International students facilities

Obtaining a residence permit concerns all international students, with the exception of European Union nationals, who wish to stay in France. When a student decides to come and study in France, he or she obtains a long-stay (D) visa for studies in France from the French Embassy.

Under no circumstances may the type C tourist visa be converted into a residence permit in the territory. The D visa (with a duration of 3 months for Algerian nationals, and ranging from 4 to 12 months for others) is necessary and compulsory. It allows you to remain in France for the duration of your studies, provided that you have completed the relevant procedures.

The Prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales and the University of Perpignan Via Domitia have signed an agreement which allows the student to have a special welcome at the University of Perpignan.

The first application for a residence permit: who? when? how?

You have just arrived in France and a D visa for studies in France has been placed in your passport. The visa is called Visa Long Séjour (VLS). You don't have a residence permit yet, only a D visa for studying in France.

• Your D visa is marked Temporary Long Stay Visa: you do not have to do anything upon arrival. This visa is issued by Embassies as part of an exchange program. You are in a normal situation until the visa expires. This visa does not entitle you to work and cannot be renewed when it expires.

• Your D visa is marked student: the Embassy has issued you a Long Stay Visa equivalent to a Residence Permit (VLS-TS). You will have to regularize it within 3 months of your arrival (dematerialized procedure) on the Ministry's website: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/) .

• Your D visa has a duration of 3 months and is marked "carte à solliciter" (card to be applied for): You will have to apply for a residence permit from the Prefecture within 2 months of your arrival in France.

• You were a minor when you applied for a visa at the Embassy: your visa is marked "minor-educated". You will have to start the procedure to obtain a residence permit 2 months before your majority at the prefecture..

To make an appointment, you must connect to your ENT Student page and visit the My Residence Permit Appointments section.

• You will find the list of supporting documents for the issue of a residence permit according to your case:

- Multi-annual residence permit:  "Passport-Talent" - "Passport-talent-researcher"
- "Student or Student Mobility Programme"
- "Looking for a job or starting a business" :
Provisional residence permit for job-seeking (bilateral agreements)

Application form  to be downloaded and completed.

Attention! If the application is filed after the expiry of the current title, you may be fined 180€.

You will then refer to the procedure for submitting the application by appointment.