International Students in France Complain About Long Delays in Obtaining Residence Permits

International students in France are increasingly dealing with delays in receiving residence permits – a crucial document for this category to be able to continue their stay in the country.

Frequent and long delays have prompted international students in France to take their frustration to the streets, protesting over the matter, Schengen.News reports. 

On February 8, a group of students demonstrated at the Colmar prefecture to denounce these delays, seeking French authorities to improve their efforts to prevent such delays. 

Several groups including here the Human Rights League, the Communist Party and France Insoumise expressed their support for international students. It is estimated that thousands of international students in France are waiting on their residence permits. 

Almost 40% of International Students Deal With Major Financial Difficulties 
According to Manon Denizot, president of the Communauté Solidaire des Terres de l’Est (CSTE), nearly 40 per cent of students encounter financial hardships during their time in France. That is considerably higher than the share of French students that can be affected by financial difficulties. 

The President of CSTE has also revealed that the share of international students who do not obtain medical care due to insufficient conditions is higher than the share of French students in a similar position – 56 compared to 33 per cent, respectively. 

Receiving little to no support from the institutions also impacted the position of international students in France, further contributing to the inequalities between international students and French students.

Without residence permits, international students are not able to access financial support, employment or internships, hindering students’ path to finalising education, as for some degrees completing internships can be crucial for graduation. 

Algerian Students Expressed Concerns About Lengthy & Complex Procedures for French Study Visas 
The growing community of Algerian students in France has denounced the bureaucracy surrounding French study visas, pointing out that there are too many requirements for candidates to obtain such a document. 

Obtaining a study visa in France for Algerian students starts with filling out necessary documents, securing a spot at universities in France, completing the language proficiency test, paying university fees, as well as finalising a transfer fee of €8,000 while also finding suitable accommodation for their study period. 

According to estimations for the number of Algerian students in France, in 2022, there were 32,147 Algerian students in France. That is up by four per cent compared to the number of students recorded in the preceding year.

Source: https://schengen.news/international-students-in-france-complain-about-long-delays-in-obtaining-residence-permits/