International students applying for a French long-stay visa or residence permit for study purposes now have to prove significantly higher financial means. Decree n° 2026-526 of 22 June 2026—published in the Journal Officiel but taking legal effect today, 1 August 2026—raises the minimum subsistence threshold from €615 to €877.50 per month, bringing it to 47 % of the gross monthly minimum wage (SMIC). The change applies to every new application lodged on or after 00:00 CET via the France-Visas portal or the ANEF residence-permit platform. Although the decree was announced six weeks ago, many prospective students only discovered the new amount when the France-Visas site updated overnight. Consulates, VFS/TLS service centres and Campus France offices have been instructed to reject files that do not meet the revised benchmark, even if applicants began preparing documents under the old rules. Financial proofs accepted include blocked bank accounts, scholarship letters and guarantees under the CROUS or Visale schemes. Banks have reported a surge in last-minute requests to open French accounts or top-up balances to the new level. Universities are concerned that the timing—just weeks before the academic year—may disrupt arrivals. “Some candidates will need to find an extra €2 000–€3 000 within days,” warned the University of Lyon’s international-relations director. Schools running tuition-free programmes fear a drop-off in non-EU enrolments, while business schools expect minimal impact because their fees already require higher budgets. Housing providers meanwhile say the higher threshold should reduce default risk and help students secure accommodation contracts more easily. For corporate mobility managers, the rule affects interns, exchange scholars and employees’ dependants who enrol in degree programmes. HR teams should verify that assignees’ children meet the updated criteria and budget for larger support allowances. Advisers also note knock-on effects for visa renewals: holders of ‘étudiant’ residence permits must meet the same threshold when they re-register each year. Failure to do so can jeopardise the ability to switch later into a ‘passeport-talent’ or other work category. Stakeholders are still watching for practice notes from the Interior Ministry clarifying how fluctuating SMIC levels will be indexed. Because the SMIC is re-evaluated every January, today’s figure of €877.50 could rise again before many students have even completed their first semester, adding a new layer of uncertainty to long-term planning. Mobility professionals are therefore advising clients to build a safety margin into budgets to anticipate future adjustments.
Source: Legifrance
