Gather your visa documents
Funds of at least €877.50 per month, accommodation, admission, Campus France receipt.
Minimum monthly funds877.50 €/monthVisa, first permit and renewals. Replaces €615.
Verified on 07/10/2026 · Service-public F2231Source
Proof of funds accepted for the student visaYour choice: scholarship, bank account in France, permanent and irrevocable transfer (blocked account, “AVI”), or support from a sponsorThe AVI is one of the four possible proofs, not a requirement. Minimum amount: €877.50 per month (D14).
Verified on 08/10/2026 · Campus France Cameroun (liste des pièces du visa, d'après France-Visas)Source
Proof of accommodation accepted for the student visaYour choice: hotel booking, lease, certificate or commitment from your host, or a letter from the student explaining how they plan to find housingIf you haven't found housing yet, the explanatory letter is one of the accepted documents.
Verified on 08/10/2026 · Campus France Cameroun (liste des pièces du visa, d'après France-Visas)Source
Other documents required when applying for the visaTravel insurance and a flight bookingA booking is enough: don't buy a non-refundable ticket before you have the visa.
Verified on 08/10/2026 · Campus France Cameroun (liste des pièces du visa, d'après France-Visas)Source
Études en France application fee (Cameroon)85,000 FCFANon-refundable, even if the visa is refused. Paid by appointment at TLS Contact, on top of the 16,000 FCFA TLS fee. Keep the receipt for the visa application. The old 75,000 FCFA amount, still shown in the FAQ, is out of date.
Verified on 08/10/2026 · Campus France CamerounSource
Passport for a long-stay visaValid 3 months after the visa ends, at least 2 blank pages, issued less than 10 years ago
Verified on 08/10/2026 · Service-public F16162Source
How to do it
A pre-registration or an admission does not guarantee a visa: the consular services alone decide, based on your documents. An incomplete file or poorly proven resources are the main source of problems.
- 1Wait until you have confirmed your final choice: the acceptance certificate (accord préalable d'inscription) is downloaded from your Études en France file and is a key document for the visa.
- 2Check your passport straight away: it must be valid and have enough blank pages. If you need a new one, start now, as it often takes a long time.
- 3Gather ONE proof of funds for the whole stay, at least €877.50 per month, your choice: scholarship certificate, deposit in a bank account in France, irrevocable transfer (blocked account, “AVI”) or support from a sponsor with their documents.
- 4Find housing for your first months and its proof: hotel booking, lease, certificate from a host, or failing that a letter explaining how you plan to find housing.
- 5Dig out the Campus France procedure fee receipt and make clean copies of every document.
- 6Build your final list with the France-Visas assistant (next step): that list is the reference, including which documents must be translated.
What you need
- Valid passport
- Acceptance certificate from the institution (accord préalable d'inscription)
- Proof of resources (at least 877.5 € per month)
- Proof of accommodation for your first months in France
- Travel insurance and a flight booking (a booking, not a paid ticket)
- Campus France procedure fee receipt
- Diplomas and transcripts, translated if the France-Visas list requires it
Tips
- Since the embassy's press release of 3 September 2026, proof that you have paid the full tuition is no longer required. But the financial soundness of your plan is still examined: a clear, consistent budget matters a lot.
- The old threshold of 615 € per month is out of date: use only 877.5 € per month.
- Only include the documents requested by the visa services. Nobody else is allowed to ask you for documents or fees outside the official counters.
- Plane ticket: a booking is enough, not a paid ticket. Ask an airline or an agency for one, and check how long it stays valid and whether there is a fee.
- No housing yet? A letter explaining how you plan to find housing is one of the accepted documents, like a hotel booking or a certificate from a host.
- Funds: the AVI (blocked account) is only one of four possible proofs, along with a scholarship, an account in France or a sponsor. Nobody can impose it on you.
Money
Proving your funds: AVI or other options
The AVI is not mandatory: it is one of the four possible proofs of funds for the student visa.
- 1Work out the amount to prove: at least €877.50 per month of stay.
- 2Choose ONE of the four accepted proofs: scholarship certificate, deposit in a bank account in France, permanent and irrevocable transfer (blocked account, “AVI”), or support from a sponsor.
- 3If you have a scholarship or a relative who funds you regularly, you don't need an AVI: provide the scholarship certificate, or the sponsorship certificate with the sponsor's ID and proof of income.
- 4If you choose an AVI, ask several providers for their written contract before paying: opening fee, fee per monthly payment, time to issue the certificate, and refund terms if the visa is refused.
- 5Attach the chosen proof to your visa application, consistent with the funding plan you presented to Campus France.
What you need
- The proof of funds you chose (scholarship, bank certificate, AVI certificate or sponsorship)
- For sponsorship: the sponsor's ID and proof of income
- For an AVI: the contract and certificate issued by the provider
Tips
- No rule requires a particular AVI provider: be wary of anyone who says otherwise.
- Nobody can guarantee a visa in exchange for money: the decision belongs to the consulate.
- Keep a margin above the minimum: the first months cost more (deposit, settling in).
A question about this step?
“Gather your visa documents”: ask Mbeng, the answer comes from the guides and official sources.