Student Resident Permit

Student residence permits help desk

A help desk is dedicated to student residence permit enquiries and for information about the application process for student or intern residence permits. Find out more about the new application process, supporting documents, change of status, application for temporary residence permit (APS), access to employment, loss/theft of residence card, etc.

This help desk is being continued for the duration of  lockdown and beyond, until 18 December 2020. However, in-person and phone enquiries are suspended until further notice. You can contact us by email: accueil.etudiants@u-bordeaux.fr.

Student residence card - change of application process

As of the 15th of September 2020, applications for student residence permits are made online. This new online application process applies to international students and interns in Gironde who need to apply for or renew a student residence permit. To access the application form, please visit this page. 

The online application does not apply to the following:

Temporary residence permits (APS), “Young Graduate” and “Job Search and Start-up” residence permits (APS);

• "Young au-pair" cards ;
• "Entrance exam" visas ;
• Renewals of expired student residence permits.

In the above cases, it is imperative that you send your requests by post to the Prefecture de la Gironde :

Préfecture de la Gironde, DMI-base, 2 Esplanade Charles de Gaulle, CS41397, 33077 BORDEAUX Cedex

The Préfecture de la Gironde will be open and will continue to receive and process requests for residence permits for the duration of lockdown (by post or via its online platform). However, you will only be able to go to the Préfecture in person if you are invited to do so.

Warning : if you applied to the Préfecture de la Gironde for the renewal of your student residence permit by post before 15 September, the new procedure does not apply to you (unless the Préfecture has returned your application form, in which case you will be required to fill a new application form). The Préfecture de la Gironde will do its best to answer as soon as possible and we therefore ask you to be patient.

You must validate your visa on the website of the Interior Ministry within three months of your arrival in France. This quick and simple application process guarantees that your stay in France is authorized so that you can settle in properly.

You will need :

• a valid email address,
• your visa details,
• your date of entry into France,
• your home address in France,
• your payment card to pay the online residence permit tax (other payment methods are available through the platform).

Warning

You must complete this procedure within three months of arrival in order to be authorized to stay on French soil. If you fail to do so, you will no longer be able to cross the Schengen border.

This procedure does not apply to you if your VLS-TS bears the wording “mineur scolarisé” (pupil or student under 18). You will need to book an appointment to apply for your first residence permit once you are an adult (18 years old) or 2 months before your visa expires. This service is available by appointment only from 23 September to 20 December 2019 at the Préfecture. From 20 December, you will have to go through the Préfecture de la Gironde.

Will you be studying for more than three months ?

You must apply on arrival for a temporary residence permit bearing the wording “étudiant” (student) and covering the academic year.

Loss or theft of a residence permit

You must report this to the police and apply for a duplicate.

• Application form for duplicate student residence permit
• Applying for a duplicate student residence permit (French)
• Applying for a duplicate student residence permit (English)

Access to employment with “student” status

Holders of a student residence permit may work 60% of an annual full-time contract, provided that the employer reports this to the Préfecture.

Under exceptional circumstances (Law 2020-734 of June 17, 2020, Article 8), all students present in France as of 16 March 2020 and holders of a temporary student residence permit (L. 313-7) may engage in paid work within the limit of 80% of an annual full-time contract, representing 1,285 hours. These measures are valid up until the start of the new academic year (September 2020) and do not apply to Algerian students.

Source : www.u-bordeaux.fr