- 1). Obtain a valid United States passport and photocopy the passport. You'll need a passport to establish proper citizenship and in order to place the visa in the passport. There must be at least one blank page for the visa stamp. A photocopy of the first five pages of your passport will be required to be submitted to the French consulate or embassy.
- 2). Complete the application form. Two completed application forms are required to be submitted. Both must be filled out in black ink. The forms can be downloaded off of the French embassy website (see Resources).
- 3). Get your picture taken. Two passport-size photographs must be submitted with the application.
- 4). Provide proof of residency. This can be established with a bill that establishes your address or a government-issued ID that has your address printed on it.
- 5). Acquire a letter from the insurance company. You must submit a letter from your medical insurance company that states that you are insured in Europe for expenses at a minimum of $40,000. You need to only provide one copy of the letter.
- 6). Photocopy your letter of admission. In order to acquire a student visa, you must show that you were accepted into a French academic institution. You need to provide one copy of your letter of admission with your application.
- 7). Show proof that you are or were a student in the United States. This can be through a photocopy of a certificate of degree; you can also provide a letter from your college or university that states that you are currently enrolled in their school.
- 8). Show proof of sufficient funds. This can be done in two ways. First, your parents can fill out a Financial Guarantee form that states that they will be providing funds for you while you are studying. The Financial Guarantee form can be found on the French Embassy website (see Resources). The second option is to show that you will be providing for yourself. In this instance, you must provide your last three bank statements that show your balance in both checking and savings accounts.
- 9). Provide a check or money order to the French consulate or embassy. As of March 2010, the fees for the short stay student visa are $82.
- 10
Make an appointment with the embassy/consulate. The application is only accepted in person. On your appointment date and time you must provide all of the above required documents. An appointment can be scheduled on the French Embassy website. - 11
Purchase flight tickets. After your visa has been approved you will have to show that you have a purchased a round trip ticket. The ticket must have your name on the passenger list.
previous post
next post