Visa & Passport Information

Starting around mid-April, the Office of Study Abroad will send you several detailed emails about the steps you need to take to obtain your student visa. Visa requirements are always subject to change, but here is an overview of what to expect:  

Step 1: Complete a Campus France “Etudes en France” Application 

Timeframe: This will be completed as soon as you have received your acceptance letters from 1) Sciences Po and 2) Institut de Touraine

Step 2: Complete your online visa application with France Visas

Timeframe: You can only fill out your online student visa application after your Etudes en France application has been reviewed and processed by French authorities. This should be completed as early as May 1st and no later than May 15th. 

Step 3: Book and Attend your VFS appointment

Once you submit your visa application digitally, you will print single-sided color copies of all of your application materials and attend an in-person appointment at the VFS center of your choice (the U.S. locations are in Washington D.C., Boston, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco). 

Timeframe: You should book your VFS appointment as soon as you possibly can, and no later than June 15th. You will leave your passport at the VFS center and receive it in the mail 6-8 weeks after your appointment. Because of this, you will not be able to travel internationally while your visa is being processed. Plan your summer accordingly!

Step 4: Validate your Visa once you’ve arrived in France

Our on-site staff will help guide you through this final step once you arrive in France. There is an additional 50 euro validation fee payable by credit card.

No. You do not need to apply for a French student visa if you are an EU citizen. You may travel using your European passport. However, we recommend traveling with your American passport as well if you are a dual citizen. 

In the event of a lost/stolen passport, students are advised to take these immediate steps:

1) report the loss/theft to local authorities

2) follow the protocols posted by the US Department of State

3) contact ISOS to open a case

4) Alert the on-site director of your program

5) Alert the Office of Study Abroad

As unfortunate as this situation is, students will need to be self-directed, making use of the Embassy and/or consular resources in the country in which the event occurred. It should be noted that the emergency passport often issued by the US Department of State as a replacement for a lost/stolen passport is NOT automatically recognized by all countries, including some in the Schengen Area (France, for example). Students will therefore need to learn the most secure means of travel back to their host country/institution. Depending on that country and its respective regulations, the student's future travel may be curtailed out of necessity.

Given the fact that international rules and regulations will dictate proper procedures and future travel, students and their families should be aware that ISOS, the Office of Study Abroad, the College of the Holy Cross, and on-site staff have no ability to influence and/or change the conditions that a student may face. As gathered by the student, information provided by the US Embassy or Consul within the country(s) in question will stand as the guiding and ultimate authority. 

Here are some recommendations to prevent/insure against a lost or stolen passport:

• Keep photocopies of your passport and visa (if applicable) both at home in the US and in your room abroad when you travel

• Keep photos of your passport/visa on your phone

• Always keep your passport on your person in a zipped and/or hidden pocket, especially when riding public transportation

• When traveling, always lock your passport in a hotel safe, if available

• Learn the rules of your host country: if you are not required to have your passport on your person when traveling internally, leave it in your room. Travel instead with your school and/or other forms of ID.

For more information about the risk of travel and student responsibilities during their study abroad term, students are strongly encouraged to re-read the Study Abroad Student Contract and Conduct Policy which they signed as a requirement for submission of their study abroad application.