Renewal of student residence permit

Students wishing to stay in France beyond the expiry date of their residence permit must apply for the renewal two to four months before the expiry date of the residence permit.

The procedure has to be made on line on the Administration Numérique des Etrangers en France (ANEF) web site. It is dealt by the local préfecture according to the home address of the applicant.

List of the documents to be submitted for the request of the renewal of the student residence card

The documents to be submitted are as follows (documents to be scanned or photographed for the dematerialised procedure) :

• valid student (« étudiant ») visa + confirmation of online validation of the visa or multi-year « étudiant » residence card ;
• passport (pages related to marital status, validity dates and entry stamps) ;
• extract of birth certificate indicating filiation or full copy of birth certificate, (depending on préfectures) ;
• proof of address less than 6 months old :
  • if tenant: electricity bill (or gas, water, landline telephone or Internet service bill) or rental lease agreement less than 3 months old or rent receipt or housing tax statement ;
  • if staying at a hotel: hotelier’s certificate and last month’s bill ;
  • if staying with an individual : statement from the host « attestation d’hébergement » dated and signed by the host, copy of his/her identity card or residence card, deed of ownership (or the host’s statement of residence tax or copy of the rental lease agreement or the host’s electricity, gas, water, landline telephone or Internet service bill) ;
• e-photo ;
• registration certificate issued by the French educational institution. A pre-registration certificate is sufficient at the time of the initial submission of the application. A certificate of final registration must be provided by the time at which the permit is provided ;
• if the person is a trainee : work placement agreement ;
• proof of sufficient means : the applicant’s financial resources must be at least equal to € 615 per month (bank statements of regular transfers or sufficient credit balance, sworn statement of payment of sums needed to complete the required amount if resources are provided by a third party, pay slips, scholarship certificate specifying the amount and duration of the scholarship) ;
• proof of health insurance ;
• proof of studies successfully undertaken: transcript of the academic year or certificate of attendance and presentation for examinations.

Progress of the procedure of the request for the renewal

In the past, the student received a receipt of application for renewal of a residence permit (“récépissé”), then was invited to go and pick up his/her residence permit.With the dematerialised procedure, there is no more issue of receipts (récépissés).

Following the filing of his/her application on the ANEF web site, the student receives successive certificates (“attestations”) as and when his/her application is being processed by the agents of the prefecture on which he/she depends:

• first a certificate of filing a renewal application « Confirmation du dépôt d’une demande de renouvellement »,
• then a a certificate of extension of instruction for the application « attestation de prolongation d’instruction de demande de titre de séjour » (processing of the application is underway)
• and finally a positive decision certificate« attestation de décision favorable » (if the request is accepted).

The last two certificates extend the rights given by the mention of the renewed residence permit. Everything is specified on the certificate.

It is possible to download the certificates on the online personal account created on the ANEF web site.

It is not necessary to go to the prefecture anymore. The certificates replace the receipts (“récépissés”), while the residence card is being made.

On the day of the appointment for the obtaining of the residence permit at the latest, students must pay a € 75 tax in the form of a tax stamp.

Information about e-photos

Only professional photographers and approved photo booths such as Photomatons can provide photographs and a digital signature  that are compatible with the residence card request teleservice. They can be identified by a blue sticker that indicates « Agréé services en ligne ANTS » Agr services en ligne ANTS ».

Once your photo is taken, you are asked to ad your signature using a pen to a tablet or touching the screen. It is important to write your real signature and not a point or a sign to allow the making of your residence permit.

• Your photos will be printed in the same way as they are for a normal photo.
• You will also receive an individualised 22-number code. When you are filling out your online residence permit request form on the ANEF website, you need just indicate this number in order to link it to the photo and the digital signature.

Purchase of the tax stamp

The purchase is done on line on the ANEF web site (save and print your receipt).

There is no need to buy a tax stamp (timbre fiscal) when you submit your residence permit request (the stamp may expire before use). It will only be requested when you receive your residence permit. Thus, you can purchase it just before retrieving your residence permit at the police headquarters (prefecture).