Deal with your visa application

👉To learn more about the procedure and the different stages of your visa application, we recommend you look for informations on the website of the Department in charge of visas here.

Gather your documents

Before you arrive in France, the ideal is to gather your important documents. They will be required when you apply for university, if you sign an employment contract, if you have to extend your visa…

👉Here is the list :

• Your ID documents : passport, birth certificate, driving licence.
• Your documents related to your studies : language level certificate (DELF, DALF, etc.), previous diplomas, certificate of registration at school or university.
• Your settling documents : proof of booking at your arrival accommodation or accommodation certificate if you plan on living at a relative’s home. 

👉More information on this article or into the free Spiky Community app !

 

Find a guarantor

A guarantor is someone who provides you security : they commit to paying your rent if you can no longer afford it. In France, it is almost  always mandatory to have a guarantor if you want to rent an apartment, whether you are a foreigner or a French citizen.Your guarantor must be French. If you do not have one, there are other solutions :

👉The Visale guarantee if you meet at least one of the following criteria : 

• You are between 18 and 30 years old
• You are an employee over the age of 30 :
  • Employed for less than 6 months (except confirmed permanent contract CDI)
  • OR Earning up to 1500€ net/month
  • OR In professional mobility
  • OR With a promise of employment less than 3 months old
• You are eligible for mobility lease.
• An intermediary rental organisation is taking care of your accomodation

 

👉The Cautioneo guarantor, a private solution that controls, guarantees certificates and protects from outstanding debt !

🎁❤️ With Spiky, you can benefit from 2 months free with the code SPIKY-RENT here or into the free Spiky app! 

Have your documents translated

👉In France, you may need a French translation of a document written in a foreign language to carry out certain formalities : university registration, replace a foreign driving licence…

⚠️The translation must be done by a sworn translator. We tell you how to find a sworn translator here

 👉More information on the free Spiky Community app !

Order your European Insurance Card

If you are a European citizen, you are considered a temporary resident and you must be affiliated with your home country’s health insurance plan. 

👉 You must order your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC/CEAM) for free before leaving your home country. You can get it from your home country’s health insurance organisation.

👉 You will be refunded up to 70% for most of medical charges (doctor, hospital, medicine). For the 30% left, you will have to subscribe to additional insurance ! 

👉More information on the free Spiky Community app!

 

Put together a rental application 

📁 Here is the list of mandatory documents to put together your rental application and to put all the chances on your side : 

• A photocopy of your ID document
• Residence permit if you came to France with a visa
• If you are a student : your student card or your school certificate for the ongoing year
• If you are an employee : a copy of your last 3 pay slips + your employment contract
• If you are head of company : the last 2 company reviews

 

⚠️ If a third party acts as your guarantor, he will have to provide the same documents : proof of earnings, ID card and a letter of guarantee

💡Tips : you can find an example of a customisable letter of guarantee here

👉 If you want more info about optional but recommended documents or some advice to avoid scams, we invite you to read those two articles : 

• How to prepare your rental file?
• Accommodation scams in France: what you need to know!

👉 More information on the free Spiky Community app!

Looking for and finding accomodation  

 🔎It is very difficult to find accommodation in France. Here are the existing solutions to find accommodation :

• Renting
• Flat sharing
• Coliving or intergenerational flat sharing 
• You can also choose medium-term furnished rental : we recommend Wunderflat, the ideal solution if you are looking for a mobility lease ! 
• If you are a student, you can apply for private or public student residence accommodation (Crous). You can find more information in this article : student housing

❤️ Our advice to look for accommodation : Studapart, the online platforme that gathers all the accomodation ads of your city! 

Subscribe to a home insurance + civil liability insurance

👉In France, the tenant has to subscribe to a home insurance as soon as he enters the accommodation.

👉Civil liability insurance is also mandatory to complete your enrollment in higher education in France. It covers the damage that you might cause to others during your everyday student activities (internship, babysitting, outings, etc.)
❤️ Heyme accompanies students and offers adapted solutions. Thanks to our partnership, get a 10% discount on all HEYME solutions with the code SPIKY-10

Applying for APL : Aide Personnalisée au Logement (Personalised Housing Assistance)

👉The Personalised Housing Assistance (APL) is a housing assistance for people renting or flat sharing, implemented by the CAF : Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (benefits office). 

Recommendation : apply for housing assistance as soon as you enter your accommodation.

Eligibility criteria :

• You are a French citizen or a foreigner with a currently valid residence permit
• You are renting a decent accommodation and you have signed a lease agreement
• You are not related to the property owner
• Your financial resources (salary, scholarship…) are inferior to some limits

💡 For flat sharing : each flatmate must make their own application for the Personalised Housing Assistance.

 

👉Click here to find out if you are eligible to the APL

👉If you want to know if you are eligible to other assistance, access the entitlement simulator here !

👉 More information on the free Spiky Community app! 
 

Open a bank account

As for most banks in France, you can open a bank account in person at a local agency or online on the website of the bank. Some banks for Spanish speakers (CIC Iberbanco) and for English speakers exist.

👉To open a bank account, you will need :

• Your ID card or passport
• Your residence permit (unless you are a European Union citizen)
• A proof of residence in France (electricity bill, rent receipt, proof of accommodation, etc.)
• If you are a student : the photocopy of your student card

👉If you do not have a European RIB, here are some solutions : 

• 🧡Our favorite : Revolut, the bank that offers a free bank account without conditions. No need for a RIB, and no need for proof of accommodation nor of income !
  Click on this link to get 3 months for free on the Premium subscription ! It makes you save 24€ !
• Traditional banks. You won’t need a French RIB but you must be a French resident. You will have to create an account in a local agency. Careful, the services are more expensive than in online banks. 

👉If you have a European RIB, you can choose : 

• An online bank - Monabanq, Orange Bank, Hello Bank - You must have a European RIB and be a French resident. Their services are cheaper than in traditional banks. You can subscribe to an account in just a few clicks, directly online. 
• Traditional banks. 

 

👉 More information about banks on the free Spiky Community app!

Get a medical coverage (“carte vitale”) + complementary health insurance - European students

👉 You must file for your European Health Insurance Card - EHIC (carte européenne d'assurance maladie, CEAM) for free before you leave in your insurance company in your country of origin.

👉 You will be paid back up to 70% for most of your medical expenses (doctor, hospital, medicine…) Regarding the 30% left, you will have to sign up for additional insurance (“mutuelle”)!  

❤️ Heyme accompanies students and offers adapted solutions. Thanks to our partnership, get a 10% discount on all HEYME healthcare solutions with the code SPIKY-10

👉 More information on the free Spiky Community app!

Get a medical coverage (“carte vitale”) + complementary health insurance - Non-European students 

👉You must register on the student welcome website here in order to benefit from the coverage of your healthcare expenses when you arrive in France 

👉 You will be paid back up to 70% for most of your medical expenses (doctor, hospital, medicine…) Regarding the 30% left, you will have to sign up for additional insurance (“mutuelle”)!

❤️ Heyme accompanies students and offers adapted solutions. Thanks to our partnership, enjoy a 10% discount on all HEYME healthcare solutions with the code SPIKY-10

👉 More information on the free Spiky Community app!

Choose a phone package

Depending on the time you wish to stay in France, you can decide between a commitment-free prepaid card or a phone package with or without commitment. 👉We recommend you take this quick test to find out which offer to choose!

 

🎁🧡We recommend you Lycamobile which offers unbeatable deals with discounts on international communications. With Spiky you can benefit from discounts and save up to 80€ per year if you subscribe to a phone package here.

 

🧡Lycamobile’s perk: no need for a french bank account to get a SIM card!

👉 More information on the free Spiky Community app!

Pay for the CVEC

👉Before applying for university, some students must prove they did pay the CVEC (contribution vie étudiante et de campus: contribution to student and campus life) or that they have been exempted to pay for it. Check if it is your case here !