First Residence Permit Application in France: Complete Assistance within 24 hours
The first application for a residence permit follows a strict procedure on ANEF: 12 to 18 documents depending on your status, cover letters, translated supporting documents. FrenchPappers builds your complete file from A to Z, submits it for you, and supports you until the prefecture's decision. From 490 €, payment in 3 instalments available.
Who is this service for?
Our First Application service is for any foreign national submitting their very first residence permit in France to a prefecture, after validation or expiry of a long-stay visa.
- Foreign national recently arrived in France with a long-stay visa (VLS-TS) to validate
- Foreign student arrived for the start of the academic year
- Employee recruited by a French company
- Spouse of a French citizen or resident
- Talent passport holder
If you already hold a current residence permit and wish to extend it, please consult our page instead Residence Permit Renewal. If your situation has changed (end of studies, marriage, hiring), it is a Change of Status that you need.
How it works, step by step
- Free case assessment (24h) — an advisor analyses your situation and confirms your eligibility, as well as the most suitable permit category (student, employee, private and family life, talent passport…).
- Secure payment — 1x, 3x or 4x via Stripe, with no additional fees.
- Collection of documents (you → us) — personalised checklist sent within 24 hours based on your exact case.
- Building the file (us) — verification of each document, drafting of cover letters, PDF formatting to ANEF standards.
- ANEF / prefecture submission — secure, no risk of rejection for format, with an archived submission receipt.
- Follow-up until the decision — Zero Abandonment Guarantee, no surcharge if additional documents are requested by the prefecture.
Documents to prepare
The exact list depends on your category. Here are the most common documents we will ask you for after confirming your file.
Documents common to all first applications
- Valid passport (all pages, including blank ones)
- Long-stay visa (VLS-TS) validated or in the process of validation
- Birth certificate translated and apostilled (less than 6 months old)
- Proof of address less than 3 months old (electricity, water or internet bill, rent receipt)
- 3 compliant ID photos (35×45 mm, white background, less than 6 months old)
- Health insurance or health coverage certificate
If you are applying for a "student" permit
- Certificate of enrolment in a recognised higher education institution
- Proof of resources: 615 €/month minimum (bank statements, scholarship, parental guarantee)
- Translated diplomas obtained
If you are applying for an "employee" permit
- Signed employment contract (permanent or fixed-term)
- Work authorisation validated by the DREETS
- Job offer and employer's Kbis extract (less than 3 months old)
- Last 3 payslips if you have already started work
If you are applying for a "private and family life" permit
- Marriage or PACS certificate (apostille + translation if foreign)
- Proof of shared life (at least 3 distinct pieces of evidence)
- ID document of the French or resident spouse
- Children's birth certificates if applicable
Fees and guarantees
First Residence Permit Application
Law firm value: 1 500 €
From 490 €
- ✓ Payment in 3x or 4x with no fees
- ✓ Processing within 24 hours
- ✓ Zero Abandonment Guarantee
- ✓ 10 languages spoken
- ✓ Free case assessment before payment
Prefecture taxes and OFII stamp duties remain the applicant's responsibility, in addition to the support fee.
Real cases (anonymised)
K., 24 years old — master's student in Paris
Having arrived from India in September with a student VLS-TS, K. had to submit his first residence permit application before the visa expired. File built in 5 days after receiving all the documents, ANEF submission validated on the first attempt. Acknowledgement of receipt issued within 3 weeks.
A. and his employer — hired on a permanent contract by an SME in Lyon
Engineer profile recruited outside the EU, employee file submitted with a work authorisation validated in advance by the DREETS. FrenchPappers coordinated employer and candidate on the same checklist, which avoided 3 typical back-and-forths. Employee residence permit obtained after 4 months of processing.
M. — spouse of a French citizen, recent marriage
Couple married 8 months earlier, first "private and family life" application to be built with proof of shared life. We helped structure the supporting documents (attached invoices, sworn statements, dated photos) and drafted the explanatory letter. Acknowledgement of receipt obtained within 6 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the first residence permit application take?
FrenchPappers prepares your complete file within 24 hours once the documents are received. The prefecture's processing time then varies from 2 to 6 months depending on your department. During processing, you receive an acknowledgement of receipt that serves as authorisation to stay and to work if your permit allows it.
Do I need a long-stay visa before the first application?
Yes, in most cases a VLS-TS (long-stay visa serving as a residence permit) is required. It must be validated online within 3 months of your arrival in France. The first residence permit application on ANEF then follows, generally when the visa expires.
What happens if my file is incomplete?
An incomplete file is put on hold by the prefecture, sometimes without clear notification, and the acknowledgement of receipt can be delayed. With FrenchPappers, we check every document before submission and you benefit from the Zero Abandonment Guarantee: no surcharge if additional documents are requested later.
Does the 490 € fee include the prefecture taxes?
No. The FrenchPappers fee of 490 € covers only the complete support service (assessment, file building, submission, follow-up). OFII taxes and stamp duties are payable separately, directly to the authorities. The exact amount depends on your permit category.
Can I work while my file is being processed?
The acknowledgement of receipt issued after submission on ANEF explicitly states whether you are authorised to work. For "employee" and "talent passport" permits, the acknowledgement of receipt generally grants the right to work. For the "student" permit, work is limited to 964 hours per year.
Is FrenchPappers a law firm?
No. FrenchPappers is a private administrative assistance company, independent of any public authority. We are not lawyers and do not provide legal advice within the meaning of the bar. For a prefecture dispute or an appeal before the administrative court, we refer you to a partner lawyer specialised in immigration law.
Official sources and references
- Service-public.gouv.fr — Residence permits
- ANEF — Digital Administration for Foreign Nationals in France
- CESEDA — Code governing the entry and residence of foreign nationals and the right of asylum
Last updated: 6 June 2026.