. PCA has no authority to intervene if you fail to meet the deadlines and are sanctioned by the government.

YOU go to appointments set by the French government.

YOU must send scans of your renewed récipissé (if applicable) and titre de séjour to SLO once you picked them up.

YOU regularly check your paris.edu email as all communications regarding visas and renewals go to this address.

WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR RENEWAL ?

IMPORTANT You MUST have at least 615€ available in your French bank account at one point every month prior to your renewal appointment (= your total balance has to be of 615€ or above at least one day every month). Our advice: if you don't use your French account, transfer 700€ into it and never use them. If you are using your account, set up a monthly transfer. The Préfecture will ask for justification and if you can not provide proof that you have the funds it could jeopardize your application.

WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR RENEWAL ?

ID photos in France need to be in a specific format. When at the photobooth, make sure to select the ones with a 'photos conformes' stamp.

To take good ID photos: - Do not smile - No glasses, no hat, no scarf - Your hair has to be down and behind your ears - Your neck & shoulders must be showing

Your proof of housing should be issued no more than 3 months prior to your renewal appointment.

Make sure that your current address and full name are stated in any document you are using as proof. A lease is not proof of housing.

Bank statements (relevés de compte) are specific documents that your bank issues once a month. You can usually access them through the bank member portal.

They sum up all operations (credit, debit and transfers) that you made.

To prove your financial stability, you either need to have a balance above 615€ at some point or receive a transfer of the same amount (your bank statements must show the full required amount or more at once).

615€ is the minimal required amount. If you can put more money in your account we advise you to do so for peace of mind. A screenshot is NOT a bank statement.

All documents must be printed (double-sided printing for multipage documents).

Never give the originals away: bring copies but make sure that they are readable, clear, and not crumpled up.

Please do not staple the documents together.

Make sure that your proof of housing, bank statements, and proof of health care are dated from less than 3 months prior to your appointment date.

HOW DO I MAKE A RENEWAL APPOINTMENT?

You MUST make an appointment with SLO 4 to 6 months: prior to the expiration date of your visa / titre de séjour prior to your departure if you intend to leave for a long period of time and you won’t be back before your visa expires (i.e. Study Abroad, leave of absence, summer holidays, etc.)

Gather all the documents needed for the renewal of your residency permit.

Your file will not be sent to the Préfecture until ALL documents have been submitted.

Register for an appointment with SLO.

PCA sends your application in for renewal. SLO communicates your appointment date to pick up your récépissé*. You MUST go to this appointment (you can neither cancel nor reschedule)

Right before your récépissé or current titre de séjour expires, you will get a text message (to the phone number you indicated on your application form) from the Préfecture with your appointment date to pick up your final titre de séjour. YAY! Again, you MUST go to this appointment (you can neither cancel nor reschedule).

Use this link: https://apply.paris.edu/por tal/meeting_mj

The appointment lasts 30 mins to check all your documents and fill the application form.

No appointment request via email will be accepted.

*If applicable.

You must send a scan or bring a hard copy of your récépissé and renewed titre de séjour to SLO as soon as you get them.

WHAT IF I FAIL TO RENEW ON TIME?

If you fail to apply for a titre de séjour renewal before leaving France and your previous residency permit expires while you are away, you won't be allowed to re-enter the country without applying for a new visa with the French Consulate in your home country.

If you fail to make an appointment with SLO or fail to submit a complete dossier by the PCA deadline, you will be fined 100€. A second fine can be incured if you fail to meet SLO's second deadline. Your PCA card will be blocked and you will not be allowed on campus.

You may also be fined 180€ by the French Immigration Office if your titre de séjour is renewed after its expiry date.

Direct consequences : - Student unallowed on the PCA campus - Financial sanction from PCA (can be incurred weekly until the situation has been sorted out) - Prohibition from leaving the country - No permission to enter the country if the student is away - Financial sanction from the government when the student finally gets a renewed titre de séjour - Expulsion to home country if the student is controlled by the Police

The Student Life Office sends many reminders about visa renewals and visa info sessions throughout the year. Make sure to check your PCA email regularly so you don't miss out on anything important.

Remember that we do not work for or with the French authorities. PCA does not have any leverage if you fail to maintain legal residency in France and the government decides to take action against you.

FAQ I don’t have 615€ in my account. Will my renewal request be rejected?

Financial sufficiency is a compulsory requirement set by the French government to ensure that you will not run into financial difficulties during your stay in France. However, under certain circumstances, additional proof of financial sustainability can be accepted (i.e. if your French bank account was opened less than 3 months prior to your renewal) but please note that if these additional statements are not in euros you will need to ask your bank to convert the amounts. Proof that you have a French bank account is mandatory no matter what (it is called "Justificatif de Domiciliation Bancaire").

I am going on study abroad next semester. Can I renew or do I need to get a new visa to come back?

You must approach SLO prior to your departure to coordinate your renewal. Remember, if you fail to apply for a titre de séjour before leaving France and your residency permit expires while you’re away, you won’t be able to enter France again without applying for a new visa with the French Consulate in your home country.

Can PCA assist me for renewal after I graduate?

PCA assists all students with visa renewal during your academic career with us, including the internship sponsorship year or applied studies year. Any renewal request after that has to be addressed directly to the Préfecture and entirely managed by the student.

Note that as soon as you have decided to take on the opportunity to do an internship year, you must coordinate with SLO for the renewal of your residency permit.

My current visa/residency permit is expiring soon and I still haven’t heard back from the Préfecture. What should I do?

Appointments to pick up récipissés and titres de séjour are usually communicated by the Préfecture a week before the expiry date of your current residency permit. This is why you should not worry if you haven’t heard anything up to one week before your current titre de séjour expires. However, if your visa, récipissé or titre de séjour expires in less than a week and you still haven’t heard back, please reach out to SLO and we will advise you.

Note that French authorities will not allow you to enter and leave the country unless your titre de séjour is valid. PCA doesn’t make the rules.

Feel free to contact Student Life if you have a question that is not listed above! studentlife@paris.edu More info on visa renewal can also be found on the mon.paris.edu portal.

NOTES

To make a renewal appointment : https://apply.paris.edu/portal/meeting_mj