Student Visa Questions

[pollie]

Bonjour,

I'm a US citizen applying for a student visa in France. I enrolled in a 10-month program at Institut Catholique, and I went through the Campus France process. Next step: schedule an appointment with the French consulate. But first, I must gather up various documents.

I have a few questions, and I'm hoping someone will be able to answer them:

1. On the visa application form, I'm supposed to indicate my date of departure. I just assumed I'd book the flight *after* getting my visa application approved...I guess that's not how it works? If I'm going study for 10 months, do I book a 1-way plane ticket, or do I need a roundtrip flight?

(I don't even know if it's possible to book a departure flight that far in advance.)


2. Even though my course is 10 months, would I be able to get a 1-year student visa? (I'd like to travel to other areas of France after my studies.)

3. Dental/Vision: As I'm over 28 years old, I must purchase private health insurance. However, I've noticed none of the expat/travel health plans offer dental or vision coverage, not even the ones I've checked in France. In the US, dental and vision care can cost a fortune. Is it just as expensive in France?
Can someone recommend a good private health insurance plan for an expat?

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Your input would be much appreciated.

Merci!

[Bevdeforges]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

To take your questions in order:
1. Your feeling is right - don't book anything until you have the visa approval, but give them an "estimated" date of departure that is a couple weeks before your Institut Catholique program starts. I don't believe you need to have the ticket at this stage. (In fact, the consulate websites normally recommend that you don't book any flights until you have the visa approval. Mention that if they bring up the subject in the interview.)

2. I'm not sure how that works on the visa side of things, but most préfectures will issue you a one-year carte de séjour the first time out. You might ask at your interview. But I know they are open to at least a month of travel after you finish your schooling "to take in the patrimoine of France."

3. This is a tricky one. The French sécu coverage for dental and vision is cr@p so they don't really expect you to have great coverage as an expat. If you're only going to be over here for a year, you might just put off any dental or vision work (other than emergencies) until after you go back home.

On the plus side, for standard type treatments you're most likely to need (replace a filling or drill and fill a cavity) the fees in France are a fraction of what you're used to in the US so supplemental coverage is probably a waste of money. The French don't normally do six-month "cleanings" - they only go to the dentist when they have a problem.

I wouldn't plan on making use of the vision care professionals here unless you have some sort of emergency - in which case your normal expat plan should cover you. Bring an extra pair of glasses and/or extra lenses and cleaning supplies (though the various solutions are pretty readily available at most pharmacies). Contacts aren't nearly as popular here as in the US, and prescriptions are written differently (though I'm told a French optician should be able to "translate" an American prescription).

Glasses are horribly expensive - though I do know some folks who have bought just the frames here in France (they have some great styles) and then taken them back to the US to be made up into glasses. I have been getting my eye exams and glasses back in the US for the last 10 years or more, in part because my (fairly common) eye condition seems to cause French eye doctors no end of problem because they treat it differently here.

Can't help you on the expat insurance, since I'm covered by the French system. Try contacting whatever company you have your US health insurance with - they sometimes have expat insurance, too. Otherwise, any number of British insurers offer expat insurance.
Cheers,
Bev

[pollie]

Hi Bev,

Thanks so much for your quick response!

Another odd thing I read on the French consulate's website: I need a letter from the school in France stating that I've prepaid 100% of my tuition. Like the airplane ticket, there is no way I want to pay the full tuition until I know for sure that I've got the visa.

I would like to call the consulate here in Los Angeles for clarification, but they rarely answer the phone...and when they do, they are downright mean. I mean nasty-mean! No fooling. Maybe I'll try the one in Washington DC because they were civil the last time I called.

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by pollie

Hi Bev,

Thanks so much for your quick response!

Another odd thing I read on the French consulate's website: I need a letter from the school in France stating that I've prepaid 100% of my tuition. Like the airplane ticket, there is no way I want to pay the full tuition until I know for sure that I've got the visa.

I would like to call the consulate here in Los Angeles for clarification, but they rarely answer the phone...and when they do, they are downright mean. I mean nasty-mean! No fooling. Maybe I'll try the one in Washington DC because they were civil the last time I called.

Get used to that - civil servants (being neither civil nor servile) don't generally handle things by phone here in France. They seem to take great delight in making you come in in person for even the simplest question.

If you have to prepay your tuition, I'm certain it will be refundable (or mostly refundable) should you be turned down for any reason. Check with the school on how they handle the required letter - they may have a way around it. The Consulate won't be of any help on this one.
Cheers,
Bev

[pollie]

Hi Bev,

Thanks again for the quick response. I'm just going to use the famous Systeme D and go for my visa appointment with the receipt for only the deposit for my tuition. If they squawk, I'll explain the situation. The school in Paris was surprised to hear the consulate was asking I pay 100% upfront. And they've dealt with lots of US students before.

BTW, I encountered another concern: Health Insurance.

I need to provide proof of private health insurance when applying for the visa. However, I'm hesitant to purchase private insurance until I know for sure that I'll get the visa. Another catch-22.

I'm currently covered by my employer's HMO (which actually does cover me overseas) - but I wouldn't continue with my HMO after I leave my job to go to France as COBRA is very, very expensive. However, I was wondering if I should just use this as my "proof of insurance."

Have you or anyone else on this board dealt with this?

Thanks.

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by pollie

BTW, I encountered another concern: Health Insurance.

This has come up a couple times before on the board - and like the prepaid tuition, it seems to be a recent requirement. They will require proof of a policy when you apply for your carte de séjour (i.e. after you arrive). You can try using your current HMO coverage - but sometimes the school has some sort of insurance you can take. At least if you are aware of your options and can tell them, "this is how I intend to get insurance coverage" you might get by the interview.

If all else fails, you could get coverage through AARO, a US expat group in Paris. Take a look at their website here: AARO - Association of Americans Resident Overseas - AARO’s Health Care Program for Expatriate Americans and you'd have to be a member to sign up for the medical coverage, but depending on your age it may be a good deal. (Have never had to worry about this, being covered by the sécu here myself.)
Cheers,
Bev

[scabadaska]

Hey, I don't know if you still need the advice, but I just got my long stay student visa from the Los Angeles consulate this morning.

I believe you only need to prove that you paid full tuition if you plan on supporting yourself while in France. Now, I am doing the same, but to avoid the extra hassle, I simply got a family member to say they were granting me $800 per month. This does not mean that person must actually give you the money, it's more so just to get your visa. I plan on transferring $800 from my savings, into my checking each month. Once in France, the only are looking for that you have money coming in each month.

As far as insurance goes, it's a bit different for me. As I am 26, I will be on the student social security network once in France and enrolled in my classes. The consulate still required proof of insurance, so I took out a year policy with the intent on canceling once I am enrolled in class. This policy can be canceled for a full refund, so do not worry about that. Again, this was just to fulfill visa requirements for the Los Angeles branch as they do not discern between temporary long stay students ( 3 - 6 months ) and long-term students ( over 6 months, enrolled in French security ). I used Atlas insurance, through Multinational Underwriters. Unfortunately, I have no idea what all they cover ( dental ? ), but you can check them out regardless. They even provide an online PDF letter that you submit to the consulate for "proof" of insurance.

Yes, even though you are only 10 months, you will still be issued a 1 year carte de séjour. The long-stay visa is really only valid for 3 months. One of the first things you must do when arriving to France is apply for your carte de séjour, which is issued for one year and can be renewed if you so choose.

Also, the people in the consulate are MUCH nicer in person than on the phone. Do not let that discourage you.

The process is not nearly as ominous as it may sound. I lost a whole nights sleep last night just worrying about if I had every last detail. It went quite smoothly and I was in and out of there in less than 15 minutes with my passport and visa in-hand.

Good luck and if you have any additional questions, let me know.

[peanuts]

hi, i'm new to the forum and since i am looking into studying in france as well, your post has been very helpful. i have a few questions that i hope someone can answer. first of all, my situation is a little bit different. i am looking into enrolling in a language school for 5 months at 12 hr/wk. i've asked the school about which visa i need but they weren't able to give me a clear answer. i know i should ask the consulate (i live in the l.a. area) but their website doesn't answer all my questions. campus france just states that students need to enroll through them if they are studying more than 3 months but on some of the language school websites there is mention of a minimum of 15 or 20 hours per week depending on the length of study for a student visa. still when i asked the school about this they said it depends on the consulate. (i do plan on calling the consulate but was hoping someone would be able to shed some light.)

also, in the previous posts, there is mention of paying for 100% of tuition if you are paying your own way. can anyone show me where that is stated on the consulate website? i haven't been able to locate it and since i am going to pay my own way, i want to be prepared.

one last question, scabadaska, you provided a statement from a family member stating they would provide you $800/month. did you also have to provide the consulate with that person's bank statements?

thank you.

[Bevdeforges]

Peanuts,
You absolutely need to check the website of the French consulate that handles the visa process for where you live. The French don't let you pick and choose consulates - and each consulate has their own quirks as far as what is absolutely dead necessary and what they'll let you slide by with.

Also, since you're looking at a visa for less than 6 months, it may be possible that you won't be subject to quite the same rigor as those applying for longer visas. A couple of posters recently have indicated that visas of less than 6 months are being processed by the consulate, without the need to send all the paperwork to Paris for processing.

If at all possible, you should plan on making a run in to the Consulate. (Call first to see if they only deal with visa requests during certain days or hours.) French officials generally are far nicer (as someone here has said) in person than on the phone. If you can, go in to get "the official" list of what they say you will need, then return in person with all the stuff on the list (and the list, neatly ticked off).
Cheers,
Bev

[peanuts]

also, on the visa application it asks where i'll be staying in france. i'm applying for a language school so i can't set up housing until i get to france. what am i supposed to write or could i leave it blank?

thanks.