Requesting or renewing a residence permit
Regardless of the permit type, any request for a residence permit will involve certain mandatory documents. To find out what you need according to your current situation, click on your status below!
If your visa or residence permit expires soon, you will need to request a renewal on the ANEF website. If needed, the CMI Brest can offer assistance throughout the entire process.
Ceci est la légende de l'image / ©iStockphoto.com
You need to send your request early on, ideally 3-4 months before your long-stay visa or residence permit expires, or, at the very latest, 2 months before its expiry date.
If you feel unsure about the process or what document to send, contact us!
If you are Algerian and have been granted a Student visa, you will have to request a Student residence permit on the ANEF website within two months of your arrival in France.
Documents needed:
- A valid passport (ID page, and any page bearing a stamp or visa)
- Student visa
- Birth certificate with parents' names
- ID e-photo (with code), respecting French norms.
- Proof of residence:
- If you live in a student residence: a recent (less than 3 months old) certificate indicating you live there.
- If you rent a room/apartment: your lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate for the room/apartment.
- If you own your home: certificate of ownership OR tax slip, with a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate.
- If you are housed free of charge: housing certificate signed by your lodger AND a copy of their passport/ID card (if French) or valid residence permit (if foreigner) AND their lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in their name.
- If you live in a hotel: hotel certificate less than 3 months old AND last month's bill.
- Proof of enrollment in higher education
- Proof of resources (min. of 615€/month):
- You have a guarantor who lives outside of France: proof of monthly transfer signed and stamped by their bank
- You have a guarantor who lives in France: certificate of support (mentioning the amount given per month) AND latest tax report AND 3 last payslips AND proof of identity (residence permit or French ID card)
- You receive a grant: grant certificate
- You have a student job (CDI only): work contract and last 3 payslips
- Contract agreeing to respect the values of the French republic
If you arrived in France before your 18th birthday and have been granted a "Mineur scolarisé" visa, you need to request a Student residence permit within 2 months after your 18th birthday.
Documents needed:
- A valid passport (ID page, and any page bearing a stamp or visa)
- "Mineur scolarisé" visa
- Birth certificate with parents' names
- ID e-photo (with code), respecting French norms.
- Proof of residence:
- If you live in a student residence: a recent (less than 3 months old) certificate indicating you live there.
- If you rent a room/apartment: your lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate for the room/apartment.
- If you own your home: certificate of ownership OR tax slip, with a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate.
- If you are housed free of charge: housing certificate signed by your lodger AND a copy of their passport/ID card (if French) or valid residence permit (if foreigner) AND their lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in their name.
- If you live in a hotel: hotel certificate less than 3 months old AND last month's bill.
- Proof of enrollment in higher education
- Proof of resources (min. of 615€/month):
- You have a guarantor who lives outside of France: proof of monthly transfer signed and stamped by their bank
- You have a guarantor who lives in France: certificate of support (mentioning the amount given per month) AND latest tax report AND 3 last payslips AND proof of identity (residence permit or French ID card)
- You receive a grant: grant certificate
- You have a student job (CDI only): work contract and last 3 payslips
- Contract agreeing to respect the values of the French republic
If your file is complete, we will give you an appointment at the sous-préfecture. Appointments are held on Tuesday mornings. The proof of appointment can excuse you from class if needed, and the sous-préfecture can confirm your presence.
At the end of the appointment, you will receive a récépissé, which will prove the legality of your stay.
If you took an exam in France to come and study here, you need to make a request directly to us, the CMI Brest, the procedure is not available online yet!
Documents needed:
- A valid passport (ID page, and any page bearing a stamp or visa)
- Student visa with "Etudiant concours" mention
- Campus France certificate detailing the exam taken
- Birth certificate with parents' names
- ID photo (no e-photo needed!), respecting French norms.
- Proof of residence:
- If you live in a student residence: a recent (less than 3 months old) certificate indicating you live there.
- If you rent a room/apartment: your lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate for the room/apartment.
- If you own your home: certificate of ownership OR tax slip, with a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate.
- If you are housed free of charge: housing certificate signed by your lodger AND a copy of their passport/ID card (if French) or valid residence permit (if foreigner) AND their lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in their name.
- If you live in a hotel: hotel certificate less than 3 months old AND last month's bill.
- Proof of enrollment in higher education
- Proof of resources (min. of 615€/month):
- You have a guarantor who lives outside of France: proof of monthly transfer signed and stamped by their bank
- You have a guarantor who lives in France: certificate of support (mentioning the amount given per month) AND latest tax report AND 3 last payslips AND proof of identity (residence permit or French ID card)
- You receive a grant: grant certificate
- You have a student job (CDI only): work contract and last 3 payslips
- Contract agreeing to respect the values of the French republic
If your file is complete, we will give you an appointment at the sous-préfecture. Appointments are held on Tuesday mornings. The proof of appointment can excuse you from class if needed, and the sous-préfecture can confirm your presence.
At the end of the appointment, you will receive a récépissé, which will prove the legality of your stay.
If you came with a visa obtained in Mayotte, you must request a residence permit in a paper format, by sending us the following documents, within two months of your arrival in France.
Documents needed:
- A valid passport (ID page, and any page bearing a stamp or visa)
- Student visa obtained in Mayotte
- Birth certificate with parents' names
- ID photo (no e-photo needed!), respecting French norms.
- Proof of residence:
- If you live in a student residence: a recent (less than 3 months old) certificate indicating you live there.
- If you rent a room/apartment: your lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate for the room/apartment.
- If you own your home: certificate of ownership OR tax slip, with a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in your name, or if you receive no bill, an insurance certificate.
- If you are housed free of charge: housing certificate signed by your lodger AND a copy of their passport/ID card (if French) or valid residence permit (if foreigner) AND their lease AND a recent (less than 3 months old) bill for water/gas/electricity in their name.
- If you live in a hotel: hotel certificate less than 3 months old AND last month's bill.
- Proof of enrollment in higher education
- Proof of resources (min. of 615€/month):
- You have a guarantor who lives outside of France: proof of monthly transfer signed and stamped by their bank
- You have a guarantor who lives in France: certificate of support (mentioning the amount given per month) AND latest tax report AND 3 last payslips AND proof of identity (residence permit or French ID card)
- You receive a grant: grant certificate
- You have a student job (CDI only): work contract and last 3 payslips
- Contract agreeing to respect the values of the French republic
If your file is complete, we will give you an appointment at the sous-préfecture. Appointments are held on Tuesday mornings. The proof of appointment can excuse you from class if needed, and the sous-préfecture can confirm your presence.
At the end of the appointment, you will receive a récépissé, which will prove the legality of your stay.
Do you have a residence permit covering more than a year?
As you may be controlled, we advise that you keep some documents (see list below) to prove your situation and to renew your residence permit.
Infos pratiques pour vous aider :
Le CMI de Brest a préparé des fiches pratiques pour vous aider à déposer les bonnes pièces du dossier et assurer que votre dossier soit traité dans les délais.
Webinar "Renewing a residence permit"
The CMI Brest holds monthly webinars to help you renew your permit. See our agenda for the next webinars.
To inform the government of the loss of your permit, follow the procedure on the official website for the French government.
Address is mandatory for permits covering more than one year only. Any change can be notified through the ANEF website. If you have a one-year or shorter permit, no need to notify the change, you can do that during your next renewal.
Be aware, notifying a change means a new permit will be made, which means another tax to pay and a permit to pick up. Not picking up the permit will prevent you from renewing it.
Missing a document?
Any incomplete file may be refused by the sous-préfecture, make sure to check everything is up-to-date.
If you are missing a document, make sure to replace it with a document explaining when the document in question will be available. Do not wait to send your request, even if a document is missing!