Are you a foreign student in France wondering about the steps to take to obtain or renew your residence permit? Find here all the useful information, as well as answers to the most frequently asked questions.

1. Where do I submit my residence permit request?

All procedures relating to student residence permits have been digitised. Your application on paper cannot be submitted at the prefecture.

The majority of student applications are processed on the "Administration Numérique des Etrangers en France" (ANEF) platform. However, there are exceptions.

The different channels for submitting applications are provided on the dedicated page on the Seine-Saint-Denis Prefecture website: www.seine-saint-denis.gouv.fr/Prendre-un-rendez-vous

2. How can I ensure my application is processed swiftly?

The time taken to process and examine applications depends on the overall number of applications that the prefecture has received.

However, here are a few tips to ensure your application is not held up:

  • submit a complete application the first time round: providing all the documents requested, duly translated where necessary, avoids requests for additional documentation and saves time;
  • avoid careless mistakes: a spelling mistake or typo in a name or date of birth constitutes an inconsistency which, even if unintentional, will result in your current application being closed and require you to submit a new one;
  • if you receive a follow-up from the prefecture, respond quickly and carefully: your application will be closed automatically after 2 unsuccessful requests for documentation or after 30 days without any response from you.


Whatever the case, to avoid finding yourself in a situation where your residence elapses, always plan ahead and submit your application early.

3. What procedure applies to Algerian students?

The status of Algerian students in France is specifically governed by the agreements of 27 December 1968 regarding the residence of Algerians in France, which predate the provisions of the CESEDA (Code of Entry and Residence of Foreigners and of the Right to Asylum).

Algerian students are not issued with a VLS-TS but with a long-stay visa. They must therefore apply for a "student" residence permit via ANEF within 2 months of arriving in France. While waiting for their permit to be issued, the prefecture will issue them with a receipt for their first application for a residence permit.

The procedure for renewing a residence permit is the same as for other students.

4. My application has been closed. What do I do?

If your application has been closed, you must submit a new one in the dedicated online area.

5. What should I do if I encounter a technical fault on ANEF?

ANEF occasionally experiences technical bugs. In these circumstances, we recommend that you contact the Centre de contact citoyens (Citizen Contact Centre, CCC):

  • on 0806 001 620, open 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday,
  • or via ANEF's "Contact us" section.

This is a free help service. In the event of technical problems on the ANEF website, advisors are available to help you.

The CCC can help you with:

  • When submitting your application on ANEF: creating an ANEF account, dealing with technical or connection problems (lost username, change of e-mail address, etc.);
  • If you do not have access to ANEF: it will keep you informed in real time on the progress of your online application.
6. What do I do when my residence permit expires and I don't have a certificate of extension?

Prefecture staff renew “attestations de prolongation d'instruction” (API) on a daily basis. In an emergency, you can go to your local prefecture or sub-prefecture to hand in your expired API in the dedicated letterbox. It will be renewed within 24 to 72 hours.

This three-month certificate extends your rights (work, travel, etc.) until a decision is finalised.

7. Do I have to collect my residence permit?

Any permit applied for must be collected. Failure to collect your residence permit can have serious consequences on your right to remain in France.

No applications for renewal or change of status will be accepted and it may complicate new visa applications.

8. Up until when can I collect my permit?

A residence permit can be collected up to six months after expiry.

9. Is there a charge for issuing the permit?

Pursuant to articles L. 436-1 and L. 436-5 of the “Code of Entry and Residence of Foreigners and of the Right to Asylum” (CESEDA), a tax and, in certain cases, a stamp duty is charged for a residence permit. This is to cover the costs of processing applications and producing permits.

For foreign nationals, the fee for a “student” permit is €50. This is lower than for permits issued for other reasons, which carry a €200 fee. Stamp duty of €25 is also payable. The total cost of obtaining a residence permit is therefore €75, regardless of the validity period of the permit issued.

A renewal issued but applied for late will incur a total fee of €255 (€75 + €180).

10. How and when do I pay for my permit?

Payment is collected when the permit is issued, which is the final stage in granting the right to stay in France.

The total amount to be paid will be collected from you by the official at the counter responsible for issuing your residence permit, in the form of digital tax stamps purchased on the government website www.timbres.impots.gouv.fr or at a tobacconist’s (“tabac”).

11. When can I collect my residence permit?

If your application is approved, you will receive an “attestation de décision favorable” in your ANEF personal area. You will then receive a text message within weeks inviting you to collect your residence permit on a specific date from the prefecture or sub-prefecture where you live, between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm. Go to reception and show the text notification to access the premises.

If you are unavailable on the date communicated in the text message, you can go to reception without an appointment at a later date and show the text message inviting you to attend. You will be invited to collect your residence permit subject to staff availability.

12. I never received a text message inviting me to collect my permit. What do I do?

Text invitations may not reach their intended recipients for a variety of reasons: the telephone number entered at the prefecture was incorrect, a change of number was not registered, the SMS was never sent due to a technical error, etc. Some operators, such as Lycamobile, occasionally experience problems sending text messages.

If you still have not received a text notification 1-2 months after your application is approved, you may show up without an appointment. You will be received on presentation of your “certificate of favourable decision” and allowed to collect your residence permit, upon payment of the tax stamp. From late 2025, monthly half-days will be reserved for dealing with foreign students.

13. How far in advance should I submit my application for a residence permit?

For both first-time applicants and renewals, applications for residence permits must be submitted during the period of validity of the current permit (VLS-TS, long-stay visas, short-stay visas, residence permits, etc.). Applications can be submitted up to four months before the current permit expires.

Due to processing times, which are often extended due to the high number of applications received, we recommend that you submit your application at least two months in advance.

Full information is available on the Prefecture website: www.seine-saint-denis.gouv.fr/Demarches/Etrangers