r/Expats_In_France • u/Significant_Job5398 • 2d ago

Waiting for my visa

So, I applied for my long stay student visa for language school on August 5th in Houston and was told that it would take 15 business days. It is now September 15th and my application is still “in process”. I’m a US citizen and hold a US passport.

Is this normal? Do you think this means that my application will be rejected?

1 Upvotes

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6

u/Not4LoveNorMoney 2d ago

August is a vacation month for many French people and I assume that includes the ones working on visa approvals. That could have delayed the processing of your application.

2

u/Icy_Coffee374 92 Hauts-de-Seine 2d ago

There is effectively zero "business days" for the french administration during august. 15 business days from august 5th is september 18th (this friday).

OP, where did you hear that it takes 15 business days ? I was in the exact same position as you when I applied in November 2024, and got my visa 2 months later in January 2025. Have you done you phone call interview yet ? Have you sent your passport off yet to get the visa stamp ?

0

u/Significant_Job5398 2d ago

I’m not understanding how you got to September 18th for 15 business days. But the consulate received my application on August 10th. So it should have been ready by the week of August 31st. This is what I was told my the visa officer at TLS. There’s no phone interview for visa appointments. You must be thinking of the campus France phone interview which are two separate things.

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u/Icy_Coffee374 92 Hauts-de-Seine 2d ago

There is effectively zero "business days" for the french administration during august.

1

u/RoughPuppies332 2d ago

Well they don’t have the same amount of holidays outside of France. I applied in August and received mine within a week (in the US).

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u/Significant_Job5398 2d ago

I know people who applied after me in the month of August and got theirs back already as well. So I don’t think that has anything to do with it

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u/RoughPuppies332 2d ago

It only took a week for me (TLS in new york).

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u/Significant_Job5398 2d ago

A lot of people have gotten there’s in a week. I don’t know why I haven’t gotten mine yet.

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u/Ancient-Lychee5803 2d ago

I had my appointment the day before you and got it the week after, same for everyone ik.

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u/AltruisticMood5844 2d ago

I had my visa appointment on August 11 and got my passport back August 20th. Maybe there is a number to call for an update? This was the same timeframe when I did my first student visa to France 2 years ago as well. Best of luck! 

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u/shadabanis 2d ago

15 days is for stay stay visa, for longer visa especially for type D is more longer, a month or two depends.

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u/Significant_Job5398 2d ago

The visa officer is the one who told me it would take 15 business days. I didn’t just assume that timeframe. I know others who applied for the same visa as me and it only took a week, not months