If you are a national from the European Union, the EEA, or Switzerland, you do not need to apply for a student visa.

Do you need a student visa for your stay in France ? Check here.

If you need a visa
Please check if you need to go through the pre-consular procedure through the Etudes en France portal.
This procedure is mandatory for citizens of the following countries and regions: Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.

If you have to go through the Etudes en France procedure:

• Your admission process for emlyon is separate from the Etudes en France procedure, which is only the pre-consular procedure for your visa application.
• You will have to create your account on Etudes en France and chose the option “I am accepted.”
• You will then have to provide your admission letter from emlyon.
• You will need to provide:
  • Your passport
  • Enrollment letter/admission letter from emlyon
    Once the pre-consular procedure through Etudes en France is complete and validated, you will be able to start your visa application.

Visa application process
If you are not concerned by the “Etudes en France” pre-consular procedure, you will certainly need to apply directly through the French consulate. Check here how you will have to apply.

Please note that in any case, you must first be accepted to emlyon in order to apply for a visa. You will need to apply at least 3 months before your estimated arrival in France.

Pre-Departure Checklist:

• Passport (or ID cards for EU citizens) and a scanned copy for safe-keeping
• An original birth certificate (in the original language). This document is very important for administrative procedures in France. French administrative bodies prefer to see the original and make a copy themselves. As always, keep a scanned copy! You will have to translate your birth certificate in France by a certified translator.
• European health insurance card (for EU citizens only) valid for at least the full academic year (September 1st to August 31st).
• Extra passport photos: taken under the same regulations as for the European passport
• Important medical record, especially vaccination records
• Contact details from home in case of an emergency.
• Some cash for your arrival, since your credit card might not work in France. Please be careful and do not carry large amounts of cash.
• A plug adaptor if necessary. In France we use E type plugs with a 230V tension a 50Hz frequency.

Validate your visa after arriving in France
If you have a D-type Long stay Visa (CESEDA R311-3-6), you must validate your visa through this website. Log in and follow the instructions.
The validation of your visa is mandatory and must be done within the first 3 months after your arrival in France.
Find on your right, a step by step guide to validate your visa.

Renew your visa or residence permit
If you are a non-EU student already in France, you may need to renew your visa or residence permit from 4 months until MAX 2months (60days) before the expiration date of your current residence permit/visa.

The procedure is entirely online, and the International Student Support will complete a pre-check of your documents.

Please contact us directly:

• Lyon: internationaloffice@em-lyon.com
• Paris: internationaloffice75@em-lyon.com
• Saint-Etienne: internationaloffice42@em-lyon.com