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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.

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

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

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:
  • 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.
More details on the formalities to be completed for holders of a "passeport talent-researcher".
  • Below this amount (set depending on the minimum monthly amount of the PhD contract under public law provisions): a “student” visa/residence permit.
More details about the formalities to be completed for holders of a “student” visa/residence permit: Students Welcome Desk FAQ

RENEWAL OF YOUR RESIDENT PERMIT OR CHANGE OF STATUS



The residence permit renewal application must be submitted no later than two months before your visa/residence permit expires. Préfectures do not accept the late submission of documents under any circumstances, applications received after the expiry date (residence permit, receipt, temporary stay authorization) are subject to a fine.

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

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