National (Type D) — Long-Stay Student Verified 2026-06-09France Student Visa (National Type D — Long Stay)
National (Type D) long-stay visa for Indian students enrolled in a French institution for a course longer than 90 days — decided by the French immigration authorities.
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the France visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Processing
Varies — typically longer than short-stay; allow several weeks
Stay Duration
Matches the duration of the course (long stay, beyond 90 days); long-stay visa (VLS-TS) often doubles as a residence permit for the first year
Starting Fee
Varies
Apply At
11 VFS centres
Your whole France Student Visa,
handled for one honest price.
A strong France file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.
All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges
File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents
4.9★ · 90+ reviews · reply in 5 min
Everything below — included, nothing extra
- Document checklist
- Application form guidance
- Document review
- Cover letter
- Purpose of travel structure
- Financial proof review
- Sponsor document guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Post-submission guidance
Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee.
Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.
Your fee, justified
₹24,999–₹34,999 fee — what exactly is included?
Our professional fee isn't just form-filling. It covers complete France visitor visa preparation, document & refusal-risk review, financial-proof structuring, submission support and post-filing guidance. Tap any item to see what's inside.
Before we prepare your France visitor visa file, we understand your complete profile — every applicant is different, so no two files are built the same way.
- Purpose of travel
- Employment or business background
- Monthly income & savings
- Funds available for the trip
- Family ties in India
- Property / assets, if any
- Previous travel history
- Relatives, friends or a sponsor in France, if any
- Previous visa refusals, if any
- Planned trip duration
- Who is paying for the trip
- Whether the trip is realistic for your profile
A visitor visa isn't approved just because documents are attached — the purpose, funds, travel plan and return ties all have to support each other.
We don't hand everyone the same checklist. After understanding your profile, we build one for your exact case type:
- Salaried
- Business owner
- Self-employed
- Farmer / agriculture income
- Student or minor
- Retired parent
- Housewife / dependent
- Family visit
- Tourist visit
- Business visitor
- Previous refusal
- Sponsor-supported
- First-time traveller
This avoids missing key documents — and avoids piling on documents that aren't explained properly.
We review your documents before preparing and submitting, checking they're complete, readable, consistent and well-arranged:
- Passport & photographs
- Bank statements
- Salary slips
- ITR / Form 16
- Employment & leave-approval letters
- Business / GST / registration proof
- Income proof
- Property documents, if any
- Family & marriage documents, if applicable
- Invitation & sponsor documents, if applicable
- Previous refusal letter, if any
- Travel history, itinerary & stay proof
Funds are one of the most common refusal triggers. A high balance alone isn't enough if the money doesn't look genuine, stable, and tied to your income. We check:
- Whether the balance is reasonable for the trip
- Average balance vs trip cost
- Sudden large deposits that need explaining
- Salary / business income vs bank statement
- ITR vs income profile
- Whether you can afford the trip without leaning entirely on a sponsor
- Whether sponsor support is properly explained
- Whether funds look genuine and traceable
We help structure the financial side professionally so it reads as genuine, not borrowed for the application.
We help present a clear, realistic purpose — tourism, a holiday, a family/relative visit, an event, a business meeting, or parents visiting children — and make sure it lines up with your dates, funds, itinerary and documents.
A weak or vague purpose makes a file look doubtful. We keep it clear, simple and professional.
We prepare or structure the main explanation letter — a professional summary that makes your case easy for the officer to understand. It covers:
- Who you are and why you want to visit
- How long you'll stay and where
- Who is paying for the trip
- What you do in India
- Which financial documents are attached
- Your family ties in India
- Why you'll return after the visit
- If previously refused — what has changed since
This is not a guarantee letter — it's a clear, professional explanation of your case.
The officer must be satisfied you'll leave France after your authorized stay. We identify and present your reasons to return:
- Job continuity or business ownership
- Regular income source
- Spouse / children / parents in India
- Dependents and family responsibilities
- Property or assets in India
- Education or business commitments
- Previous travel compliance, if any
If someone in France is inviting you, we guide the sponsor-side documents:
- Invitation letter
- Sponsor status proof (passport / PR / citizenship)
- Sponsor employment & income proof
- Sponsor bank statement, if needed
- Relationship & communication proof
- Who bears expenses & stay arrangement
A sponsor supports the case but never guarantees approval — your own purpose, funds and ties must still be strong. We also flag if a file is leaning too heavily on the sponsor.
We guide or assist with the application form and details (online portal or the VFS/embassy form, depending on France), and check consistency between the form and your documents:
- Personal, passport & travel-history details
- Employment & education history
- Family information
- Purpose of visit & funding details
- Sponsor information, if applicable
- Previous-refusal declarations
- Background questions
- Correct document categories
Wrong, incomplete or inconsistent information can hurt this application — and future ones too.
How a file is lodged depends on the country — some are fully online, while others (most Schengen states) need you to complete the form first, then book a VFS appointment and submit a physical file in person. We guide the exact France process:
- Completing the application form first, where required, to unlock the appointment
- Booking the VFS / embassy appointment
- Arranging documents in the right order — for upload or the VFS counter
- Guiding the visa-fee payment
- Final review before submission or your VFS visit
- What to carry to the appointment (originals, photos, forms)
- Submitting / lodging and saving the confirmation
- What happens after submission
After submission, if biometrics are required, we guide you through:
- Biometrics Instruction Letter
- VFS appointment booking
- Documents to carry
- What to expect at the VFS centre
- How biometrics update in your application
- What to do once biometrics are done
Biometrics fee is separate, paid to the authority / VFS as applicable.
Our support doesn't stop at submission. We stay connected and guide you on:
- How to check application updates
- What official messages mean
- What to do if more documents are requested
- What to do after a Passport Request
- VFS passport submission & courier return
- Decision-update explanation
- Next steps after approval
- Basic guidance if refused
What's not included (paid direct, at actual cost)
- Government / embassy visa fee
- Biometrics fee
- VFS service charges
- VFS courier & SMS charges
- VFS premium-lounge charges
- Travel insurance
- Flight tickets
- Hotel bookings
- Translation charges
- Notary / attestation
- Medical exam, if ever required
- Any other third-party charges
No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision is always the visa officer's. Our role is to prepare, review, structure and present your file professionally from the documents and profile you provide.
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every France visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1France is online-first: complete Campus France (where applicable) and the France-Visas application before booking VFS.
- 2Passport must be valid for the study period, issued within the last 10 years, with blank pages.
- 3The Type D long-stay visa is decided by the French national immigration authorities, not under the Schengen short-stay rules.
- 4A VLS-TS long-stay student visa must be validated online within 3 months of arrival in France.
- 5Processing is longer than short-stay — apply well in advance of your course start date.
Who Can Apply
- Indian students admitted to a recognised French higher-education institution for a course longer than 90 days
- Students who have completed the Campus France 'Études en France' pre-consular procedure (where applicable)
- Exchange / degree students with confirmed enrolment and proof of funds
- Students who can demonstrate sufficient means of subsistence for the study period
Not eligible under this visa:
- Short courses or programmes under 90 days — apply for a Schengen short-stay (Type C) student visa instead
- Applicants without a confirmed admission / enrolment from a French institution
- Anyone primarily intending to work rather than study (work requires a separate authorisation)
Previously refused?
Same feeWe rebuild refused France cases the right way.
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to France / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| France National (Type D) student visa fee | Varies |
| Campus France 'Études en France' procedure fee (where applicable) | Varies |
| VFS Global service charge | Varies |
Long-stay (Type D) student visa fees are set by the French consulate and differ from the short-stay (Type C) fee. There may also be a separate Campus France procedure fee and VFS service charge. All amounts change periodically — verify the live figures on france-visas.gouv.fr, Campus France India and the VFS Global France India page before applying. Fees are non-refundable regardless of the decision.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Core Documents
4 items- France-Visas online application form (printed + signed) for a long-stay visaRequired
Completed on france-visas.gouv.fr after the Campus France step; print and sign the form and receipt.
- Campus France 'Études en France' confirmation / NOC (where applicable)Required
Most Indian students must complete the Campus France pre-consular procedure before booking the visa appointment.
- Valid passportRequired
Valid for the study period, issued within last 10 years, with blank pages.
- Recent biometric passport photosRequired
Schengen/ICAO specification.
Admission & Academic
3 items- Letter of admission / enrolment certificate from the French institutionRequired
- Previous academic certificates, transcripts and degreesRequired
- Language proficiency proof (French / English) where required by the programme
Financial Means
3 items- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the study periodRequired
France references a monthly minimum for students; show funds covering tuition + living costs (bank statements, scholarship letter, sponsor proof).
- Scholarship letter (if applicable)
- Sponsor / parent financial documents + relationship proof (if sponsored)
Accommodation & Insurance
2 items- Proof of accommodation in FranceRequired
Student residence, rental agreement, or host attestation.
- Health insurance / coverage as required for the long-stay categoryRequired
Students are generally affiliated to the French health system on arrival; carry initial coverage as required by the consulate.
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
6 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Secure admission
Obtain a confirmed admission / enrolment from a recognised French higher-education institution for a course over 90 days.
- 02
Complete the Campus France 'Études en France' procedure
Where applicable, create your Campus France account, submit your file and attend the interview before the visa stage.
- 03
Complete the France-Visas long-stay application
Fill the Type D application online at france-visas.gouv.fr; print and sign the form and receipt.
- 04
Book the VFS appointment
Book the biometrics appointment at your jurisdiction's VFS Global France VAC.
- 05
Submit in person
Attend VFS — give biometrics, submit the file, pay the fees. The Type D is decided by the French immigration authorities; allow several weeks.
- 06
Validate the visa after arrival
If issued a VLS-TS long-stay visa, validate it online within 3 months of arriving in France — it then acts as your first-year residence permit.
What works
4 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Start the Campus France 'Études en France' procedure early — the visa cannot be booked until that step is complete for most programmes.
- Long-stay decisions take longer than short-stay — apply as soon as your admission and Campus France steps are done.
- Keep proof of funds well above the minimum; insufficient means of subsistence is a common refusal reason.
- If issued a VLS-TS, set a reminder to validate it online within 3 months of arrival — failing to validate makes your stay irregular.
What kills cases
Top 3 refusal triggers we see.
- 1No confirmed admission / incomplete Campus France procedure
- 2Insufficient proof of means of subsistence for the study period
- 3Doubts about the genuineness of the study plan or academic progression
Download official forms
Official forms are hosted by VFS Global — we don't host third-party forms ourselves, so you always get the latest version.
How to download from VFS:
- Click the form name below — opens the official VFS Global page for France
- Select the visa category you're applying for (e.g. Tourist, Business, Student)
- Scroll down to the "Download Form" section at the bottom
- Click the PDF icon next to the form name → saves to your device
France-Visas online application form (Schengen Type C)
Create an account, complete the online application, then print and sign the generated form + the France-Visas receipt. There is no separate downloadable paper form — the form is generated online.
France-Visas Visa Wizard (eligibility + document list)
Answer the wizard questions to get the exact visa type and the personalised document checklist for your purpose of travel.
VFS Global France (India) appointment booking
After completing France-Visas online, book the biometrics appointment at your jurisdiction's VFS France VAC.
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for France Student Visa (National Type D — Long Stay) is a free 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Free · No obligation · Reply in minutesFrequently asked
Questions, answered straight
A Type C is a Schengen short-stay visa for courses under 90 days. A Type D is a National long-stay visa for courses over 90 days, decided by the French immigration authorities — it is the visa most degree-seeking Indian students need and can double as a first-year residence permit (VLS-TS).
For most higher-education programmes, yes — Indian students complete the Campus France 'Études en France' pre-consular procedure before the visa step. Always confirm via the France-Visas Visa Wizard and Campus France India whether your programme requires it.
Processing for the Type D is longer than short-stay and varies — allow several weeks after completing Campus France. Fees are set by the consulate and differ from the short-stay fee; verify the current amount on france-visas.gouv.fr before applying.
The VLS-TS is a long-stay visa that serves as a residence permit. After arriving in France you must validate it online within 3 months — this regularises your stay for the first year. Failing to validate leaves your residence irregular.
Still have a question about your case? Ask us directly — we usually reply in 5 minutes.
Before you apply
Two ways to file your France visa.
One quietly burns your fee, your trip and your record. The other gets it right the first time.
Do it yourself
The risky route
- You guess which papers France actually wants — one missing or wrongly-framed document triggers a refusal.
- You copy a cover letter off YouTube or Google — often the exact template embassies already flag as weak.
- You apply during a known peak-rejection window without realising it.
- Embassy & VFS fees are non-refundable — refused means your money, flights and leave are gone.
- One refusal stamp follows you for life — every future visa, anywhere, must declare it.
The gamble
One mistake = fee, flights & record gone
With SureshotVisa
Professionally guided
- A licensed consultant checks your case honestly before you spend a rupee on embassy fees.
- We build your France file the way the embassy approves — documents, cover letter, financials.
- We catch the weak-ties, funding and intent issues behind most Indian refusals — and fix them first.
- We've rescued hundreds of files that were already refused once and got them approved.
- Govt of Punjab licensed (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024) · 1200+ approvals.
Typical result
1200+ approvals · refused files rescued
Why DIY goes wrong
How a self-filed application turns into a refusal.
- 1
You feel ready
A few YouTube videos make the process look simple.
- 2
You file it yourself
You submit a sensitive France visa file on your own.
- 3
One detail misreads
A small framing slip looks like weak ties or unclear intent.
- 4
Refusal
Now every future visa, anywhere, must declare it.
Once you've been refused, you learn the hard way how much the small details mattered. We'd rather you never collect that first stamp.
Trusted by students & parents
We've helped many students & parents get their France visa — the easy way.
From first-time France visa applicants to cases that were refused elsewhere, our licensed team has guided students & parents through France's exact requirements — so the file is approved the first time, without the stress, guesswork or risk of a refusal.
Other France Visa Types
France Tourist Visa (Schengen Type C — Short Stay)
Schengen short-stay visa for Indian citizens travelling to France for tourism, sightseeing and leisure — up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Apply online via France-Visas, biometrics at VFS.
View guideFrance Business Visa (Schengen Type C)
Schengen short-stay business visa for Indian professionals attending meetings, negotiations, conferences or contracts in France — up to 90 days. Apply online via France-Visas, biometrics at VFS.
View guideFrance Visit Visa (Family & Friends — Schengen Type C)
Schengen short-stay visa for Indian citizens visiting family or friends living in France — up to 90 days. Apply online via France-Visas, biometrics at VFS.
View guideFrance Work Visa / Permit (National Type D — Information Only)
Information only — France work visas / permits are National (Type D) long-stay categories. SureshotVisa does NOT process or provide France work visas or work permits.
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global France website and Embassy of France. Last verified 2026-06-09. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
Ready?
Want us to check your France visa case?
Share your travel purpose, employment/business profile, funds, and any previous refusal letter. We'll tell you honestly where your file stands.