Under-18 Students

All students are expected to maintain legal residency status in France while studying at AUP. Navigating French immigration requirements can be daunting, but we are here to help.  

All non-European Union nationals must secure a student visa before arriving in Paris for Orientation. For non-European national students under 18, the visa will be a minor visa (“visa pour mineur scolarisé”). If you turn 18 a few weeks after your intended arrival in France, the French Consulate may decide to issue you a long-term student visa instead.Contact your AUP Admission Counselor once you receive your acceptance pack to review what is required and to start the visa application.   

Once on campus, AUP’s Student Immigration Services (SIS) will assist you with the next steps regarding immigration, helping make a potentially confusing process an orderly and effective one. 

Required reading: Student Immigration Policy 

THE PROCEDURE

Since you currently hold a visa "mineur scolarisé" which needs to be turned into a residency permit from your 18th birthday, you must contact SIS one month before you turn 18 to request the list of required documents for this process. 

You will then have two weeks to gather the necessary documents, including:  

• Your passport 

• Your minor visa 

• A copy of your birth certificate in either English or French 

• E-photos taken in a photo booth in Paris 

• Proof of financial aid from parents 

• Your entrance stamp or boarding pass (confirming the day you entered France or the EU) 

• A valid home address in France (in Paris or outside Paris) 

• Your AUP email address 

Student about to turn 18 who live inside Paris will meet with SIS to review all documents and prepare the request to apply for a residency permit. SIS will then arrange an appointment for you to go in person to the Préfecture de Police to submit your application. Assuming the application is approved, you will be granted a récépissé (temporary residency card) while the permanent card is being prepared. When the permanent card is ready, you will receive an invitation by email to retrieve the card in person. 

Students about to turn 18 who live outside of Paris will meet with SIS to complete the application online.  

Students entering France on a minor visa are not authorized to travel outside of the country between the time they turn 18 and the time they secure a new residency permit. Please contact Student Immigration Services for more information. 

CONTACT SIS

The Student Immigration Services Office at AUP is available throughout your studies for assistance in working with local authorities to fulfill your visa and residency permit requirements. We maintain confidential records of residency cards, passports, visas and birth certificates. Please contact us to make sure your records are updated, or if you have any questions or concerns. 

While we are here to help you every step of the way, it is your responsibility to maintain legal residency status in France. Any student who does not respect French immigration policy will not benefit from assistance from the University, and re-admission to the University will be made on a case-by-case basis. The Immigration Office of AUP hereby declines responsibility for any consequences which result from a non-EU student illegally entering France without valid documentation.