France student visa documents: the list and the rules of your country
What you file with TLScontact, VFS Global or Capago once the Études en France procedure is complete, what changes from one country to another, and a checklist to tick.
Up to date as of 17 October 2026
The student visa (VLS-TS) is requested after the Études en France procedure. You fill in the form on france-visas.gouv.fr, which generates the exact list of your documents, then you file your application with the visa service provider of your country.
The core is the same everywhere: a valid passport, a photo, the Études en France certificate or prior enrolment agreement, proof of funds of at least €877.50 per month, and proof of accommodation. The visa costs €50 in the countries of the procedure, plus the provider’s service fees.
The common list for the visa file
The Espaces Campus France of Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin publish their list; they overlap. The list France-Visas generates for your situation always prevails.
- Passport issued less than 10 years ago, with 2 blank pages, valid at least 3 months after the end of the visa requested (Morocco), all pages scanned (Côte d’Ivoire).
- ID photo, recent.
- France-Visas form filled in, with its summary.
- The Campus France certificate: the message authorising you to book an appointment, with your file number (Morocco), the prior enrolment agreement signed and stamped by Campus France (Benin), the pre-registration certificate (Côte d’Ivoire).
- Admission: for a non-university school, proof that you paid all or part of the tuition fees (Morocco); in Benin, the certificate must state the fees paid, the start date, the latest arrival date, the degree and the refund conditions if the visa is refused.
- Funds: at least €877.50 per month (scholarship, sponsorship, irrevocable transfer, guarantor). See proof of funds.
- Accommodation: a lease, an accommodation certificate, a hotel booking, or a letter explaining how you will look for housing (Morocco); in Côte d’Ivoire, accommodation for the first 3 months.
- Travel insurance: it may be requested in Morocco, with 1 to 3 months advised until you are registered with French Social Security.
The student visa file checklist
The common list, to complete with the one France-Visas generates for you. The detailed version for your country is on its page.
Identity
Studies
Money and housing
Appointment
The visa provider and how to book, by country
| Country | Provider | How you get the appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Morocco (in French) | TLScontact | After the authorisation sent by Campus France; TLS refuses files without it |
| Algeria (in French) | Capago | After the end-of-procedure message; in Algiers, Capago sends the appointment automatically |
| Tunisia (in French) | TLScontact | Campus France books the appointment, with your France-Visas number (FRA1…) |
| Senegal (in French) | VFS Global | France-Visas form, then VFS appointment; student visa campaign from 15 May to 27 August 2027 |
| Cameroon (in French) | TLScontact | Appointment granted only by Campus France, one per student |
| Côte d’Ivoire (in French) | VFS Global | France-Visas form, then VFS; reduced visa fee on showing the Campus France receipt |
| Lebanon (in French) | TLScontact | After the pre-consular certificate collected at the Espace Campus France |
| Benin (in French) | Capago | France-Visas form, then an appointment paid online by card |
| China (in French) | TLScontact | File sent to TLS once finalised; any TLS centre (2025 pages) |
| India | VFS Global | VFS booking only after the automatic email from Campus France |
The service fees of the providers (TLScontact, VFS Global, Capago) are not published on the Campus France pages we have read to be confirmed. They come on top of the €50 visa fee.
The Campus France file documents, before the visa
| Country | What changes |
|---|---|
| Morocco | Files of 300 KB at most; no legalisation, originals are shown at the interview; CV optional; French test (the registration receipt is accepted when you file) |
| Algeria | Passport mandatory to create the file; everything translated by a sworn translator; colour scans in reading direction; test result entered before submission |
| Tunisia | Translations only by a translator on the Ministry of Justice list; Arabic originals and translations on the day of the interview |
| Senegal | Photo under 50 KB, CV under 500 KB; ANAQ-Sup certificate for a private programme; transcripts for the last 3 years |
| Cameroon | Originals handed in at TLScontact when paying; English-language studies translated at the Ministry of Higher Education in Yaoundé or at the Centre linguistique in Bonanjo, Douala |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Originals at the interview: legalised photocopies and scans refused |
| Benin | No more paper file; school reports after 2019 can be checked on Educmaster; scanned payment receipt in "Cursus" |
| Lebanon | Documents in French or English; Arabic translated; portfolio for architecture |
| China | CHSI authentication reports in English; fields filled in French or English, not in Chinese |
| India | CV and "statement of purpose"; originals and one set of photocopies at the interview |
The timelines to plan for
- Tunisia: 15 to 45 days after filing at TLScontact; Campus France advises allowing 2 months.
- Morocco: 15 to 20 days of pre-consular processing at Campus France.
- Algeria: visa application at least 2 months before the start of the academic year.
- China: at least 15 days for the visa step (2025 pages).
- Senegal: student visa campaign from 15 May to 27 August 2027.
On arrival, the VLS-TS is validated online within 3 months, with a €100 fee. Algerians fall under the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement: they apply for a "student" residence certificate at the prefecture.
Candidates’ questions about the documents
Do documents need to be legalised?
In Morocco, no legalisation is required for the Campus France file: originals are shown at the interview. In Côte d’Ivoire, legalised photocopies are not accepted at the interview, you need the originals. In Benin, you bring your ID and a legalised copy of it. For the visa, follow the France-Visas list.
Do I need to translate my documents?
Yes if they are not in French: by a sworn translator in Morocco, Senegal and Algeria, and in Tunisia only by a translator on the Ministry of Justice list. In Lebanon and Vietnam, English is also accepted.
Can I give the provisional pass certificate instead of the diploma?
In Morocco, the baccalaureate transcript is accepted if the diploma is not yet available; in Senegal, the pass certificate is one of the documents. For the Licence and the Master’s, ask your Espace Campus France.
Do I have to pay the tuition fees before the visa application?
In Morocco, for a non-university school, proof of full or partial payment replaces the pre-registration certificate. In Benin, the enrolment certificate must state the fees paid. For public universities, no rule is published on the pages we read.
Does a 30-day hotel booking with an explanatory letter work?
In Morocco, a hotel booking, a lease, an accommodation certificate or a letter explaining how you will look for housing are accepted. Côte d’Ivoire asks for accommodation for the first 3 months.
How much does the student visa cost?
€50 for the countries of the Études en France procedure (€99 elsewhere), an amount given as a guide by France-Visas, plus the provider’s service fees. In Côte d’Ivoire, the visa drops from 65,000 to 35,000 FCFA on showing the Campus France receipt.
How long does it take to get the visa?
In Tunisia, 15 to 45 days after filing at TLScontact; in Morocco, 15 to 20 days of processing at Campus France before the appointment. File at least 2 months before the start of the academic year.
Sources
- France-Visas - Étudiant (pays Études en France, prix du visa)official · 2026-10-17
- Service-Public.fr - Étudiant étranger en France : visa de long séjour ou titre de séjour (vérifié le 01/08/2026)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Maroc - Visa étudiant, pièces à fournir (PDF, juillet 2026)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Maroc - Le rendez-vous chez TLScontactofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Maroc - FAQ procédure pré-consulaire et consulaire (PDF, juillet 2026)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Algérie - La procédure consulaire et le statut d’étudiant algérien en Franceofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Algérie - Calendrier des procédures, rentrée 2027-2028 (PDF)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Tunisie - Visa « étudiant » / VLS-TSofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Tunisie - Vérifier la liste officielle des traducteursofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Sénégal - Calendrier des procédures 2027 (PDF)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Sénégal - Calendrier de la procédure, rentrée 2027-2028 (mis à jour le 01/10/2026)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Cameroun - Demander son visaofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Cameroun - FAQ : documents nécessaires pour compléter le dossierofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Cameroun - La procédure en 7 étapesofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Côte d’Ivoire - Le visa étudesofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Côte d’Ivoire - Je veux m’inscrire en Licence 2/3, Master 1/2, cycle ingénieurofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Bénin - Visa et carte de séjourofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Bénin - Procédure pré-consulaire « acceptation papier », rentrée 2026 (PDF)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Bénin - Les pièces à fournirofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Liban - Visas et cartes de séjourofficial · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Liban - Guide de la plateforme Études en France, candidatures 2027 (PDF, octobre 2026)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Chine - Demander son visa à TLScontact (capture du 13/05/2025)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France Chine - Pièces à fournir (capture Internet Archive du 27/04/2025)official · 2026-10-17
- Campus France India - Preparing the visa applicationofficial · 2026-10-17
- Service-Public.fr - Certificat de résidence d’1 an pour Algérien (vérifié le 01/08/2026)official · 2026-10-17
A coach that reviews your file and runs a mock interview
The coach checks that your file is complete and that your texts tell the same story, then puts you through a mock interview with the questions asked in your country and tells you what the adviser will hear.
Entretien France, an independent coach: the first try is free, out loud.
Independent site, not affiliated with Campus France. The coach never logs into your Études en France account, never fills in an official form and never promises an admission or a visa.