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Residence permit for PhD students
YOU ARE A NATIONAL OF A EUROPEAN COUNTRY
If you are a PhD student from a European Union country, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you can live and work in France. You do not need to complete any immigration formalities.
British citizens are not considered to be third-country nationals. For more information, you can check out our Brexit page.
British citizens are not considered to be third-country nationals. For more information, you can check out our Brexit page.
YOU ARE A NATIONAL OF A THIRD COUNTRY
The procedure and type of residence permits for PhD students from third countries (non-EU, EEA and Switzerland) will vary depending on the situation of the student. The procedure to follow depends on your situation:
- Enrolled or nor in a PhD program in a French institution
- Issuance or not of a hosting agreement by a French institution
YOU ARE ENROLLED IN A FRENCH INSTITUTION
If you are enrolled in a PhD program in a French institution, the latter may issue you with a hosting agreement if you meet certain conditions. The most common of these is a PhD contract.
You have been issued with a hosting agreement
Important: Algerian PhD students are covered by a specific bilateral agreement. A certificate of residency with “research scientist” (“scientifique-chercheur”) status is issued instead of the “Talent passport - researcher” permit. There are specific formalities to get this annual certificate. Check out our dedicated page.
If you are a PhD student from a third country, and you are enrolled in a PhD program in France and you have a hosting agreement issued by your institution, you will have been issued with a long-stay visa with “Talent passport - researcher” (“Passeport talent - chercheur”) status. Depending on the length of your stay, you will either have to validate your visa (stay of between 3 and 13 months), or apply for a residence permit (stay of more than 12 months).
You must validate or apply for your residence permit online on the dedicated website.
More information about the formalities to be completed for holders of a “Talent passport - researcher” visa
If you are a PhD student from a third country, and you are enrolled in a PhD program in France and you have a hosting agreement issued by your institution, you will have been issued with a long-stay visa with “Talent passport - researcher” (“Passeport talent - chercheur”) status. Depending on the length of your stay, you will either have to validate your visa (stay of between 3 and 13 months), or apply for a residence permit (stay of more than 12 months).
You must validate or apply for your residence permit online on the dedicated website.
More information about the formalities to be completed for holders of a “Talent passport - researcher” visa
Your institution has not issued you with a hosting agreement
You will receive a long-stay visa with “Student” (“Etudiant”) status. You cannot apply for “Talent passport - researcher” status.
Important: in this case, your spouse is not automatically granted the right to residence (contact us before you leave) and cannot work in France (except for EEA nationals).
Depending on the length of your stay, you will either have to validate your visa (stay of between 4 and 13 months), or apply for a residence permit (stay of more than 12 months).
You must validate or apply for your residence permit online on the dedicated website.
The "student" visa or residence permit entitles you to work under certain conditions: More information
As an international student, the Students Welcome Desk of the Université de Lyon can help you with your formalities. A hotline is available each year from September to November.
More information about the Student Welcome Desk.
You can also contact your institution’s international relations department list per institution.
For more information about your "student" visa/residence permit: Students Welcome Desk FAQ
Important: in this case, your spouse is not automatically granted the right to residence (contact us before you leave) and cannot work in France (except for EEA nationals).
Depending on the length of your stay, you will either have to validate your visa (stay of between 4 and 13 months), or apply for a residence permit (stay of more than 12 months).
You must validate or apply for your residence permit online on the dedicated website.
The "student" visa or residence permit entitles you to work under certain conditions: More information
As an international student, the Students Welcome Desk of the Université de Lyon can help you with your formalities. A hotline is available each year from September to November.
More information about the Student Welcome Desk.
You can also contact your institution’s international relations department list per institution.
For more information about your "student" visa/residence permit: Students Welcome Desk FAQ
YOU ARE NOT ENROLLED IN A FRENCH INSTITUTION
If you are hosted as part of a research trip pursuant to Article L. 434-1 of the Code of research, your stay could be covered by a Research Trip Agreement with your host institution.
Depending on the amount of your funding (scholarship + any supplement) you may be eligible for:
Depending on the amount of your funding (scholarship + any supplement) you may be eligible for:
- Beyond a certain amount (set depending on the minimum monthly amount of the PhD contract under public law provisions):a “talent passport - researcher” visa/residence permit. Your institution must issue you with a hosting agreement.
- Below this amount (set depending on the minimum monthly amount of the PhD contract under public law provisions): a “student” visa/residence permit.
RENEWAL OF YOUR RESIDENT PERMIT OR CHANGE OF STATUS
The following provisions do not apply to Algerian nationals (specific bilateral agreement).
Procedure to renew a “Student” residence permit
You must renew your “Student” residence permit on the ANEF platform two months before your current visa or residence permit expires.
You will submit your application online, following the instructions given. If your application is complete, you will receive an initial certificate of registration of your application. If your residence permit expires before this new permit is ready, you will receive a certificate of extension, which extends the rights associated with your residence permit.
You will be informed by email when any new document is available on the platform.
You must pay a fee of €75 in fiscal stamps (timbres fiscaux) when collecting your new residence permit.
For subsequent renewals, the process is the same and must be started no later than two months before the expiry date of your residence permit.
More information about renewing your "student" visa / residence permit: Students Welcome Desk FAQ
You will submit your application online, following the instructions given. If your application is complete, you will receive an initial certificate of registration of your application. If your residence permit expires before this new permit is ready, you will receive a certificate of extension, which extends the rights associated with your residence permit.
You will be informed by email when any new document is available on the platform.
You must pay a fee of €75 in fiscal stamps (timbres fiscaux) when collecting your new residence permit.
For subsequent renewals, the process is the same and must be started no later than two months before the expiry date of your residence permit.
More information about renewing your "student" visa / residence permit: Students Welcome Desk FAQ
Procedure to renew a “Talent passport - researcher” residence permit or change of status to “Talent passport - researcher”
If your hosting agreement is renewed by your institution, you can apply to renew your “talent passport - researcher” on the ANEF platform. If you are issued with a hosting agreement for the first time, you can change your status to “talent passport - researcher” by applying for renewal on the ANEF platform.
After your studies or at the end of your PhD contract, you can also, whether you receive unemployment benefit or not, apply to renew your “talent passport - researcher” following an involuntary loss of job or apply for a RECE permit (Job search/business creation) for PhD students who have completed their research assignments and who hold a valid “talent passport - researcher” residence permit.
Important: the “RECE” permit can only be issued once, and cannot be renewed.
For more information, go to the “Residence permits for researchers” (“Titres de séjour pour chercheurs”), “Renewal of talent passport - researcher or change of status” (“Renouvellement du passeport talent chercheur ou changement de statut”) tab “RECE permit application” (“Demande de carte RECE”) section
Residence permit: application/renewal
Most of the formalities can now be completed online on the Digital Administration for Foreign Nationals in France (ANEF) website Go to the dedicated website
Your préfecture depends on the department of your place of residence:
You live in the department 01: Préfecture de l'Ain
You live in department 42: Préfecture de La Loire
You live in department 69: Préfecture du Rhône
Your department number is the first two numbers of your zip code. Examples: 69100 Villeurbanne => department 69, 42000 Saint Etienne => department 42
Your préfecture depends on the department of your place of residence:
You live in the department 01: Préfecture de l'Ain
You live in department 42: Préfecture de La Loire
You live in department 69: Préfecture du Rhône
Your department number is the first two numbers of your zip code. Examples: 69100 Villeurbanne => department 69, 42000 Saint Etienne => department 42
Any questions?
You can check out our help page.
If you have any doubts or specific requests, contact Espace Ulys: information@espace-ulys.fr. You need to register in advance with our Euraxess France database.
If you have any doubts or specific requests, contact Espace Ulys: information@espace-ulys.fr. You need to register in advance with our Euraxess France database.