- Sri Lanka is not on Campus France’s list of countries using the Études en France procedure, so you apply for the student visa directly on France-Visas.
- For programmes beyond the first year of a university Licence, Campus France Sri Lanka advises contacting the institution directly; once admitted, you apply for the visa.
- Files are lodged by appointment at VFS Global, Colombo 09; the Embassy of France in Colombo takes the decision.
- France-Visas gives 15 calendar days from an admissible application, which can extend to 30 days, or to 60 days if more documents are needed.
- Show resources of at least €877.50 a month, and validate your visa on the ANEF portal within three months of arrival.
Applying for a French student visa from Sri Lanka in 2027? The route is shorter than in many countries: no Campus France platform stage, just your AI2 admission, a France-Visas application and an appointment at VFS Global in Colombo. That also means your visa file has to stand on its own. Here is how to build it and when to start.
This guide is for Sri Lankan students admitted to an English-taught programme at AI2, on the Écouen campus near Paris. It uses what Campus France Sri Lanka, France-Visas and Service-Public publish. Fees and processing rules change, so confirm on France-Visas before you book.
🎓 Next step: read our guide to the master’s in AI in France taught in English, and see the AI courses in Paris taught in English.
Step by step from Sri Lanka
Apply to AI2, attend the online interview and receive your admission letter.
Pay the deposit to receive your enrolment certificate, and gather your documents.
Use the visa assistant on France-Visas to confirm the visa type and the checklist, then complete the long-stay student visa form online.
Book an appointment at the VFS Global centre in Colombo.
Lodge your file and biometrics, and pay the fees.
Wait for the decision of the Embassy of France in Colombo, then collect your passport.
In France, validate the visa on the ANEF portal within three months and register with the French health insurance.
Why there is no Campus France stage
Campus France publishes the official list of countries that apply the Études en France procedure; Sri Lanka is not among them. Service-Public confirms the consequence: nationals of countries outside that list apply for their student visa through France-Visas. Campus France Sri Lanka still exists, in Colombo, and can give guidance by email at colombo@campusfrance.org.
Its “how to apply” page draws one useful distinction. A preliminary admission request (DAP), filed with the cooperation and cultural action department of the French Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, concerns students entering the first year of a Licence at a university or a school of architecture. For other programmes, Campus France Sri Lanka tells students to contact the institution directly; once admitted, they undertake the visa procedure with the French consular authorities, requesting a student visa for a Bachelor’s or Master’s level programme. An AI2 application falls into this second case.
VFS Global Colombo and the Embassy of France
France-Visas states that visa applications in Sri Lanka are examined by the Embassy of France in Colombo, the only authority that decides. Applicants living in Sri Lanka or the Maldives go, by appointment, to the VFS Global centre at 4th floor, No. 675, Dr. Danister De Silva Mawatha, Colombo 09. The embassy itself is at 89 Rosmead Place, Colombo 07.
Processing times
According to France-Visas, applications are processed within 15 calendar days of the date an admissible application is lodged. In individual cases, notably when further checks are needed, this can be extended to 30 calendar days, and to 60 calendar days when additional documents are required. The embassy needs a minimum of three working days for any file. Plan your flight around the longest case, not the shortest.
Fees and exemptions
The VFS service fee is fixed in euros and paid in cash in Sri Lankan rupees at the current exchange rate, on top of the visa fee set by the French administration. France-Visas lists French or foreign government grant holders among those exempt from the VFS service fee. If your file is incomplete on the day, you may choose not to submit and come back with a new appointment, without paying processing fees, or submit and sign a form acknowledging the missing documents.
| Stage | Where | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | AI2 admissions, online | Admission letter and enrolment certificate |
| Visa form | France-Visas portal | Visa assistant gives the checklist |
| File and biometrics | VFS Global, Colombo 09 | By appointment; fees paid in rupees |
| Decision | Embassy of France, Colombo | 15 calendar days, up to 30 or 60 |
| Validation in France | ANEF portal | Within three months, €100 tax |
Documents to prepare in Sri Lanka
- Passport valid for your whole stay.
- AI2 admission letter stating the programme, intake, tuition and language of teaching, and the enrolment certificate issued once the deposit is paid.
- Academic documents: GCE A/L results, HND or degree certificates and transcripts, with certified translations of anything not in English.
- Proof of resources: at least €877.50 a month, about €10,530 a year, by bank certificate in your name, sponsor attestation with proof of income, or scholarship letter.
- Accommodation for your first weeks: see student accommodation in Paris.
- Travel insurance until you join the French health insurance.
- Programme description and answers to any consulate questions, which AI2 provides on request.
Your English proof belongs to the AI2 admission rather than the visa: AI2 asks for B2, shown by IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72 or English-medium studies; read study in France without IELTS.
Which AI2 programme fits a Sri Lankan qualification
Admissions confirms your entry year in writing. AI2’s guidance for Sri Lanka maps the GCE Advanced Level to the Bachelor in Applied AI; a Higher National Diploma, such as SLIATE’s HND in Information Technology, to the one-year BSc final year (see the top-up degree after an HND); a three-year general bachelor’s in a related subject to the two-year MSc; and a four-year honours bachelor’s to the MSc or the 11-month Fast-Track. AI2 also has partner institutions in Sri Lanka: applying through one of them is one of the criteria of the AI2 scholarship, described on the scholarships page.
A realistic calendar from Colombo
| Intake | Apply to AI2 | VFS appointment | Arrive |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2027 | By the 31 October 2026 priority deadline | Complete visa file by 30 November 2026 | Early January |
| May 2027 | November 2026 to February 2027 | At least two months before departure, to absorb a 60-day case | Late April or early May |
| September 2027 | January to May 2027 | Late spring to early summer | Late August or early September |
Without a Campus France stage, the visa itself is the critical path. AI2 recommends starting six to eight months before your intake, and the budget for tuition and living costs is set out in the cost of studying AI in France.
After you arrive
The VLS-TS student visa is valid for four months to one year. Validate it on the ANEF portal within three months of arrival and pay the €100 tax; after three months, leaving France with an unvalidated visa means a new visa to return. Register with the French health insurance, open a bank account, and remember that a student visa allows up to 964 hours of work a year. First steps are on life in France.
Avoid a refusal
Without a Campus France interview, the written file carries the whole case: unclear funds, a weak study plan or inconsistent documents weigh more. Read the most common reasons for a French student visa rejection before you book VFS.
Sources checked in October 2026: Campus France: countries using the Études en France procedure · Service-Public: which countries use Études en France or France-Visas · Campus France Sri Lanka: how to apply · France-Visas: Sri Lanka, VFS Global Colombo (version of October 2025) · Service-Public: work for non-European students · Campus France: validating your VLS-TS on arrival
Frequently asked questions
Do Sri Lankan students need Campus France for a French student visa?
No Études en France stage applies: Sri Lanka is not on Campus France’s list of countries using that procedure. You apply for the student visa on France-Visas and lodge it at VFS Global in Colombo. Campus France Sri Lanka can still give guidance.
Where do I submit my French student visa in Sri Lanka?
At the VFS Global centre, 4th floor, No. 675, Dr. Danister De Silva Mawatha, Colombo 09, by appointment. The Embassy of France in Colombo takes the decision.
How long does a French student visa take in Sri Lanka?
France-Visas states 15 calendar days from an admissible application, extendable to 30 days in individual cases and to 60 days when additional documents are needed.
How much money must I show?
At least €877.50 a month, about €10,530 for a year, in addition to tuition.
Does an AI2 admission guarantee a visa?
No. AI2 provides the admission and enrolment documents and guidance, but the decision belongs to the Embassy of France in Colombo.
Also read: study AI in France from Sri Lanka · visa guidance · apply now.
Apply online: the academic team reviews your file and invites you to an online interview.
