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Residence Permit in France — Students, Working Holiday, Employees

1 July 2026 14 min readJARI 에디터
Residence Permit in France — Students, Working Holiday, Employees

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Student — from the “student” VLS-TS to the “student” card

You're enrolled at a French institution (university, language school of more than 6 months, grande école). Before departure: the Études en France / Campus France procedure from Korea, then a “student” long-stay visa at the French consulate in Seoul. On arrival, validate the VLS-TS on ANEF within 3 months — this validated visa serves as your residence permit for the first year.

  • Right to work: up to 964 hours per year (≈ 60% of full time), no separate authorization

  • Renewal: multi-year “student” card on ANEF, 2 to 4 months before expiry

  • Key documents: enrollment for the new year, attendance and academic progress, resources (≈ €615/month)

The “student” permit is exempt from the civic exam and the language requirement applied to other categories since 2026.

Working Holiday (PVT) — “working holiday” VLS-TS

You come under the Working Holiday Programme (PVT) of the France–Korea bilateral agreement. Visa issued for 12 months maximum.

  • Age: 18 to 30

  • Private insurance (illness, hospitalization, repatriation) for the whole stay

  • Funds: ≈ €2,500

On arrival, validate the VLS-TS on ANEF within the deadline on the sticker (usually 3 months). You can work without a separate authorization during the working holiday.

The working holiday permit is neither renewable nor extendable. To stay, you must change status (student, employee…): employer, work authorization and a new application finalized before expiry. Starting at the very end is too late.

Employee — from the “employee” VLS-TS to the “talent” card

You've been hired by a French company. Standard employee: “employee” VLS-TS (permanent/fixed-term contract), work authorization handled by the employer. Skilled jobs, assignments, business creation: “talent” card (formerly “passeport talent”), up to 4 years, 100% online on ANEF.

  • Salary threshold (skilled employment, 2026): ≈ €39,582/year

  • EU Blue Card: ≈ €59,373/year

  • Renewal: within the 2 months before expiry (talent), on ANEF

Thresholds are now set by ministerial order (no longer indexed to the minimum wage): check the amount when you apply.

Since 1 January 2026, any first application for a multi-year permit requires proof of French level A2 (DELF, TCF…). And an incomplete file is rejected with no request for missing documents: re-check everything before submitting. (The “student” status is A2-exempt.)

Document checklist

ANEF doesn't always save a half-finished file: prepare all your color PDFs before you start.

  • Passport (ID pages + visa + entry stamp)

  • VLS-TS to validate, or current permit for a renewal

  • Proof of address less than 6 months old (rent receipt, utility bill, or host's accommodation certificate + host's ID)

  • Passport photo meeting standards (or e-photo with code)

  • Valid email + payment method (card or tax stamp)

  • Student: enrollment certificate, transcripts (renewal), proof of resources, health insurance certificate

  • Working Holiday: private insurance certificate, proof of funds

  • Employee / talent: employment contract, work authorization, last 3 payslips, A2 proof (first multi-year application)

Name your files clearly (passport.pdf, address.pdf…) and keep each under 1–2 MB. A clean color copy avoids most requests for additional documents.

Step by step on ANEF

Common to all statuses. No more filing at the prefecture — it's all online.

  1. Create an account at administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr (FranceConnect or email)

  2. Choose: “Validate my long-stay visa” (on arrival) or “Apply for / renew a permit”

  3. Fill in: identity exactly as on the passport, address, institution/employer, entry date

  4. Upload your PDFs (checklist above)

  5. Pay the tax: card online, or an electronic tax stamp from timbres.impots.gouv.fr (16-digit code)

  6. Download the receipt (récépissé) / attestation, print it and keep it

  7. Track the review in your ANEF account (additional documents or a summons may follow)

  8. Collect the permit once ready (often at the prefecture); remember the tax stamp at that point

As soon as you arrive, set a phone alarm: "validate the VLS-TS within 3 months." Not missing just this already solves half the problems.

Real processing times (June 2026)

  • VLS-TS validation: immediate after payment

  • First card / renewal: 2 to 5 months on average (Paris, Lyon, Marseille longer)

  • “Talent” card: official target of 15 days, but 4 to 8 weeks in practice, up to 3 months in large prefectures

If your receipt expires before the decision, the prefecture must issue a new one: ask for it, never stay without proof.

Costs (amounts as of 1 May 2026 — reconfirm)

Since 1 May 2026, taxes have risen: the issuance/renewal tax stamp went from €25 to €50, and several first-issuance taxes increased. It's the decision date (not the filing date) that sets the rate.

These amounts are ballpark figures. As they change often, check just before paying the Paris Police Prefecture page “Fee changes from 1 May 2026” and the service-public sheet.

Common mistakes

  • Validating the VLS-TS after 3 months → irregular status. Set an alarm on arrival

  • Renewing at the last minute → after expiry, €180 surcharge + loss of rights (work, housing benefit, social security)

  • Incomplete file (talent / multi-year) → rejected without warning

  • Black-and-white or blurry scans → always color, sharp, complete

  • Letting the receipt expire → ask the prefecture to renew it

  • Assuming the working holiday is extendable → it isn't; plan the status change ahead

  • Name spelled differently from the passport → one extra accent or space blocks the file

FAQ

EU citizen or married to a French national: do I need a permit? EU/EEA/Swiss citizens don't. A French national's spouse is a different procedure (“private and family life” permit) — a dedicated JARI guide is coming.

Can I travel outside France with a receipt? The receipt alone doesn't guarantee re-entry into the Schengen area. With a validated VLS-TS, yes. When in doubt, check before booking.

My address changes during processing? Update it in your ANEF account so you don't miss a summons or letter.

My “student” permit expires but I'm starting to work? That's a change of status (student → employee/talent): employer, work authorization, and an ANEF application before expiry.

Official sources

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