That’s it, I’ve got my tickets, I’m off! Photo credit: Marc Olivier Paquin – Unsplash
You have decided to come and study or do an internship in France, congratulations! At Talent Developer, we can only encourage you in this choice, because it will allow you to start your working life and put all the chances on your side.
A visa is an authorisation to travel and allows you to stay in a territory for a defined period of time. It is affixed to your passport. Some visas also allow you to study, undertake internships or work, or even better, to do all of the above! Depending on your country of origin and the length of your internship, you may not need a visa. Here’s a brief overview of the possibilities available to you if you are a non-European foreign student/trainee and the visas that you will need to obtain to come to Metropolitan France according to your needs and desires. Let’s get started!
I have a tourist visa, can I come to study or do an internship in France?
By definition, this private visa does not allow you to study or do an internship, but rather to come to France for leisure. Perhaps during your first stay of this type, you will feel like coming back to France for an internship or training course! Do not hesitate to contact Estrella or Philippine to help you in your search for an internship in gastronomy and hospitality. Talent Developer is an expert in these fields.
I would like to follow a short training course in France or an internship of less than 3 months, which visa is right for me?
The uniform Schengen short-stay visa is the one which, as its name suggests, allows you to enter France for a short period of time. Here is what it allows:
– to enter the Schengen area countries, including France
– if it is a “single entry visa”, it is valid for a single trip of 3 months maximum
– if it is a “multiple-entry visa”, it is a circulation visa, it allows a stay of 90 days maximum in 1 or several stays over a period of 180 days.
– it is renewable (wait 6 months to re-apply)
– allows you to study (short courses)
– allows you to do an internship of less than 3 months in a company
– allows you to work (with a temporary work permit)
– allows travel in France and the Schengen area (unless there are specific restrictions)
The good news is that many countries are exempt from the Schengen visa requirement. Make sure you are one of them before you apply.
However, be careful, this visa will not allow you to move to France.
One last picture before I leave, my journey to my dream internship begins! Photo credit: Ashim da Silva – Unsplash
I would like to study in France for more than 3 months without working, which visa can I apply for?
The temporary long-stay student visa or “VLS-T Student” seems to be the most appropriate visa for your situation, as it allows you to stay in the country for a longer period of time:
– to stay in France for 4 to 12 months to study there
– to travel freely in the Schengen area during this period in order to discover this beautiful region that is Europe!
– to benefit from social security and be reimbursed for part of their health costs. This is one of the great advantages of the French health system.
– Super asset: it does not need to be validated upon arrival in France.
However, it is worth noting:
– it cannot be renewed
– it does not allow you to work alongside your studies, to benefit from the free student rental deposit VISALE, to receive a housing allowance from the CAF, to extend your stay beyond the initially agreed duration.
And if I need to work alongside my long studies in France, which visa is right for me?
The long-stay “student” visa, or “VLS/TS Student” is for students who wish to have the freedom to travel and work alongside their studies in France, and then apply for a residency permit.
It allows :
– to study in France for a period of 4 months to 1 year
– to travel freely in all the countries of the Schengen area during this period
– to work 964 hours over 1 year (i.e. 20 hours per week) to supplement its income
– to benefit from a free student rental deposit: the VISALE
– to receive a housing allowance from the CAF
– to extend his or her stay beyond the period of validity of the residence permit issued
REQUIREMENTS :
– you must be registered in a school or training organisation before your arrival in France
– if your country of residence is covered by the “Study in France” procedure (46 countries concerned), make your request through this platform. The visa application will be forwarded to the French consular authorities in your country of residence.
– You must prove that you have sufficient resources
– you must validate your visa upon arrival in France (cost of 50 euros)
– when your visa expires, you must apply for a residence permit (temporary annual or multi-year student permit) in order to stay in France.
My passport, the witness of my travels with all its stamps. Do you also have a somewhat emotional relationship to your passport? Photo credit: Henry Thong – Unsplash
I am studying in my country, but I dream of doing an internship in France for a minimum of 4 months, which visa should I choose? Is it renewable?
In your case, the long-stay visa mentioning “trainee”, or “VLS/TS Intern”, is ideal, as it allows you to follow an internship on French territory for a period of 4 months to 1 year.
REQUIREMENTS for obtaining a visa :
– have a valid passport
– conclude an internship agreement prior to applying for a visa (signed by you, the training establishment and the company in which you will carry out your internship)
– apply for a visa at the French Embassy in your country
– have your visa validated by the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) as soon as you arrive and pay a fee
– provide proof of your resources
– provide proof of residence or accommodation in France
– the visa is subject to a fee
If your internship is extended or renewed, this visa also allows you to apply for a temporary residence permit (mention trainee). To do this, you must draw up an amendment to your internship agreement, then obtain validation from the authorities (without a reply from the prefect, the renewal is accepted). Then apply for a residence permit. Please note: this application must be made at least 2 months before the expiry date of your visa.
Do you have any advice to help me get my visa?
You should know that any steps taken beforehand to come to France under good conditions and any contract with a company in France to help you find an internship placement – such as Talent Developer, whose speciality is internships – or accommodation will prove your motivation and can support your application. If you apply having already started French language courses in your country, you will show that your project is already well underway.
Where can I find more information on all visas?
The websites of the French public service, France Visa and Campus France will be useful to you. Do not hesitate to contact us so that we can connect you with our partners, as they will help you with your visa application.
Good luck and know that your dream is achievable. Let the experts accompany you! We are here to help you. Contact Talent Developer.