French Consulate in NY: Applying for a Long Stay Student Visa!

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French Consulate Visa Section

This must have been one of the most stressful things I’ve done in my college career.

Continuing from my CampusFrance post, after I got the email telling me to start my visa process, I delayed for one or two days. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know. Then, I decided OK, it’s time to book an appointment. First off, searching for the online appointment booking system on the NY French Consulate’s website was difficult for me because of reasons beyond my comprehension. But it’s really simple. On the homepage, on the right panel, there’s a HUGE section with an image that says VISA APPOINTMENTS ONLINE. Click it. Then, click on online appointments. Scroll to the bottom and click on the VISA APPOINTMENTS ONLINE image again. It should lead you to this site. From there, input your info and choose a date on the calendar. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Book an appointment right away. (But no earlier than 3 months before your departure date.) During high season (such as the summer), appointment slots fill up so quickly. More so in NY than in other consulates. But still… The website said the next available appointment might be as far as 3 weeks later. But that’s an understatement. I tried to book one on June 15th, but the next available one was August 5th! That’s crazy.

I panicked and panicked. My parents wanted to go on vacation on August 7th. There’s no way that would happen if my visa appointment were two days ahead. Plan B was to leave on August 14th. But that was still too soon for me to receive my long stay student visa. I didn’t know what to do. I researched the HECK out of everything to see if there was an expedition process or something. Sorry to burst your bubbles, but there isn’t. The only thing you can do is constantly check back on the appointment booking system and hope that someone drops their slot. Then, you can swoop in and take theirs right away. Don’t hesitate. Otherwise, someone else might steal it right from your eyes!

First thing I did that night was email Ellen Hampton, the coordinator between MICEFA and students in New York, at least. (Many thanks to Ellen! I pommeled her with questions for a whole week. 😐 And she always responded right away.) I asked her if this appointment time was too late, but she said it was right in time for the start of the program on August 25th. Phew! But still, my family’s vacation plans…

I couldn’t do anything about this, so I set the appointment page as my homepage and began compiling all the documents. It was very late at night (past midnight) and I was a bit hesitant about getting all the paperwork done right then. I wanted to sleep and continue the rest tomorrow. But my conscience got to me and I jumped straight to work. Get it done now. If I wait until tomorrow, my energy might wear off and I will procrastinate. That night, I got so much done. (I’ll go into details a little later.)

And thank god I did. (You never know when an appointment will free up. Beggars can’t be choosers.) The next day, I saw a slot open up. But it was for 30 minutes before my appointment time… Not good. Then, I realized that one of my friends had an appointment for June 21st, however, she didn’t think that she would get the confirmation email from CampusFrance in time since she completed that process much later than me. Funny story: we arranged to switch slots, but the first time we attempted, nothing happened. My friend cancelled her appointment, but I still couldn’t access it. I thought, oh, I guess the system didn’t recognize it or something. Turns out that there was a second message to double check that you want to free up your slot that my friend didn’t see. So when she realized it an hour later, she successfully cancelled her slot and I got it!! Words cannot describe how happy and relieved I felt! And fortunately for me, I already had most of my visa documents ready. (See, it was very good that I listened to my better instincts and did everything right away. I was prepared for an appointment in less than a week.)

Before I discuss my experience at the consulate, let me brief you on what to prepare:

I got a lovely file folder to hold all of my important documents. You should too! You do not want to lose important documents or misplace them. Best keep everything nice and organized 🙂

My File FolderVisa folders

http://www.consulfrance-newyork.org/LONG-STAY-STUDENT-VISA

I am currently looking at the consulate’s website for the list of documents required, but it has slightly changed. There was a PDF file of what to bring, but some of the stuff on that list conflicted with the things listed on the website. And that was the main source of my stress. For this post, I’ll just go down my list and expand on it. (I made two copies of each of these, one for my record-keeping and one because the website says to have a copy of every document listed. They DID NOT ask for ANY of those copies. But better safe than sorry.) This list only goes for MY experience at the NY French Consulate. Each consulate has different requirements.

Visa documents

List of Documents Required FrontList of Documents Required Back

LIST OF DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:

  1. A copy of the official acceptance letter. Mine was the MICEFA certificat de scolarité because it fit all the requirements: it was addressed to me with my full name, it was printed on institutional letterhead, it specified the beginning and end dates, and it had the full contact info of the person who issued this letter of offer/acknowledgement with the contact info of the educational institution, signed and stamped. However, at the consulate, they asked me for the letter from Queens College too. (This one doesn’t contain dates.) Good thing I brought it with me, just in case.
  2. The email message from CampusFrance. The one entitled “Confirmation Email.” Simple.
  3. The receipt of payment issued by CampusFrance.
  4. 2 application forms, completed and signed. They only took one form. But have two in case. Filling out the form is fairly easy. Everything is quite straightforward. There were some parts that I didn’t know what to put down, such as my address in France during my stay. So I just asked Ellen and she helped me. (On the website now, it says bring 1 not 2.)
  5. 2 recent photographs. The PDF says U.S. passport photo format. The website, however, gives different dimensions (35mmx45mm). I brought in photos of both sizes. I did not attach them to the application form. And at the consulate, they only asked for one photo. I handed them the U.S. 2×2 one and everything was fine. (The website now says 1 photo, not 2.)

    Me going crazy with visa photos (35mmx45mm).

    Me going crazy with making visa photos (35mmx45mm). I didn’t even end up using any of them! -___-

  6. Original passport and 1 photocopy. The photocopy does not have to be an official one, if such a thing exists. Does it have to be in color? I’m not sure. I erred on the safe side and brought in a color copy of the first 3 pages (where all my personal data is located). Your passport must expire at least 3 months after the end of your proposed stay and you must have at least 2 blank pages left.
  7. Visa application and processing fee. There were multiple fees listed in different locations on the website. At the consulate, I paid $67 with my Visa debit card. In NY’s consulate, you can pay with cash or a Visa/MasterCard credit or debit card. Each consulate has different regulations on this. I think the general cost is the equivalent of 50 euros in USD, based on the exchange rate at the time of your visa appointment.
  8. Proof of sufficient means of support. There are several options to fulfilling this requirement. (1) A most recent bank statement showing a balance of $820 per month for every month you are abroad. So, for me, at least $8200. (2) An official letter detailing your scholarship. (3) A notarized statement from a guarantor stating that they will provide the student with at least $820 per month, accompanied by their most recent bank statement. I submitted a bank statement along with a letter detailing my scholarship (since I have a full-tuiton scholarship and the travel fund from Macaulay). However, at the consulate, they took one look at my statement (which had well over $8200) and said they don’t need any other documents.
  9. An airline reservation. At the time, I did not yet have an flight booked. What they want you to do is reserve a flight, but don’t pay for it. That is not possible. So either just buy it or do what I did: I reserved a flight on AirFrance with my intended departure date and the latest possible return date in June and printed out the reservation page before I paid for the flight. That is what I handed in without any problems. If you don’t reserve a flight, you can also write a letter indicating that you will not leave before your intended date of departure. I wrote one to be safe and got it notarized, but the reservation worked so they did not want my letter. (As you can see, I always overdo things to be safe.)
  10. Positive proof of residence in the consulate’s area. Your consulate is determined by where you live or go to school. I go to school where I live, NY. So I only have one possible consulate. However, if you go to school in a state under a different consulate’s jurisdiction, you get to choose which consulate to go to. Lucky. Depending on which consulate you go to, you will have to show different proof of residence. Either your driver’s license for where you live, a lear or rental agreement under your name, a notarized statement from you leaseholder plus a recent utility bill under your name, or a valid student ID for where you go to school. Have the original document plus a photocopy. I showed my Brooklyn College ID.
  11. The French Immigration OFII form. This is the form. This is a super important piece of document that you will need to bring abroad and complete it in France. At the consulate, I was quizzed on this form! The guy asked me, do you know what the OFII form does? At first, I was shocked by the question, so I responded, Ugh, I have that form. He snapped at me and said, I know you have the form. I’m asking you what it does. So I said, Oh, uh….it’s a residence permit. It allows you to live in France. He added, It also allows you to work there. Then he asked for my form. That situation completely put me off-balance.

Aside from the above, you also need to bring in your receipt for appointment booking. This is just to allow yourself entry into the building.

Unnecessary things I brought in case: CISI letter (stating that I have insurance for overseas) – this isn’t necessary for long stay students; my birth certificate, and my learner’s permit (because I don’t have a driver’s license yet…).

Visa folder and passport

My Visa folder

Visa folder open

GOING TO THE CONSULATE:

Now, onto my experience: I left my house extra early to arrive early at the consulate. I was about 40 minutes early. You don’t have to be that early, but 30 minutes is good time. The visa building is separate from the rest of the consulate. It is located on 74th St between 5th and Madison. (10 East 74th St, to be exact.) The classy Upper East Side with its European-esque buildings. When you arrive at the building, the door is locked. You have to wait for the security guard to open the door. One person at a time. Intense security stuff.

This is the French consulate building.

This is the French consulate building.

This is the Visa building.

This is the Visa section of the Consulate.

When I entered, I handed in my passport and my appointment booking receipt. Then I put my bag on a table for inspection, turned off all of my electronics, and walked through metal detectors. The security guard was very friendly to me. He joked about my bag being super heavy, as if I’m lifting weights. Actually, when I walked in, he was excited and asked me if I was on the website Plenty of Fish. That sounds like a dating site. I said no… He told me that he knew someone on there who looks a lot like me. This isn’t even the first time someone has told me that they saw me or a lookalike somewhere where I definitely have never been. These lookalikes! Ugh!

I bumped into a sign on my way up the stairs. Embarrassing! The security guard told me not to be nervous already. Haha, I wasn’t nervous. I’m just clumsy. (Really, I bumped into the same sign several weeks later. :P) Then I took a seat in the waiting area. It resembles a dentist’s waiting area. Chairs, layout, anxiety and all. The seating area was divided in two halves and for some odd reason, everyone would crowd in the right side although there were so many empty seats in the left side. Being the rebel that I am, I sat on left! Oh yeah. At first, I wasn’t nervous at all. But then, I started to get a bit anxious 15 minutes in. And the AC turned on and off every few minutes. Each time the AC turned on, I was scared that I would miss my number (14) being called out because it was so loud and the announcements were low.

I waited for an hour (however, I got there 30 minutes early, so really, I only waited 30 minutes past my appointment time). First I got called up to hand in my application, passport, and pay the fee. (They look like Chase bank tellers.) Then I sat back down. The man who took care of that was very no-nonsense. A bit intimidating, but I am a generally sensitive person. About 5 minutes later, they called my name through the loudspeaker for my interview. There was a cute, young guy there, but gosh, he was more intimidating than the first man. He sounded very friendly with the man before me, but to me, he was quite standoffish.

He looked at my application and said, “Tell me what your schedule will be like.” WHAT?! What does that even mean?! I had to ask him to repeat the question and explain it. I cannot remember what he said anymore or what I answered. But whatever I said, he accepted it. The fingerprints part was embarrassing. There is a small machine to the right where you place your fingers. He was explaining to me how to position my fingers, but I didn’t understand him. I was doing it all wrong. But the whole time, there was a photo right above the machine with images demonstrating how to position your fingers. When the interviewer told me to look at that image, I didn’t even see it until a good 10 seconds later. TEN SECONDS OF TORTURE. He was annoyed at that point. Then came time to actually get my fingers in the right position: index and middle together, ring and pinky. My fingers, however, refused to cooperate. My middle finger loves my ring finger. They never separate. So there I was trying to keep them separated and nervously laughing, partly from the embarrassment and partly from how ridiculous/funny this was. But he was not pleased. He would not have any of it and waited for me to just finish already. I wanted to drown in my embarrassment. Oh the awkwardness! When you’re laughing all alone. Haha

The rest of the interview consisted of him asking for documents, me handing them in, me offering additional documents just in case, him turning them down as if I wasted his time, etc etc. That took about 5 -10 minutes total. Oh, also, they took my photo. A white projection screen came out from above me and lowered behind my back. This was the photo that they then used for my visa. Not the one I handed in. And thank god I looked decent in my visa photo because I am not photogenic.

After all of that, the interviewer told me I was done and to come back starting July 1st anytime between 9AM to 10AM with my passport and the receipt. I was surprised. Did I really just get approved for my visa? Just like that? I didn’t want to frustrate him so I left assuming that’s what he meant.

Then, on July 1st, I came back, handed my passport and receipt to the same guy. Told him my departure date hasn’t changed. Sat down. Waited maybe 15 minutes. Got called back. Received my passport and visa. DONE! This time, he was actually nice that day. And unlike last time, he smiled and said “you’re welcome” and “enjoy your trip” after I told him “thank you!”

 

94 thoughts on “French Consulate in NY: Applying for a Long Stay Student Visa!”

  1. Yes, for national security number, I put my social security number. For means of support, it depends on what you are providing as proof for the financial requirement. I put down “money in my bank account and scholarships.” If your parents are supporting you, you can put that. If you have a job lined up in France too, you can include that. But usually, they want proof that you can already support yourself before going abroad.

  2. Hey, for the passport size photo if i get the us passport size photo will be fine? Or this is different than usa passport size photo? I got Us passport size photo though..now i am worried about it..

  6. Thank You!! I got my Visa..Your post save my time..I was done with my interview in 10 mintues because of you. You eaxctly gave us what I need to do..Thank You so much!!

  8. I have quick question.I am going to pickup my viasa this week. I want to chnage my depature date .but is it too late to change the depature date? Or they will do it ?

  10. Thank you for your post! I am starting a masters program in Paris in the fall and I am super nervous and anxious about the visa process (mainly because I am so excited about going to school in Paris and it’s my dream come true and I don’t want anything to go wrong). Right now I’m waiting on CampusFrance to let me know if I can go ahead to the consulate and apply. I made my appointment for the end of May even though I won’t be leaving until August…This is so stressful. I am happy it all worked out for you though!

  11. I’m glad my post could help you. Good luck! That’s so exciting. Paris is absolutely wonderful. The visa process is not as scary as it seems, especially for a student visa. You still have plenty of time, so you need not worry. I, on the other hand, was not that diligent with getting things done. However, I will be returning to France this fall too! So I will be going through the visa process again! And don’t feel too upset if things go wrong. Just be patient and persevere. France is notorious for its bureaucracy and paperwork problems. Best of luck to you!

  12. Hey THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR POST! This was very helpful! It seems that the consulate did not keep your passport, correct? And you were also allowed to come back any time after a certain day the stamp is ready instead of just that one day? My appointment is on June 4th, but I’m going on vacation until August, so I want to make sure the consulate does not keep my passport and that I can wait till August to get it stamped! Please let me know if that’s what happened! Thank you so much again!!

  13. I’m so happy I could be of help! That’s right, the consulate did not keep my passport. I’m not sure how much time you are given to come back and pick up your visa. I vaguely remember them telling me to come back anytime while the office was open starting on a certain day and for some reason, I had the impression that I was to come back during that week. You should definitely ask them so as to avoid any confusion. I wish you good luck and bon voyage!

  14. Very good post. I am lucky to have found this blog after using up 2 hours surfing the internet this afternoon. Just what I was searching for.

  15. Do they make the start date of your visa the same day as your intended flight date? My appt. isn’t until August 3 and I leave about 1 month later so I’d really like to purchase my flight now rather than wait for my visa when flight prices will go up.

  17. I am so happy I found this blog. I have my apt. at the French Consulate in NY tomorrow and I am so nervous about it. I believe I have everything you listed. I have double copies of everything and I have double checked your list and the consulate list.
    Do you know how long it takes to get your visa after it is approved? Also, have you heard of anyone taking a pre paid Fed Ex envelope made out to your home to have them send it? A friend said she did that in the Boston consulate.
    Thank you so much for your help!! I can’t wait to be in Paris!!!

  18. Thank you! I’m so glad my blog helped you. I went to my appointment on June 21 and they told me to come back for my visa anytime from July 1st. So it took a bit more than a week. I have heard of the prepaid envelope, however, I am not sure how it works with the NY Consulate. Everyone I knew had to return to pick up their visas in person or through a designated person.
    I hope you have a wonderful time in Paris! I will be returning very soon as well. Are you studying abroad?

  19. I just got my visa (thank you for this helpful post!) and now I’m wondering about what happens when I actually go to France. I’m on a long stay student visa, do you know if I will need a return ticket to board/ to enter the country, or is having a visa proof enough that I will be leaving? (I don’t know exactly what day so I’d like to wait to buy my return flight)

  20. Congrats on getting your visa! I personally bought a round-trip when I went, however, I never heard of any problems from my friends who only bought a one-way. I think your long stay student visa should suffice.

  21. Did they require a French address for the application process? If you do not have a home or a rental yet, what’s required for this process?

  22. On the application, you can put the address of your school or if you know someone living in France, you can borrow their address. For a student visa, it is not a big deal if you don’t already have a place to stay at the time of your appointment. It is more for formalities.

  23. I will be stating my course on 18th January please, which date do you think I should book on my ticket?

  24. It depends on what you need to do before your course. Do you need to find housing or attend orientation or anything else of this sort? Also, if you are coming from a big time zone difference, I recommend at least two weeks to habituate yourself and also to settle in/adapt to the country/complete any paperwork/buy any necessities.

  25. Hi, for my proof of funds do you think i can show my credit cards statements showing that i have enough money. I am applying for a student visa

  26. I don’t know if credit card statements are reliable because they don’t give proof of how much money you have saved. Do you have bank account statements? That is for sure accepted.

  27. Thank you for your post! I’m planning to travel for 7 weeks prior to the beginning of my program, so I want to leave the US at the beginning of July. I’m worried that this won’t work because it says you can’t do the visa process more than 90 days before the beginning of your program… Does your visa start on the first date of the program, or simply the date you chose to fly to that country? What if I’ll be traveling in another country prior to my program?

  28. Well, 7 weeks is still under 90 days, so I think it should be fine. You would just have to apply for the visa no more than 90 days before the start of the program, but ask for a starting date for when you want to fly out. When I studied abroad, I got a visa that started about 3 weeks before my program start date because I was going to travel for 2 weeks before and then I also needed one week to get settled in before starting school. I also visited other countries prior to my program, however, I flew into France. I think if you fly into another Schengen zone country, you should be all right. But I vaguely remember that you have to either step foot into the country your visa was issued to or into a Schengen zone country, if you are flying to a country outside of the Schengen zone, within a certain amount of time indicated. I’m not quite sure. So you should ask the consulate about that when you get a visa. Remember to book for the visa appointment early because slots fill up well in advance!

  29. hey thank you for your post, im preparing my visa application , question about the proof of fund, do you think i can show my proof of fund plus the funds my parents will sponsor me with?

  31. Hey! this post is super helpful! I have my appointment coming up soon. I’m a little confused about the application though. on here you listed two applications: under numbers 4 and 7. All I find on their website is the long stay visa application.

  32. Dear Victoria,
    How were you able to book an appointment so far an advance? I’m checking the calendar and it only shows one month at the time. For example when I checked in mid April, there was nothing ( and you coudnt check may). On May first I went there at 6am and it shows that May is fully booked. Now I start freaking out. I’m afraid for June and July. And i have to leave in august. Were there just appointments available? I read a lot that people have the same problem as me. Just no appointments at all…
    Also… did you a a plain ticket when you went to get your visa?
    Thank you for the post and your help.
    Yuliya

  33. Hi Yuliya,

    I thought the same as you when i did my application. It turns out that you can book an appointment several months in advance and that they all fill out insanely quickly, especially during the summer. You should already check for June and July appointments. Book the first one you can get and then keep checking back for an earlier available time so you can cancel your original time and book the new one. People sometimes cancel their appointments. But remember that it happens quickly. The moment you see an available appointment, it could be gone within a few hours. But this was just my experience four years ago. My knowledge might be outdated.

    I don’t remember if I had a plane ticket yet, but if you do buy one before, it can be risky if you don’t get your visa in time. The consulate does not advise buying one before you get your visa. But you also run the risk of buying a very expensive plane ticket. In the end, it is at your own discretion.

    Best of luck!

  34. Hi Victoria,

    Thank you so much for the detailed post. This is very helpful.

    A few quick questions
    1. My course starts on July 3 and my Campus France application says my visa should start on July 3. However, I would obviously be flying a couple of days in advance. Would that be a problem at the consulate?
    2. For the flight , does the letter stating date of travel require to be notarized? Or can I just make the statement myself with just my signature? The website doesn’t mention the notarization.
    3. My course is slightly more than a year (1 year 10 days – including graduation ceremony). But the campus France processed form states visa is valid one year. Any idea if I need to get it extended later?

    My Campus France has been processed and I have my visa appt next week.

    Thanks!

  35. Hi David,

    I don’t think it will be a problem for you to fly a few days in advance. From what I remember, the consulate asked me what day I wanted to start my visa. And it’s normal to arrive before you start your course!

    I don’t think your flight letter needs to be notarized. I can’t exactly remember, as it’s been 4 years, but I think they just ask you directly in the end which day you intend to arrive.

    When you have your appointment, ask them about how long the visa will last and if it is possible to cover more than one year. If your school letter says when you will end, then you should be able to easily explain. They might say no or offer an alternative solution (that may or may not be helpful). I personally do not know of a way for you to extend your visa, but I have heard that you can leave the Schengen zone and then come back after your visa expiration and you will begin your 3 months tourist visa. I however cannot recommend this as it is not “official” and you could potentially run into some problems. My suggestion is to just ask the consulate at your appointment.

    Remember, all my answers are anecdotal and possibly outdated. And I am no expert, just a girl who studied abroad in France! Best of luck and hope you have a wonderful time in France!

  37. Hi Victoria,
    On the OFII form, they mention on the website to clearly mention your email. But the form doesn’t ask for email. Should I just write my email on top?

    Also, your link saved me. The OFII website is so confusing and it was super hard to figure out where the link to the form is, so thanks so much! Btw, is there any english version of the form?

  38. Hey Victoria,

    Thanks so much for such a detailed explanation! You said you arrived early for your appointment, and they let you in. I booked an appointment for 11:00 am because there was no other choice, but I have a class at school from 11:25-1:15. Do you think I could just show up extra early to get this appointment over with? Or do you think they strictly follow the appointment time that you have registered for online?

    Thank you!!

    Michelle

  39. Hi Michelle,

    They might only let you in 30 min early. But you will probably not be out of the consulate on time for your class. You should plan to be late (or even absent if that is the better option) for your class.

  40. Of course, this article states that: First, a long-term visa application must be made. The necessary documents need to be provided to VFS. This section costs 75 euros. On the other hand, it is necessary to obtain the desired passport from VFS company.

    Individuals must have a receipt with a username. The French student visa application form must be completed in French or English and signed and dated.

    On the other hand, people need two 4.5 by 3.5 color photos with a white background that has been left for a maximum of 6 months. 70 to 80% of the image should be covered by the person’s face.

    You need to have a passport with a minimum validity of three months. The passport also needs to be signed by the applicant and has two blank sheets

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