Administrative formalities : residing in France

Find all the administrative informations about your stay in France (Visa, resident card…)

Student Visa

After completion of the pre-enrollment process, ILCF will send a pre-enrollment certificate. This document will be needed to obtain student visa. Any student staying longer than 3 months in France or wishing to benefit from student status must take the first administrative steps by addressing the French Embassy or French Consulate in their own country.
Our Institute is a member of the Campus France network. Don’t hesitate to contact us to submit your visa application.

The visa can in no way be obtained in France after arrival. A tourist visa can never be turned into a student visa.

VISA Refusal

If the visa is denied by the country of origin and if the student provides us with the original of the official document confirming the refusal, the deposit will be reimbursed, except for 150 euros to cover administrative costs. This only takes place if the secretary is informed by a written document a minimum of 8 days before the level test. After that period, the totality of the payment will be kept by the ILCF.

Cancellation policy

Pre-registered or registered students who decide to cancel or quit will not be refunded. The whole payment already settled will remain the property of ILCF.

Resident Card / OFII Procedure

Upon arrival, you must validate your visa on this website :

For the renewal of the residence permit, you must compile a file and go to the Rhône prefecture.

Please contact the ILCF office for more information.

Complementary administrative steps

Compulsory health insurance

At your arrival, for every stay longer than 90 days, you have to subscribe to the French medical insurance for free :

Students from the European Union will bring their European Health Insurance Card issued in their own country.

CVEC

Students enrolled for one semester or one year have to pay the CVEC (Contribution à la Vie Etudiante et de Campus – Contribution to Student life and Campus) to the CROUS Centre Regional des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires – Regional Centre for Scholar and University scholarships). The payment shall be done exclusively on line on the following link:

Once you paid, you will download your receipt (attestation) and submit it to ILCF secretary.