The OFII (French Office of Immigration and Integration)

In order to study in France, foreign students, that don’t have french A-levels, have to fulfil two requirements :

• Being authorized to access higher education in their country of origin, have a level in French language that allows them to study in France
• According to his or her situation, the foreign student will have to enrol directly in a higher education establishment in France or be pre-registred in one.

After receiving your registration or pre-registration confirmation, the French consulate will grant you a student visa.

As soon as you arrive in France, you have to contact the OFII (French Office for Immigration and Integration) nearest to your place of residence. To know where are the OFII, click here :

http://www.ofii.fr/qui_sommes-nous_46/where_to_find_us_168.html

Here is the link to the OFII certificate application form :  

http://www.ofii.fr/IMG/pdf/IMPRIME_OFII_DEMANDE_ATTESTATION_recto_verso.pdf

Formalities :

Within the 3 months following your arrival in France, you have to accomplish a certain number of formalities with the OFII. You have to send, by post, to the closest OFII office :

• The filled OFII certificate application form
• A copy of the pages of your passport with your identity information and the police stamp you got when you entered France

As soon as the OFII receives your documents, it will register your application and will send you a certificate of deposit to the adress you wrote on the form.

You will then receive a summon (by post) to a health-check and an arrival visit, depending on the motive of your stay.

Documents you will need when you go to the OFII :

• Your passport, and your visa
• A proof of residency (rent receipt, electricity/water/phone bill…)
• An identity picture
• Tax stamps (the price will depend on your type of visa)
• Depending on the case, a proof of the health check you took with a doctor licenced by the OFII.

Particular cases for students at the time of their academic year : upon your arrival, you don’t need to send your application to the OFII if :

• If you come from a higher education establishment that passed a convention with the prefecture of the department you live in and the OFII
• and if you arrive at the beginning of the academic year

If it is your case, you have to give the OFII your application form and the copy of your passport :

• If you live outside of Paris, to your establishment/university’s office for foreign students
• If you live in Paris, to the International students welcome service of the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris (International university campus in Paris). Go the OFII’s office during the first two months of the academic year.

Cost :

During your appointment at the OFII, you will have to pay a tax. The cost will depend on your type of visa (the cost of your visa adds to the OFII tax). You can pay this tax by Internet (sur le site timbresofii.fr) or with ordinary tax stamps.

Source : Office français de l’immigration et de l’intégration http://www.ofii.fr/