Renewing a student residence permit is a mandatory step for any international student who wishes to continue their studies in France. However, every year, many applications sent to the prefectures are rejected or delayed because of mistakes that, let us be honest, could have been avoided. And the consequences can be disastrous: in fact, you can be refused access to an internship or a job if your residence permit is not up to date. It is even becoming impossible for you to travel abroad and return to the host country... To help you renew your residence permit in peace of mind, we review the most frequent mistakes that should not be repeated:
One of the most common mistakes is applying for renewal too early. Contrary to what one might think, an advance request does not guarantee faster processing! In fact, according to the recommendations of theANEF (Digital Administration for Foreigners in France => the online platform where you will have to apply), it is preferable to file your application as soon as possible in 4 months prior to expiration date of your residence permit. A premature request is simply at risk of being rejected.
If submitting your application too early is a mistake, waiting until the last moment is even more so. Many students wait until the day before their residence permit expires to start the process, or sometimes even forget that their residence permit has expired! This exposes them to the risk of running out of time, especially if documents are missing or if the ANEF platform encounters malfunctions. In this case, the request must be made no later than 2 months before the expiration date of your residence permit.
An incomplete file is the first cause of rejection or waiting by prefectures. It is essential that you carefully consult the list of required documents (school certificate, proof of resources, certificate of residence, etc.) and to ensure that they are up to date. Attention: each document must be legible and translated into French if it was issued in another language.
Students must prove that they have a sufficient monthly amount to meet their needs. In 2025, this amount is set at approximately 615 euros per month (or 7380 euros per year). Note: students who provide incomplete bank statements or statements from non-personal accounts are systematically rejected. In addition, guarantors must now have a minimum net income of €3,000/month and can no longer vouch for several students since 2023.
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Learn more about the Studely balance certificate.
Since the digitization of procedures, renewal applications are made via the ANEF platform for students. So be careful: if you still use the old PDF forms or try to file a physical file at the prefecture (and without an appointment), you will receive a refusal.
These documents are essential to prove your student status and your access to care. It is not enough to have been enrolled the previous year: each academic year requires a renewal of health insurance registration and the payment of the CVEC (Contribution de Vie Étudiante et de Campus).
The school certificate must be Recent (in other words, for the current year) and issued by an institution recognized by the State. Documents written by hand, scanned from a smartphone, poorly legible or without an official signature are often invalidated.
The address provided must be stable, justifiable (rent receipt, EDF, etc.) and correspond to the place where you actually live. Even if student life can sometimes be quite hectic in terms of housing, you should not forget that an erroneous or fictional address condemns you to a refusal from the prefecture.
To renew a student residence permit, it is necessary to demonstrate a certain coherence and progress in your studies. Multiple duplications or frequent changes of courses without understandable justification can raise suspicions of diverted stay...
The platform ANEF allows you to follow the progress of the file. Some students do not consult their personal space and miss requests for supplements or corrections, which can suspend or cause the procedure to fail. Be very vigilant!
Students who arrive in France under the “minor in school” visa must complete a first application for a residence permit once they are of legal age. Many forget this formality and find themselves in an irregular situation.
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