Renewal of student (« étudiant ») residence permit

Students wishing to stay in France beyond the expiry date of their residence permit must apply for the renewal between 2 and 4 months to four months (which means between 120 to 60 days) 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 provided are the following :

• Valid student Residence card:  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 home 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 6 months old or rent receipt or housing tax statement ;
  • if staying in a hotel: hotel certificate and 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). A sample of a attestation d’hébergement can be found here. ;
• E-photo (for online deposit). Compatible Photomatons can be identified by a blue sticker that indicates Agréé services en ligne ANTS .  
• Final proof of enrolment for the coming school year issued by the French educational institution, usually called certificat de scolarité . A pre-registration certificate will not allow a residence permit to be issued. The final certificate must mention the study level and must be written or translated in French. This document is essential in the residence permit request procedure. Online courses and courses taken as a free auditor does not allow to obtain a student residence permit.
• Justificatifs du caractère réel et sérieux du suivi des études : Tous les relevés de notes de l’année scolaire/universitaire passée (tous les trimestres ou semestres) et le cas échéant le dernier diplôme obtenu en France ou l’attestation de réussite rédigé en français.
  • If you haven’t taken any class during the past year or haven’t received any results, submit all supporting document explaining your situation.
  • If you haven’t any supporting document, submit a letter explaining your situation.
  • Le nombre de redoublements est limité à deuThe number of time a student can repeat a school year is limited to 2 times during the licence and 2 times during the master’s degree.
  • Change of field is possible during the first year or at the end of the first year if the student has failed his/her school year. After a successful first year, the student must have strong reasons to change especially if the enrolment is at a same or lower level.
• If the student is carrying out an internship: convention de stage(internship agreement) in addition to school or university proof of enrolment
• Proof of sufficient means: the applicant’s financial resources must be at least equal to €615 per month
  • You can combine several types of resources in order to reach the required amount. You must provide the different supporting documents for each type.
  • The housing allowance in taken into account in the resource calculation.
  • Accommodation for free is considered as a benefit in kinds and is taken into consideration to lower the amount of €615 required.
  • The possible documents to provide for the proof of your financial resources are:
    • If in the care of a third person: Third party identification card and either bank statements of regular transfers in French mentioning the amount in euros or sworn statement in French of sums needed to complete the required amount if resources are provided by a third party mentioning the amount in euros.
    • If student has a scholarship: scholarship certificate in French specifying the amount in euros and the duration of the scholarship.
    • If the student with a working contract: contract and the last 3 pay slips
    • If sufficient means: bank statement in French and in euros with sufficient credit balance (minimum 6000€).
• Contrat d’engagement à respecter les principes de la République française (Agreement to the commitment to respect the principles of the Republic). New from July 2024 : to be completed and signed (contract in French). Signing this agreement is mandatory (subject to exceptions). This contract has to be uploaded online when reaching the stage “supporting documents” (Justificatifs) in the section “proof of address” (Justificatifs de domicile). More information and a sample of the agreement can be found here.

Important note about the list of documents : in most cases, these documents are sufficient but it may happen that the prefecture requests additional documents before validating the request, to check a particular situation. If so, any additional documents requested should be provided on time.

Quick tip :  The applicant can benefit from the support of the Centre de Contact Citoyen (CCC) who can be contacted by phone at 0 806 001 620 or by using the contact form built into the ANEF website. It is advised to contact the CCC in writing in order to keep track of the administration’s answers.  

Progress of the procedure of the request for the renewal

Once the student submit their application, a confirmation de dépôt is issued on the ANEF account. It is a confirmation that your request has been filed.

During the  process, the student receives an attestation de prolongation d’instruction.  When it is for an application for a renewal of a residence card, this document is considered as an extension of the previous residence card. Therefore, the student can work (equivalent to a part-time contract) and can travel.  

Additional information or document might be requested by the prefecture. The student must reply within the specific deadline or the application will automatically be closed.

Once the application is approved by the prefecture, an « attestation de décision favorable » is issued. This document indicates the validity period of the residence permit to be issued.

All the certificates can be downloaded from the personal ANEF account

The student receives a text message on their phone once the residence card is ready to be collected at the prefecture. The residence card must be collected before it expires or the student will not be able to make any new request, neither for a renewal of their residence permit nor for a change of status. In most prefectures, it is necessary to make an appointment on the prefecture’s website in order to collect the residence permit. On the day of the appointment, the original of the passport and a €75 printed tax stamp will be requested. Tax stamps can be bought on the tax department’s website.

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 or on the tax department’s website (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).