How long does it to take to receive the student visa after submitting an application at VFS?.
The average processing duration is 1 month and it depends on the quality of your application, except when someone is applying for a course that involves French national security like Aeronautical, Chemical, Nuclear, Space, etc.
Ex: Someone who did their internship at HAL/DRDO and applying for ISAE-Supaero.
There are students who had received their visas after 3 months.
- Rare situations where the delay is from VFS/Embassy/Consulate.
- Every visa application is unique. So, there is no point in comparing the duration with others. Example: 2 students going to the same school, who had submitted their applications in the same VFS at the same time, had a processing duration of 2 weeks and 1 month respectively.
An example for an ideal application that might be processed in 2 weeks.
- A 100% completely filled visa application.
- Admission to a Grande école.
- Having a CROUS accommodation.
- Funds covering the entire course duration via a scholarship or a nationalized bank loan.
- Application submitted minimum 2 months before the date of travel or course starting date.
- A good cover letter explaining the motivations.
An example for a bad application that might get rejected or delayed.
- An incomplete visa application.
- A non-recognized college with no RNCP or similar certification.
- AirBnb or hotel accommodation
- Parents or self sponsoring but not submitting the required financial proofs.
- Application submitted very close to the date of travel or course starting date.
- A very poor cover letter.
If your student visa is rejected, you should reapply only after identifying the errors and correcting them. There is no point in thinking about appealing against the decision because it has to be done only at Nantes, France.
Disclaimer:
- These points are based on personal experiences and observations made since 2014.
- My own application was completed in less than 3 weeks including the passport collection at VFS Chennai.
All the best. Welcome soon to France
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It will be good if Campus France appln/NOC is covered as many delays, in the recent past have happened owing to delays in CF processing/Incomplete CF applications
Thanks for your suggestion. It will be covered in future posts.