France Student Visa Requirements for Indians: 2026 Checklist

The order matters as much as the papers: Campus France first, France-Visas second, VFS last. This checklist uses figures as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For short-stay visas, fees and centres, see our France visa guide for Indians.

What is on the 2026 French student visa checklist?

How does Etudes en France work before the visa?

India is an Etudes en France (EEF) procedure country, so the visa application cannot start until Campus France has processed your file. Campus France India sets out the sequence:

1. Complete the EEF file online on pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr.
2. Wait for the file to be validated, then pay the INR 20,000 Campus France fee through the link from the official platform. You pay only after validation.
3. Attend the academic interview if one applies to you.
4. Wait for the automated Campus France email. Only then fill the visa application on France-Visas and book a VFS appointment in the 'Studies in France' category.

Do not book a VFS slot before that email arrives. The Campus France India visa procedure page has the current instructions.

How much money must you show from August 2026?

Campus France India raised the minimum proof of financial resources for a French student visa to EUR 877.50 per month from 1 August 2026, up from EUR 615. Files prepared on the old figure are now short.

One official page has not caught up. France-Visas still states EUR 615 a month for student trainees on internships. If you are going for a degree, plan on the Campus France India figure. The France-Visas FAQ lists the usual forms of proof of means: personal bank statements for the last 3 months, the last 3 pay slips, credit or debit card statements and traveller's cheques.

Which documents go into the VFS file?

• Printout of the VFS appointment confirmation letter
• Passport issued within the previous 10 years with at least 2 blank pages, plus a copy
• Printout of the completed France-Visas form, dated and signed, with its receipt
• Two recent ICAO photos: width 35 to 40 mm, face 32 to 36 mm, neutral light grey background (not blue), not stapled to the form
• Certificate of enrolment from the institution that accepted you
• Proof of a temporary address for the first three months, or a permanent address
• Proof of financial resources at the EUR 877.50 monthly level
• Every supporting document on your France-Visas checklist, in the same order
• French translations of any document not in English or French
• Optional: a one-page factual note with your identity, passport number and France-Visas reference

You may also upload digital copies of supporting documents on France-Visas. Optional VFS services include photographs (INR 200 for 4) and courier return of the passport (INR 550). During the examination the consulate may ask for more documents or call you for an interview.

When should you apply, and how long does it take?

Campus France India says to start as soon as you receive unconditional acceptance and at least three months before the intake. For the visa lodgement itself, VFS says long-stay applications go in at least 1 month before departure and no more than 3 months before arrival.

No separate processing time is published for student visas. France-Visas says decisions usually take 15 days and can be extended up to 45 days in special cases. VFS sends an SMS when your application is submitted, and you can track it on the VFS website with the reference number on your receipt and your last name, or through 'Follow an application' on France-Visas.

What must you do after arriving in France?

The VLS-TS 'student' must be validated online within three months of arrival; it then serves as your residence permit for the first year. After your course, Campus France India says a bilateral agreement signed in 2015 lets Indian students extend their stay in France for 24 months, as a 12-month visa renewable once. Master's-level graduates who have left France can apply for a job search / business creation VLS-TS within 4 years of the diploma. Graduates with a Master's or higher who studied at least one semester in France on a long-stay student visa can later apply for a 5-year 'alumni' short-stay visa, which does not allow work.

Which mistakes slow down Indian student files?

• Applying on a conditional offer: Campus France India asks for unconditional acceptance.
• Showing funds at the old EUR 615 level after 1 August 2026.
• Booking VFS before the automated Campus France email.
• Using a blue-background photo; France-Visas asks for neutral light grey.
• Forgetting the online VLS-TS validation within three months of arrival.

If a long-stay visa is refused, the appeal must be sent within 30 days, by post, written in French and signed, to the Commission for Appeals against Visa Refusal Decisions (CRRV) in Nantes. This appeal is mandatory before any court case.

The student file itself runs through Campus France and VFS. For a parent's short-stay visit or a Schengen trip of your own, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 to INR 3,000 per package. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a French student visa without going through Campus France?

Not from India for a higher-education course. India is an Etudes en France procedure country, so you complete and pay for the EEF file first and book VFS only after the automated Campus France email.

When do I pay the INR 20,000 Campus France fee?

Only after your Etudes en France file has been validated, through the payment link from the official platform. The fee rose from INR 18,500 to INR 20,000 on 1 August 2026.

Can Indian graduates work in France without a work permit?

Holders of the job search / business creation residence permit may work as employees without a work authorisation if the job is linked to their studies and pays more than EUR 2,800.53 gross a month. Campus France India also notes the 24-month post-study stay for Indian students.

Is the French student visa fee 50 or 99 euros?

The standard long-stay visa fee is 99 euros, but students whose application was considered by a Center for studies in France, which includes India's EEF procedure, pay the reduced rate of 50 euros. The VFS service fee of 22 EUR is extra.