How do you validate a VLS-TS visa when coming to France?

If you come to France on a VLS-TS visa and intend to stay permanently, you must remember to ‘validate’ the visa in the first three months.

This is carried out online at administrationetrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers by clicking Je valide mon VLS-TS.

Insert the visa number in the box. This can be found at the top of the visa in your passport.

When completing this process, frais de séjour (residency costs) are due, eg. €225 for a ‘visitor’ or a spouse of a French person or €50 for a student or stagiaire.

The fees are payable with timbres fiscaux obtained from a tabac shop or online at timbres.impots.gouv.fr.

While you have three months to do this it is preferable to do it as soon as possible. People arriving on visas requiring them to apply for a residency permit in the first two months, apply via this same website.

People coming for a temporary stay of up to six months (usually) do not need to go through this ‘validation’ process.

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