You may apply for a visa at the Consulate General of France in Atlanta if you are a resident in the following states: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee (please provide a copy of your driving license).
1. Long stay visas and residence permit
If you plan on staying in France for longer than 3 months, you will need, in addition to the visa, to apply for a residence permit ("carte de séjour") within two months of entry into France.
For that purpose, the visa you will be issued will only be valid to allow your entry into the French territory (3 months validity).
You will then need to go to the Prefecture (local administration office) to apply for that residence permit, which will be valid for 1 year, renewable in France. You will not be able to get this permit without first getting the visain your country of residence.
You must obtain your student/internship visa while in the USA. The visa cannot be issued once the applicant is in France.
For that purpose, the visa you will be issued will only be valid to allow your entry into the French territory (3 months validity).
You will then need to go to the Prefecture (local administration office) to apply for that residence permit, which will be valid for 1 year, renewable in France. You will not be able to get this permit without first getting the visain your country of residence.
You must obtain your student/internship visa while in the USA. The visa cannot be issued once the applicant is in France.
2. Do I need a visa?
Yes, except if you are a citizen of Switzerland, Andorra, Vatican, San Marino, Monaco or of the European Economic Area :
| Austria | Belgium | Bulgaria | Cyprus |
| Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia | Finland |
| Germany | Great-Britain | Greece | Hungary |
| Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Latvia |
| Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malta |
| The Netherlands | Norway | Poland | Portugal |
| Romania | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain |
| Sweden |
3. How to make an appointment?
For security reasons, all applicants have to appear personally at the Consulate General of France in Atlanta.
The visa section is open to the public on an appointment basis, with no walk-ins allowed.
Make an appointment by clicking here.
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Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher
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IF YOU CANNOT PRINT YOUR CONFIRMATION RECEIPT IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. Simply show up on the date and time of your appointment .
No appointment can be made by phone or by e-mailing us. If you are not able to attend, please free a slot by canceling your appointment.
Make sure you bring all the required documents when coming to the Consulate General.
The visa section is open to the public on an appointment basis, with no walk-ins allowed.
Make an appointment by clicking here.
To use the system, the following configuration is required :
Firefox 1.0 and higher
Mozilla 1.7.8 and higher
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher
Adobe Acrobat reader and higher
Allow pop-ups
IF YOU CANNOT PRINT YOUR CONFIRMATION RECEIPT IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. Simply show up on the date and time of your appointment .
No appointment can be made by phone or by e-mailing us. If you are not able to attend, please free a slot by canceling your appointment.
Make sure you bring all the required documents when coming to the Consulate General.
4. Processing time
2 months for citizens from:
| Afghanistan | Algeria | Bahrain |
| Burma | Burundi | Colombia |
| Congo DRC | Egypt | Indonesia |
| Iraq | Iran | Jordan |
| North Korea | Kuwait | Lebanon |
| Libya | Oman | Pakistan |
| Palestinians | Philippines | Qatar |
| US Re-entry permit | US Refugee travel document | Rwanda |
| Saudi Arabia | Sudan | Suriname |
| Syria | Yemen | United Arab Emirates |
| Zimbabwe |
It may take about 21 days for all other nationalities.
Applications cannot be processed more than 3 months from your departure date.
5. Requirements
Please provide us with the original + copies of each document. The visa section does not make any copies, you must bring your documents and the required number of copies.
A missing document or photocopy = an incomplete visa file = high risk of delay in obtaining the visa.
Attention! (a) This simplified list is intended only for students applying through CampusFrance. It is not a substitute for the more detailed information appearing on consular Web sites. _ (b) Consulates cannot make photocopies for applicants. _ © Applicants are required to appear in person at the consulate only once. The applicant’s passport, containing the visa (visas are never granted on the spot), will be returned to the student using a secure form of delivery provided by the student. The consulate assumes no responsibility in case of loss. This rule does not apply at the consulate in New York, where the visa must be picked up by the student or a designated representative, who then takes possession of the passport, which is not retained by the consulate. _
Please note: An extended-stay student visa (for periods of more than 3 months) cannot be combined with a tourist visit of less than 3 months, which does not require a visa. At the discretion of the consular officer, applicants may be required to provide documents in addition to those listed below.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO BRING TO YOUR VISA APPOINTMENT:
- COPY: A copy of the student’s official acceptance letter or acknowledgment of enrollment, addressed to the student and mentioning his or her full name, printed on institutional letterhead and specifying the exact dates (day, month, year) of the academic program and including full contact information for the individual issuing the offer or acknowledgment, as well as the full address of the educational institution. Said address may serve as the student’s temporary address in France. Three cases are possible:
(a) Students taking part in an exchange program between an American and a French institution. In this case, the acceptance or enrollment letter may be issued from either institution provided the formal exchange agreement is identified and the information specified above is provided.
b) Students enrolling directly in a French institution as an independent student. In this case, the acceptance or enrollment letter must be from the admitting institution and include all of the information specified above.
c) Students enrolling in an American program in France (operated by an American institution with a branch inFrance). In this case, the acceptance or enrollment letter must come from the American institution and include all of the information specified above.
- COPY: An e-mail message from CampusFrance (entitled “confirmation e-mail”) informing the student that he or she may begin preparations to apply to the consulate for the visa (make appointment, collect documents). Attention! This message should not be confused with the earlier message from CampusFrance notifying the student of the creation of his or her CampusFrance account, or with the message indicating that a receipt for payment was available for download.
- COPY: Receipt for payment issued by CampusFrance (does not apply to exempted students).
- ORIGINALS: 2 application forms for extended-stay visa (downloadable), completed and signed.
- 2 recent photographs in U.S. passport photo format.
- ORIGINAL + 1 PHOTOCOPY:
U.S. citizens: (i) Passport in good condition, with a date of expiration at least 3 months after the end of the student’s proposed stay in the Schengen area, issued within the past 10 years and containing at least 2 blank pages. (ii) Photocopy of the pages containing the passport holder’s personal data.
Citizens of third countries: (i) Passport in good condition, with a date of expiration at least 3 months after the end of the student’s proposed stay in the Schengen area, issued within the past 10 years and containing at least 2 blank pages. (ii) Photocopy of the pages containing the passport holder’s personal data plus proof of legal presence in the United States (green card, visa, I-20, etc.).
- Visa application and processing fee (nonrefundable) in the U.S. dollar equivalent of €50 (check your local consulate’s Web site as the rate of exchange changes frequently). Exceptions: Recipients of scholarshipsfrom the French government or European Union (Chateaubriand, Eiffel, Franco-American Fulbright Commission, Erasmus Mundus, Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie) are not required to pay the application and processing fee.
- ORIGINAL + 1 PHOTOCOPY: Proof of sufficient means of support
Nonscholarship students must prove that they have access to at least $700 per month. Proof may be provided in the form of (i) a bank statement showing a balance of $700 multiplied by the number of months to be spent in France, or (ii) a notarized statement from a guarantor declaring that the guarantor will provide the student applicant with at least $700 per month, accompanied by the guarantor’s most recent bank statement.
Scholarship and financial aid students: Letter of scholarship award specifying amount and duration of award, issued by the financial aid office of the student applicant’s home institution.
- ORIGINAL: French immigration (OFII) form (available online on the Web sites of all French consulates), with the upper portion filled out by the applicant. Applicants are requested to print their e-mail address very carefully to avoid any risk of confusion or error. Applicants will be notified of their appointment by e-mail.
- ORIGINAL + 1 PHOTOCOPY: Positive proof of residence in the geographic area for which the consulate is responsible.
Lease or rental agreement in the applicant’s name or a notarized statement from the owner or leaseholder plus a recent (utility) bill in the applicant’s name
or the applicant’s driver’s license issued by a state falling within the consulate’s jurisdiction
or a valid student ID card (or a statement issued within the past 2 months from the registrar of your university, which must be located in the consulate’s jurisdiction.
- AIRLINE TICKET OR RESERVATION: An airline reservation showing date of departure or a handwritten and legible statement from the applicant indicating the intended date of departure, as well as a formal commitment not to depart before that date. It is not possible to modify the start date of a visa once the application is made.
A missing document or photocopy = an incomplete visa file = high risk of delay in obtaining the visa.
Attention! (a) This simplified list is intended only for students applying through CampusFrance. It is not a substitute for the more detailed information appearing on consular Web sites. _ (b) Consulates cannot make photocopies for applicants. _ © Applicants are required to appear in person at the consulate only once. The applicant’s passport, containing the visa (visas are never granted on the spot), will be returned to the student using a secure form of delivery provided by the student. The consulate assumes no responsibility in case of loss. This rule does not apply at the consulate in New York, where the visa must be picked up by the student or a designated representative, who then takes possession of the passport, which is not retained by the consulate. _
Please note: An extended-stay student visa (for periods of more than 3 months) cannot be combined with a tourist visit of less than 3 months, which does not require a visa. At the discretion of the consular officer, applicants may be required to provide documents in addition to those listed below.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO BRING TO YOUR VISA APPOINTMENT:
- COPY: A copy of the student’s official acceptance letter or acknowledgment of enrollment, addressed to the student and mentioning his or her full name, printed on institutional letterhead and specifying the exact dates (day, month, year) of the academic program and including full contact information for the individual issuing the offer or acknowledgment, as well as the full address of the educational institution. Said address may serve as the student’s temporary address in France. Three cases are possible:
(a) Students taking part in an exchange program between an American and a French institution. In this case, the acceptance or enrollment letter may be issued from either institution provided the formal exchange agreement is identified and the information specified above is provided.
b) Students enrolling directly in a French institution as an independent student. In this case, the acceptance or enrollment letter must be from the admitting institution and include all of the information specified above.
c) Students enrolling in an American program in France (operated by an American institution with a branch inFrance). In this case, the acceptance or enrollment letter must come from the American institution and include all of the information specified above.
- COPY: An e-mail message from CampusFrance (entitled “confirmation e-mail”) informing the student that he or she may begin preparations to apply to the consulate for the visa (make appointment, collect documents). Attention! This message should not be confused with the earlier message from CampusFrance notifying the student of the creation of his or her CampusFrance account, or with the message indicating that a receipt for payment was available for download.
- COPY: Receipt for payment issued by CampusFrance (does not apply to exempted students).
- ORIGINALS: 2 application forms for extended-stay visa (downloadable), completed and signed.
- 2 recent photographs in U.S. passport photo format.
- ORIGINAL + 1 PHOTOCOPY:
U.S. citizens: (i) Passport in good condition, with a date of expiration at least 3 months after the end of the student’s proposed stay in the Schengen area, issued within the past 10 years and containing at least 2 blank pages. (ii) Photocopy of the pages containing the passport holder’s personal data.
Citizens of third countries: (i) Passport in good condition, with a date of expiration at least 3 months after the end of the student’s proposed stay in the Schengen area, issued within the past 10 years and containing at least 2 blank pages. (ii) Photocopy of the pages containing the passport holder’s personal data plus proof of legal presence in the United States (green card, visa, I-20, etc.).
- Visa application and processing fee (nonrefundable) in the U.S. dollar equivalent of €50 (check your local consulate’s Web site as the rate of exchange changes frequently). Exceptions: Recipients of scholarshipsfrom the French government or European Union (Chateaubriand, Eiffel, Franco-American Fulbright Commission, Erasmus Mundus, Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie) are not required to pay the application and processing fee.
- ORIGINAL + 1 PHOTOCOPY: Proof of sufficient means of support
Nonscholarship students must prove that they have access to at least $700 per month. Proof may be provided in the form of (i) a bank statement showing a balance of $700 multiplied by the number of months to be spent in France, or (ii) a notarized statement from a guarantor declaring that the guarantor will provide the student applicant with at least $700 per month, accompanied by the guarantor’s most recent bank statement.
Scholarship and financial aid students: Letter of scholarship award specifying amount and duration of award, issued by the financial aid office of the student applicant’s home institution.
- ORIGINAL: French immigration (OFII) form (available online on the Web sites of all French consulates), with the upper portion filled out by the applicant. Applicants are requested to print their e-mail address very carefully to avoid any risk of confusion or error. Applicants will be notified of their appointment by e-mail.
- ORIGINAL + 1 PHOTOCOPY: Positive proof of residence in the geographic area for which the consulate is responsible.
Lease or rental agreement in the applicant’s name or a notarized statement from the owner or leaseholder plus a recent (utility) bill in the applicant’s name
or the applicant’s driver’s license issued by a state falling within the consulate’s jurisdiction
or a valid student ID card (or a statement issued within the past 2 months from the registrar of your university, which must be located in the consulate’s jurisdiction.
- AIRLINE TICKET OR RESERVATION: An airline reservation showing date of departure or a handwritten and legible statement from the applicant indicating the intended date of departure, as well as a formal commitment not to depart before that date. It is not possible to modify the start date of a visa once the application is made.
- A self-addressed prepaid EXPRESS MAIL envelope from the US POST OFFICE, FEDEX and UPS.
Please stick the mailing label on the envelope and fill out as follows :
FROM :
CONSULATE GENERAL OF FRANCE
3399 PEACHTREE ROAD NE, SUITE 500
ATLANTA, GA 30326
TO :
Your full name
Your address
List of the documents required as word document:
Please stick the mailing label on the envelope and fill out as follows :
FROM :
CONSULATE GENERAL OF FRANCE
3399 PEACHTREE ROAD NE, SUITE 500
ATLANTA, GA 30326
TO :
Your full name
Your address
List of the documents required as word document:
- list of documents required
6. Important information
The consular administration has full authority to evaluate and request more documents than those submitted by the applicant.
Please be aware that submitting the aforementioned documents does not guarantee the approval of the visa.
Please note that holders of visas are still subject to immigration control upon first entry into France. The visaitself does not grant the right to enter France.
Please be aware that submitting the aforementioned documents does not guarantee the approval of the visa.
Please note that holders of visas are still subject to immigration control upon first entry into France. The visaitself does not grant the right to enter France.