Please note: the information provided on this website may change depending on the regulations in effect when you arrive in France. The conditions governing entry to and residence in France are the exclusive prerogative of the French government.
Validation of the first visa
When you arrive in France, you may need to validate your visa within three months of entry. This procedure formalises your stay and allows you to access your entitlements while in France. If your stay exceeds the duration of your visa, you will also need to apply for a residence permit. This section provides step-by-step instructions on how to validate your visa and prepare for your move.
Visa for a stay of less than 3 months
If you hold a Schengen short-stay visa, no further action is required once you arrive in France.
Visas for stays of more than 3 months
- If you hold a temporary long-stay visa (VLS-T), no action is required once you arrive in France.
- If you hold a long-stay visa (VLS) requiring you to apply for a residence permit, you must do so within 2 months of arriving in France.
If you arrive in France on a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS), you must validate it within 3 months of arriving in France.
This allows you to:
- Lawfully reside in France for the entire validity period of your visa.
- Leave France more than 3 months after your arrival without needing a visa to return.
The procedures are fully digital and carried out through the ANEF platform (French Digital Administration for Foreign Nationals).
There is a simplified procedure for accompanying families.
Special provisions for Algerian nationals
Algerian nationals are covered by a special scheme governed by the agreements of 27 December 1968.
They are not eligible for long-stay visas equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS). They are issued with long-stay visas and must apply for a residence permit within 2 months of arriving in France.
- If you hold a long-stay study visa and unless otherwise indicated on the label affixed to it, you must apply for a student residence certificate at the prefecture of your place of residence in France.
- If you hold a long-stay Scientist - Researcher visa, apply for a Scientist - Researcher residence certificate.
There is a simplified procedure for accompanying families.
The procedures are fully digital and carried out through the ANEF platform (French Digital Administration for Foreign Nationals).
